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Jacobs Ladder isn't the kind of machine you hop on, flip your iPod to shuffle and zone out for 45 minutes.

Not even close.

This cardio trainer looks like the result of a tryst between a treadmill and a step ladder.

The motions are like climbing up to a treehouse, but it's much more of a workout than you imagine.

Good luck staying on this thing for more than 20 minutes. In fact, the trainers at The Rush 24/7 recommend using this machine as part of a cross-training fitness routine.

The concept is simple.

Get on the thing.

Start climbing.

A sensor slips around your waist to control the speed of the steps. When you speed up, the machine chugs right along with you.

Use all four limbs to climb your way through a total-body workout, or rest your hands on the side rails to push quads and calves extra hard.

There's none of that herky-jerky stair-climber motion that's brutal on the knees.

The only thing I'd worry about is the possibility of a sore back after a lengthy workout.

Not that I had that problem. I couldn't manage to stay on the machine long enough to find out.

Contact Katie Reetz at 691-5091 or kreetz@news-record.com.