Fitness, like faith, is a never-ending quest. Just as spiritual grace is ultimately impossible to attain, there's always room for physical improvement. Or so I mused, as I hoisted myself to sweaty ...

Niagara Falls fitness equipment maker Jacobs Ladder has been acquired by Core Health & Fitness, a private-equity backed company that owns brands like Stairmaster, Schwinn and Nautilus.

WHEN IT COMES to elevating your cardio game, the choices are aplenty—treadmills, rowing machines, stationary bicycles—but none quite pack the punch like the stair climber does. That machine lurking in ...