I’ve definitely mentioned that I don’t necessarily love the Stairmaster but I kept hearing about Rise Nation so wanted to see what all the hype was about. Initially I thought it was just going to be 30 minutes of a machine just like the Stairmaster. First of all, no. It’s not lol – it’s definitely much more of a full body workout type of machine. Second of all, I was a bit apprehensive being that the class is only 30 minutes long. How many calories can you really burn anyway. Well, I’m here to report…30 minutes is all you need!
Class: It’s a 30 minute, heart-pumping class on the VersaClimber. It’s kind of like you’re just walking up a ladder – a ladder with no end! You get to climb sometimes one “rung” at a time with shorter strides but other times the instructor will ask you to “reach” and you extend your arms out completely giving your back, arms, and shoulders a great workout. The VersaClimber is one of the coolest pieces of equipment I’ve tried – sort of functioning like a spin bike, with a resistance knob to crank up the intensity of your workout.
During the first two minutes of class, I was honestly really winded. I am not used to that motion and you really do exert both upper and lower body at once. Once I got used to the motion though it got a little bit more doable – I don’t want to say easier because that’s not true 😀
By the end of class, I checked my heart rate monitor and I had burned 400 calories! Say what? I thought I was going to burn maybe 250 calories but my heart rate was always in the target/maximum range so I was working it the whole time. Such an efficient 30 minute workout!
No pain, no gain: About two hours after class, the soreness started to kick in. My upper back, shoulders, quads and glutes mostly. That pretty much covers the full body 😀
Amenities:
- Bring a water bottle and you can refill here!
- The outdoor patio on the second floor where the Versaclimbers are located is beautiful. I love the fresh air you get before/after the workout. It wasn’t open when I went but it looks like you can get smoothies there as well.
Parking: Plenty of metered parking in the area but there is also a covered structure adjacent to the gym. It is $5 with validation.
Tips:
- It’s on a super convenient block of La Cienega across from the Beverly Center and right next to Alfred Coffee and Cycle House.
- My class was with Katie and she’s not only beautiful (hello #bodygoals) but also really positive and has a great selection of music that really helps you keep up the climb!
Contact:
613 N. La Cienega Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(424)343-0082
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