Be a vertical junkie! Alternate cardio workouts

Bet you never thought of meeting pals while panting your way up a cliff, that to, all in the confines of a gymnasium or fitness studio. Yet, that’s quite possible as a lot more folks in the city are now shifting gears upward toward a fun, result-oriented workout the vertical climb.

Tackling the Cliff
Vinay Savla who has introduced the Cliff climbing system to Mumbai agrees. “We had a few curious people trying it out earlier a few months ago, but that number has more than almost tripled,” he says.

For Savla and his mates a few IIT graduates, textile industrialist and a product designer the idea for the Cliff came upon them at a campfire en route to a tiger sanctuary.

“We all loved climbing and it struck us that we simply had to do more to follow that passion back in the city. Four months ago we launched it at the Turf Club and have organized several rock climbing competitions in the city too,” he says.

How it works:
Think a ten-and-a-half-foot vertical treadmill that attempts to simulate the tough curvatures a climber might experience on a real mountain.

“It has all the features of the outdoor with a lesser risk factor. The Cliff is equipped with a high-resilience foam crash mat to reduce the impact of a possible fall,” he informs. An angle from 70 to 85 degrees works out the lower body; an angle up to 135 degrees aims to work the upper torso and above that you can get a full body work out. There are benefits too.

“We have the Cliff tested from IIT professionals and the regime was found to help in two aspects. Firstly, as a great cardio workout.

One can burn almost 700 calories an hour as compared to 300 on treadmill. Secondly, it gives strength training. “The rolling of the surface controls the calorie burning, plus it can be tilted so it works out all the muscles. The best part? It helps the mind stay sharp!”

Who can do it?:
Children from age 12 onwards (unassisted), and if assisted children above five can do it. Also great for working professionals.

Climbing Jacob’s Ladder
The name might remind you of the Biblical ‘ladder to heaven’, but this one is actually a new age exercise regime.  So it’s actually a workout that distills the best benefits of a treadmill.

“It’s a non-motorized equipment driven by human energy,” says Madhuri Ruia who started teaching the technique at her studio at Colaba a few weeks back.

“You need to attach a cable around the waist that is adjusted for height and then you start climbing. It places the user at a 40 degree angle in order to take the stress off the lower back.”

While the machine works the legs and the upper body, just ten minutes of it can give you a full body workout and burn a lot more calories than with conventional equipment,” she says.

Who can do it:
Home makers, office-goers and those with a desk job.