At Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, our gym members and staff are all striving to climb to the next rung of our fitness journey, regardless of our level of experience.

Often, climbing to that next level means we need to find the right equipment to challenge our bodies to be stronger, more stable, and more functional. With so many exercise machines and devices out there, though, it can be tough to know which option will give us the best mix of cardiovascular exercise, strength training, stabilization, AND a feeling of accomplishment.

One way to overcome this obstacle is to join a gym like AFAC. As part of our commitment to be the best gym in Thornton, CO, we constantly invest in the latest and greatest exercise tools to provide gym members with the widest range of workout options possible. That way, our members have the opportunity to mix up their workouts and test their limits.

Jacobs Ladder is a great example of gym equipment that provides an effective strength training and cardiovascular workout at the same time. At AFAC, our Thornton gym has the latest model, a Jacobs Ladder X, and it’s one of the stars of our gym for many reasons. Keep reading to learn more about Jacobs Ladder X and the fitness benefits it provides.

What is Jacobs Ladder?

True to its name, Jacobs Ladder X, or JLX, has a ladder-style conveyor belt that’s angled at 40 degrees. As you climb the JLX, its never-ending, continuous-loop rungs rotate so that you can ascend the ladder for as long as you want to. In addition to working out your legs, the JLX provides multiple options for your upper body, as well — you can use your hands to climb the ladder rungs or you can hold on to handles along the side or in front.

Four different climbing positions on the JLX provide four unique workout experiences that are specifically designed to train different muscle groups at varying intensity levels:

Side rail position — The JLX has two side rails running along the edges of the ladder. Holding on to the side rails while you climb offers a lower-intensity workout.
Stand up position — The JLX also has two long handles on the top of the machine that are parallel to the floor. Holding on to these handles allows you to stand upright and gives you the traditional stairclimbing motion that emphasizes lower-body muscles.
Sled drive position — The JLX has another set of handles located at the top of the machine. Holding onto these short handles brings your body into a pushing position, with upper body parallel to the JLX and your arms parallel to the floor. This engages the core, upper body, and lower body muscle groups to offer an extremely high calorie burn.
Hand over hand position — This is the traditional ladder climbing position, with your hands grabbing the rungs one-by-one as your feet climb. This motion offers the highest-intensity climbing exercise, utilizes both upper- and lower-body muscle groups, and helps drive the heart rate to the target zone the fastest.

In addition to the four workout positions, the JLX offers several updated features compared to the original Jacobs Ladder. It has a redesigned dashboard that provides an easy view of:

Time elapsed
Calories burned
Heart rate
Intensity level
Total feet climbed
Rate of feet per minute

It also has convenient holders you can use for your water bottle, cell phone, and other loose items you might be carrying around with you.

The JLX is self-powered, which means you determine the speed that you climb the ladder, and the machine automatically adjusts to you. The faster you move, the harder you’ll work and the better results you’ll see.

The ladder is placed at a fixed 40 degree angle that cannot be changed. This angle places the spine in a neutral position and takes stress off the lower back. This makes climbing the JLX a truly low-impact exercise where the user determines the intensity.

All in all, users say they love Jacobs Ladder because it’s the easiest machine to work hard on!

What are the benefits of adding Jacobs Ladder to my gym rotation?

Since it’s known as one of the most effective pieces of gym equipment available, there is definitely a case to be made for adding Jacobs Ladder to your regular workout regimen, especially for your cardio workouts. Here are some of the reasons why you might consider using Jacobs Ladder every time you’re at the gym:

It burns a lot of calories — Because you utilize your entire body on Jacobs Ladder, it burns a high amount of calories compared to other cardio machines.

It is easier on the joints — Compared to the pounding you experience while running on a treadmill, Jacobs Ladder provides a much lower-impact workout.

You can work out harder with less effort — A study at Louisiana State University found that you can get a harder workout on Jacobs Ladder than on a treadmill, but with less effort. Who doesn’t want to burn more calories while feeling like you’re doing less?

Your stabilizer muscles are engaged more — If you work out using the hand-over-hand position, you’re moving all four limbs at the same time which requires your core and upper joint stabilizers to be activated at a higher rate compared to other cardio machines.

It’s easy to use — On a treadmill and some other cardio machines, you’ll find yourself pushing on the speed and other settings to find the perfect workout for you. Jacobs Ladder, however, is self-propelled. The faster you climb, the faster the rungs on the ladder move. The speed of Jacobs Ladder is determined by a belt you wear that attaches to the machine. As you create more tension on the belt, the rungs will move faster. Less tension on the belt means slower rungs. On Jacobs Ladder, it’s very easy to go faster, go slower, or stop when you’re ready.

It provides a unique workout — Unless you climb a lot (which is possible considering AFAC’s indoor rock climbing options and all the mountains surrounding our Thornton gym), Jacobs Ladder offers a unique opportunity to mimic a climbing motion pattern that you won’t get on a treadmill, cycle, rower, or even a stair stepper. On Jacobs Ladder, you’ll essentially be mimicking a crawling motion on an incline, which is a highly functional movement that we should all practice regularly. Learning how to properly crawl on Jacobs Ladder reinforces good balance, posture, and coordination, which are essential qualities to maintain as we age.

How do I use Jacobs Ladder at the gym?

Jacobs Ladder is perfect to use for your high-intensity endurance, aerobic, and weight loss workouts at the gym. We recommend that you consult with one of AFAC’s personal trainers before you try the JLX machine at our gym, but here is a general progression of how to use it.

Getting started — First, set your weight on the machine and set your height on the height strap. Then, attach the height strap’s belt around your waist. Get on the machine and start climbing slowly. If you’re trying the hand-over-hand workout, use opposing limb movements. Your right hand will reach up as your left foot is stepping up to the next rungs, and vice versa.

Warm up — Using the JLX takes both coordination and cardiovascular fitness, so start slowly with a two- to five-minute warmup session that gets your heart rate up to 70% of maximum.

Work out — Pick a speed that keeps your heart rate around 70% to 80% of your maximum and maintain that for at least 15 to 20 minutes or for as long as you can. The more you use the JLX, the longer you’ll be able to climb per session.

Cool down — When you’re ready, reduce your speed and cool down for about 3 minutes.

Log your results — Record your time on JLX and the number of feet you climbed. Save those results over time so you can see your improvement!

Interval training on Jacobs Ladder

For interval training workouts, after your warmup on the JLX, climb rapidly at 2 to 4 minute intervals with your heart rate at 85% to 90% of your maximum. Then you can rest by going at a slower speed or stopping. Repeat for 4 to 5 sets.

Where did Jacobs Ladder come from?

The name “Jacobs Ladder” refers to the Biblical character Jacob who dreamed about a ladder leading to heaven from the earth.

The Jacobs Ladder workout machine, however, was invented and patented in 1994 by Steve Nichols of Hamburg, New York. A fitness enthusiast who also worked in construction, Steve knew that climbing a ladder provided a good workout, so the concept of Jacobs Ladder was born. As great as his invention was, however, Jacobs Ladder didn’t experience commercial success right away.

Then Bob Palka — a former engineer who was looking to buy a business — heard about Jacobs Ladder in 2004 and went to see it for himself. As a former Penn State All-American, Bob had always tried to keep in shape but suffered two herniated discs that led to surgery. After he used the Jacobs Ladder machine in his rehab after surgery, he became a believer in the machine and purchased the company. But it would still take about five years before the idea of Jacobs Ladder caught on.

In 2009, NBC’s reality weight loss show, “The Biggest Loser,” acquired a couple Jacobs Ladder machines and used them on the show. That exposure launched the company into its current fame and resulted in thousands of units being sold.

To this day, Jacobs Ladder machines are still proudly manufactured in the USA, along with the company’s other workout equipment like their Stairway and RopeFit machines.

Since Jacobs Ladder enables high-intensity aerobic and anaerobic workouts and simulates actual challenges that people serving in military, fire, and police units face every day, these machines can be found in a wide range of first responder facilities across the country. A few of the hundreds of groups using Jacobs Ladder include the Navy SEALS, Army Rangers, FBI, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and Division I college athletic programs. It’s also been used by performers like Robert Downey, Jr., when he trained for the “Iron Man” movie series, as well as people training to climb Mt. Everest.

Ascend to New Fitness Heights on Jacobs Ladder at Our Thorton Gym

As awesome as Jacobs Ladder is, you won’t find it at every gym, but you will be able to use it at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club because we’re committed to providing our members with the best equipment, classes, and personal trainers in the Thornton, CO, area. After you climb on our JLX machine, we hope you’ll take the time to pamper yourself and recover with our hydro massage bed or cryotherapy chamber. To learn more about Jacobs Ladder and joining our gym, visit Adventure Fitness Athletic Club or contact our gym owner, Susan at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.

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