FAQs

While many other forms of cardio such as the treadmill or spin bike only work the lower body and require longer workout times to burn calories, the Versaclimber provides a total-body exercise, working the muscles in your arms, legs, chest, back, shoulders, and more, in one fluid motion. The machine forces your body to work in a contra-lateral way – meaning your right arm needs to work with your left leg and vice versa – targeting muscle groups that aren’t activated by other workouts.

Like all full-body exercises, the Versaclimber can be tough to use, but the key is to build up. For first-time climbers, we recommend a 15 to 20 minute climb – which includes a five-minute warm up and a three to five minute cool down.

Once you’ve got the hang of it, you can take your workouts up to 60-minute sessions. Always keep an eye on your heart rate and perceived exertion, to make sure you are at the right level – no matter how many times you have used the machine.

If you’re at a gym, ask a professional to help you – this way you can find the workout level and duration that is right for you and your goals.

For home gyms, always read the manual and follow the below steps:

1. Set the handles to the correct position for your height by standing on the pedals and moving the handgrips so that they are just at shoulder height. Then tighten the straps on the foot pedals around your feet.

2. Select your exercise mode by either adjusting the tension using the number pad, or, for a bit of competition, select a virtual opponent or virtual landmark mode. If you’re unsure what exercise you would like to do, push the QUICK START button and follow the instructions to set the time, rate or duration.

3. Now begin climbing! Stretch your right arm and left leg up, then repeat on the opposite side and continue like this, in an alternating motion. To maintain shock and trauma free training, do not ‘bottom out’ – or hit the bottom of the machine with the foot pedals – at the end of each stroke.

If you want to build strength in a specific area of your body then it can be used for less than a minute, by setting the hydraulics to a slow rate and performing 8 to 12 reps. For power training, set the hydraulics to a faster rate and perform 15 to 30 reps.

Endurance training usually takes around 30 minutes per session with the hydraulics set at an intermediate rate of motion.

Some people also find it useful to use the machine for a 10-20 second sprint at the end of a workout for a quick cool down, while others use it for around 20 minutes each day as a regular cardio routine to help them burn calories.

Along with providing a full-body cardio workout, the Versaclimber is designed to work like weight training machines and can focus on your lower or upper body specifically if set correctly.

For a lower body workout, the machine offers exercises such as isolated leg lifts, leg presses and quad burning squats. For these, set the hydraulic rate relatively slow, hold onto the stationary handrails at the sides, and perform the specific motions for each exercise. The position of your feet on the pedals can also work different sections of your lower body; for example, climbing on your heels will work your quads, while climbing on your toes will work on your calves.

Isolated exercises can be used to focus purely on your arms, shoulders, chest and back by standing on the isolated base plate in front of the machine rather than the pedals, and either pushing or pulling on the handles.

All Versaclimber beginners should take it easy, using a step no greater than four to six inches while keeping a gentle pace for around 15 or 20 minutes. You must also remember that to avoid shock, you should never let the foot pedals hit the bottom of the machine otherwise you can do serious damage to your body.

The Versaclimber monitor screen provides information on your exercise such as the duration of your session, your climbing rate (Ft/min) and the distance you have travelled. Using this information, you will be able to monitor your progress by judging the distance you have travelled over a certain amount of time.

The Versaclimber is simple to install and does not require any specific electronic knowledge or DIY. However, you may find it easier to assemble if you have a second person to support you.

If you any issues with the machine, or would like to book a service email info@versaclimber.co.uk.

The chart below tells you everything you need to know about the benefits of using a Versaclimber over other forms of cardio workouts.