It’s #Time2Climb with #RiseNation

When I first heard about Rise Nation, I was a little intimidated by the concept but that didn’t stop me from wanting to try it. At Rise Nation, you are working out in a group fitness setting on a VersaClimber, which is a vertical climber machine. After reading the description, I realized that it’s only 30 minutes, so surely I can hang in there for half an hour. As a new customer, my first session is free, so I was ready to rise to the challenge!

After I arrived at the beautiful two-story studio, I checked in with the friendly staff in the lobby. I signed the electronic waiver & then I was brought to the second story where the studio is located. It was very sunny upstairs due to the glass windows, but I was assured that once the class started, the black curtains would block out the sunlight.

The machine itself is pretty straight-forward. A Rise Nation staff member got me set-up on the machine. She made sure that the hand grips were at the right level (you can adjust it depending on your height) & that the foot straps were supporting my feet. There is a resistance knob to use (similar to how you would use one during a spin class). She also showed me various hand placements on the machine: over or under-hand grip on the hand grips or placing my hands on the foam hand rails. As I took a few practice climbs, I made sure to keep my body upright as if I was climbing a ladder & also to keep my knees slightly bent at all times so that I don’t lock ‘em out.

I had reserved a Climber that was near the front so that I could see the instructor. The instructor’s machine is hard to miss since it is a bright yellow Climber on a small raised platform. Before class started, I stashed my workout bag in the little cubbies that are built right underneath the instructor stage.

Within the first 10 minutes I realized that the class (although at A1 beginner level) was intense. Unlike a cycle class where you are spinning for 40-60 minutes while sitting down, this 30 minute class has you pushing & pulling on the hand grips to propel them up & down, while pedaling/climbing your feet – all while you are standing upright. There is nothing to lean on folks, you just have to use your core & your arm & leg muscles to power through!

The instructor took us through different intervals, sprints & a cool down. Fortunately the Climber has a water bottle holder & the rails make a convenient towel rack (which the studio provides for each machine). I drank my entire bottle of water during class & used that towel to mop up my sweaty face.

After class, I refilled my water bottle from the studio’s nifty water dispenser. I had brought a granola bar to snack on afterwards & hung out briefly on their cool looking patio.

Before I left, I thanked Nicolette who is a great instructor to have as a newbie. Her energy level is awesome & she gives excellent cues so I always knew what was coming up next. I also liked her playlist. In my opinion, you really need good music to get you through class.

Remember when I said earlier that your first class is free if you are a new customer? Rise Nation also has other packages.

One that is not listed in the photo above is their New Client Series: 3 classes for $30. This series expires 21 days from the date of purchase. If you’d like more info on Rise Nation, check out their website here.

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. I attended a complimentary class which helped facilitate this review. All images & opinions are 100% my own.