Vertical climber machines?

I've seen some talk from alpinists using vertical climbers for training but anyone else ever used one just for general zone 2 cardio endurance training?  I mostly do alot trad and am keen on eventually working my way into big wall climbing and my thought is this would be a handy way to train endurance at home.  This is the type of exercise machine I'm talking about btw https://www.walmart.com/ip/Conquer-Vertical-Climber-Fitness-Climbing-Cardio-Machine-3-0/316511797?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=467&adid=22222222227097529785&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=218980113492&wl4=aud-310687321802:pla-354881592841&wl5=9028226&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=111838796&wl11=online&wl12=316511797&wl13=&veh=sem

These have been around for a very long time. My experience with other than very expensive designs is that there's no climbing-specific _resistance_. 

So you're just moving your arms up and down, not the weight of your body. This is also a problem with many "stairclimber" machines -- you're just moving your knees up and down, not fighting gravity.

There's a sizable market for people who want to kid themselves about exercise and training.

Note also that the calorie counters on some machines show greatly inflated numbers, again for people who want to kid themselves about how much they can eat afterward.

Ken

An earlier discussion on a similar product, maybe it will be helpful.

aikibujin wrote:

An earlier discussion on a similar product, maybe it will be helpful.

Well it seemed pretty consistent in that thread until the end.  I'm about at the same level of unsureness as I was before reading it lol.

Christopher Smith wrote:

Well it seemed pretty consistent in that thread until the end.  I'm about at the same level of unsureness as I was before reading it lol.

I ended up buying a fan bike for $90 for my wife, and of course she used it twice or three times and never used it again (which is why I didn't want to drop a couple hundred dollars to get a fancy treadmill or elliptical). Personally I think if you want to use the vertical climber for general cardio (and not expecting any climbing specific endurance), it's probably fine. You also can't go wrong with any other sort of general cardio exercise machines like a treadmill or elliptical machine.

aikibujin wrote:

I ended up buying a fan bike for $90 for my wife, and of course she used it twice or three times and never used it again (which is why I didn't want to drop a couple hundred dollars to get a fancy treadmill or elliptical). Personally I think if you want to use the vertical climber for general cardio (and not expecting any climbing specific endurance), it's probably fine. You also can't go wrong with any other sort of general cardio exercise machines like a treadmill or elliptical machine.

Fan bike? Like aerodyne? Those bikes are great for anaerobic conditioning I used them in wrestling and training with MMA and BJJ athletes. I’m new into climbing so I’m not entirely sure on the physical requirements for your type of climbing or training but all and all a good piece of equipment for athletes and the typical health enthusiast. 

Oliver Newton wrote:

Fan bike? Like aerodyne? 

Yes, like aerodyne, but a much cheaper knock-off. I've heard lots of good things about it, and I like it, but my wife doesn't.

that looks like elbow overuse problems waiting to happen.

I've used one of THESE machines at Gold's Gym and thought it was really cool. Great for cardio conditioning and definitely requires a lot of hand-foot coordination. Probably not worth the price to have your own, though.