Ladder is a high performance nutritional supplement company offering whey and plant protein powders, pre-workout drinks, superfood greens and more.
Found online at Ladder.sport, the company's aim is to offer “cleaner, higher-quality supplements that allow you to get the most out of your workout to achieve your fitness goals” and goes by the tagline, Rituals Over Resolutions.
Ladder has a star-studded origin story: the company was launched in 2018 when LeBron James, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lindsey Vonn, and Cindy Crawford teamed up to create better supplements and now host things like The Ladder Challenge as a way to integrate the star power with all fitness enthusiasts.
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Contents
What is Ladder?
LeBron was motivated to launch the company after his infamous cramping incident during the 2014 NBA Finals. Despite taking good care of his body, James’ body failed him when he needed it most. He wanted to create supplements that made cramps a thing of the past.
It’s a nice story, but is Ladder the real deal? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about Ladder and its athletic supplements.
Reviewing the Ladder Sport Products
As of 2020, Ladder offers five products, including a whey protein, pre-workout, plant protein, superfood powder, and hydration formula. Below, we’ll talk about each product in detail.
Ladder Pre-workout
Ladder pre-workout is available in strawberry lemonade or tropical fruit. You can buy it in on-the-go packets (just rip and pour into your water bottle). Or, you can buy a bag of bulk powder with a scoop.
Key ingredients in Ladder Pre-Workout include 100mg of caffeine, 3g of beta-alanine, 5g of creatine, and 250mg of theanine. The theanine should help balance out the negative effects of caffeine, like jitters and anxiety, while ingredients like beta-alanine and creatine are proven pre-workout boosters.
As Ladder explains, “our ingredients will make you feel limitless every time you get dressed for your workout.” Each serving of Ladder should give you a stream of energy that lasts for up to 6 hours, although you should feel most powerful within 30 to 45 minutes of taking the supplement.
Pricing
- 15 Packets: $50
- 30 Packets: $75
- 30 Serving Bag with Scoop: $75
- 45 Packets: $100
You can also save 20% by ordering Ladder Pre-Workout with an auto-ship subscription. You’ll receive a new order every month, and your credit card will be charged every month.
Ladder Whey Protein
Ladder Whey Protein also comes in on-the-go packets or a bulk bag with a scoop. You can mix the powder with water, a shake, or the beverage of your choice. It’s available in chocolate or vanilla flavors.
Ladder Whey Protein contains 26g of protein, 7g of BCAAs, 14g of essential amino acids, and 2 billion CFUs of probiotics. That’s pretty much everything you need in a protein powder, although it’s what you should expect at this price range.
For flavor, Ladder Whey Protein uses natural flavors (like cocoa and vanilla), cane sugar, salt, and stevia. There’s also a thickener blend (with guar gum, xanthan gum, and carrageenan), silica, and sunflower lecithin to bind everything together.
Pricing
- 15 Packets: $50
- 30 Packets: $75
- 30 Serving Bag with Scoop: $75
- 45 Servings: $100
Again, you can save 20% by signing up for the auto-ship subscription, which drops the price down to $40, $60, or $80.
Ladder Plant Protein
Ladder Plant Protein is for those who want a high dose of protein without taking dairy. As with the Ladder Whey Protein supplement, you get a strong dose of protein along with BCAAs, amino acids, and probiotics.
Ladder also claims to use a plant-based protein “with the highest protein digestibility score”, and the company improved absorption further “by adding digestive enzymes and specific probiotic strains”, helping your body absorb every gram of protein.
Ladder uses pea protein and organic pumpkin protein in its Ladder Plant Protein formula. Each serving contains 21g of protein, 9g of essential amino acids, 4.5g of BCAAs, and 2 billion CFUs of probiotics. You can buy the formula in chocolate or vanilla.
Pricing
- 15 Packets: $50
- 30 Packets: $75
- 30 Serving Bag with Scoop: $75
- 45 Packets: $100
Again, you can save 20% by signing up for the auto-ship subscription, which drops the price down to $40, $60, or $80.
Ladder Greens
Ladder offers a superfood formula called Greens. The formula is available in just one flavor, “Natural”. Like most other green drink supplements, you get a significant amount of spirulina. Ladder has also added matcha, magnesium, vitamin D, and other vitamins and minerals. Plus, Ladder Greens contains herbal extracts like Rhodiola root, which is an adaptogen that may support immunity and lower stress.
The formula is flavored with stevia and has no sugar whatsoever. There’s 2,000mg of spirulina, 1,000mg of matcha, 3000IU of vitamin D, and 400mg of magnesium in each serving. You mix the powder with water, then drink it daily to “fill gaps in your diet” and protein for your overall health, according to Ladder.
Pricing
- 15 Packets: $50
- 30 Packets: $75
- 45 Packets: $100
As with other Ladder supplements, you can save 20% by signing up for the auto-ship subscription, which drops the price down to $40, $60, or $80.
Ladder Hydration
Ladder is launching Ladder Hydration in the near future. As of February 2020, we’ve seen marketing materials for Ladder Hydration, although we have no details of how the supplement will work, what its ingredients are, or other information.
We do know, however, that the beverage will contain more than just sodium and potassium. We also know that the beverage promises to boost endurance, reduce cramping, improve recovery, and fight fatigue.
We expect pricing to be similar to other Ladder products ($50 for 15 packets, $75 for 30 packets, and $100 for 45 packets), or $2.20 to $3.35 per serving.
Ladder Bundles
Ladder also offers several bundles, allowing you to save on individual products. Bundles include:
- Pre-workout + Whey or Plant Protein Bundle: $90
- Complete Bundle + Plant or Whey Protein: $125
- Superfood Greens + Plant or Whey Protein Bundle: $90
- Pre-workout + Superfood Greens Bundle: $90
You can also buy sampler packs of every Ladder supplement. A 3-pack sampler is priced at $9.
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Ladder Reviews: What Are Customers Saying About Ladder Supplements?
Since launching in 2018, Ladder has received good reviews online, although there are many complaints about the high pricing.
There’s nothing wrong with paying $75 for a premium protein powder. However, at this price range, there are competing options on the market that offer similar dosages and ingredients at a lower price.
Some have also criticized Ladder’s “individualized programs”. You take a quiz, and Ladder will recommend specific products based on your results. Here’s how New Hope Network criticized the individualization program in its review:
“…we get Schwarzenegger, [LeBron] James and Cindy Crawford talking about individualizing “programs” that don’t even qualify as personalization lite. Then there's the expense. When we took the quiz, the customized nutrition plan it kicked out came out to a total of $98 a month for 30 servings of whey protein and 15 energy “packets”. That equals out to $2 per 26-gram protein serving–substantially more than most whey proteins, including brands bearing NSF certification.”
Insider, meanwhile, tested five protein powders and gave Ladder Plant Protein a perfect taste score, which is rare for the notoriously awful-tasting plant-based protein powders. However, Ladder Plant Protein was thicker than other protein powders.
“Ladder was thicker than the other proteins we tried. My coworkers thought this was a good thing at first, but found it still had a bit of a grainy or separated texture by the last swallow. I still thought it was one of the best plant proteins I've tasted, but it's true that pea protein can be an acquired taste. As far as taste, this was my favorite of the bunch. It was the only one that scored 5 out of 5 in any category. It was less sweet, tasting more like dark chocolate or cocoa, and overall really well-balanced.”
Insider ranked Ladder Plant Protein second overall behind only BSN Syntha-6.
Most fitness blogs, meanwhile, are positive about Ladder supplements, with the one complaint being the high price tag. However, reviewers mention you can save 20% by signing up for Ladder’s auto-ship subscription service.
It’s also important to note that all prices include nationwide shipping. Shipping is included on all Ladder orders.
About Ladder
Ladder is a nutritional supplement company founded in 2018. The company is based in Los Angeles, California.
The idea behind Ladder dates back to the 2014 NBA Finals, when LeBron James was forced to leave Game 1 early due to cramps. Frustrated by his body failing him at a time when he needed it most, James asked his trainer what he could take during the offseason to be healthier and stronger. He was disappointed by the options on the market, so LeBron’s trainer created a customized supplement just for him.
LeBron eventually brought his long-time friend Arnold Schwarzenegger on board, and Lindsey Vonn and Cindy Crawford were later brought on as partners.
Other key members of the Ladder team include Mike Mancias (LeBron James’s trainer and Ladder Advisor), Alex Toussaint (Senior Instructor at Peloton and Ladder Advisor), Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan (Nutrition & Science Advisor), Adam Bornstein (Chief Nutrition Officer), Bec Wilcock (Endurance Coach & Advisor), Angela Manuel-Davis (Health & Wellness Advisor), and Bar Malik (Sport Performance Advisor).
You can contact Ladder via the following:
- Email: info@ladder.sport
- Twitter: @laddersport
- Facebook: Facebook.com/laddersport
- Instagram: @laddersport
Ladder is particularly active on social media. In recent months, the company has made headlines for its #ladderchallenge. Launched on February 1, the #ladderchallenge gives followers weekly goals for cardio and strength like, run 7 miles or do 14 strength training circuits. You can learn more at the Ladder blog here.
Here are a few video clips that represent Ladder Sport nutrition supplement company well:
This first video tells the story well of how Ladder sports nutrition company came to life given LeBron James' decorated basketball history as a championship-caliber player and his professional fitness trainer Mike Mancias and why they built the brand own their own.
FAQ About Ladder Sports Nutrition Supplements
Let's cover a few remaining items on the list about LeBron James health supplementation brand.
Q: Is there a Promo Code to Receive Ladder Sport Product Discounts?
A: Yes, the Ladder Gratitude Program was created to help students, teachers, first responders and military personnel get discount pricing on all Ladder Sport supplements. However, the company will not honor promo codes or coupons found on third-party websites. Ladder will also host a Black Friday and Cyber Monday sell where consumers can load up on their favorite products at a steep discount price.
Q: Does LeBron James Personally Use Ladder Sport Supplements?
A: Absolutely. Dating back to the 2014 NBA finals, while a member of the Miami Heat, the star basketball player was experiencing severe cramping and muscle fatigue which prompted him and his trainer to explore the best natural supplementation options to enhance his physical performance and compliment his overall work ethic in the gym.
Q: What Does NSF Certified for Sport Mean?
A: All Ladder supplements are NSF Certified for Sport, which means that the supplements must meet strict testing standards and go through third-party testing to verify purity, quality, and label accuracy. It also means the supplements are authorized for use by professional athletes and Olympians. These tests conducted by NSF International (National Sanitation Foundation) ensure none of the Ladder Sport supplements contain any of the 270+ substances that professional sports leagues like NBA, USADA, MLB, NHL and other associations/organizations have listed on the banned ingredient list.
Q: What's Special About Ladder Nutrition Company?
A: Aside from the celebrity endorsements from Lebron James and company, all of their products are 100% vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO. While all products are NSF Certified for Sport to guarantee safety, each product was designed with a specific purpose in mind that is adequate for men or women to consume. The plant proteins, pre-workout and superfood greens are all easy to use on the go and can be mixed in a number of different mediums from water or almond milk to coconut water and apple juice.
Q: What is The Ladder Challenge?
A: The Ladder Challenge is led by two professional fitness trainers, Mike Mancias and Alex Toussaint. The Ladder workout challenge is essentially a way to look at exercising a whole new way versus counting reps and sets by focusing on two core components, strength and cardio. Designed as a whole body fitness accountability program, the concept is to add support by two of the world's best known training coaches that will create consistency and habits that stick overtime. With week by week goals, the idea is to cater to specific lifestyles and time constraints by providing an on-the-go regimen of doing pushups, air squats, bodyweight pull ups, mountain climbers and lunges. Together, with the use of Ladder Sport supplements in combination with The Ladder Challenge, they are meant to help you get healthy and stay healthy.
Q: Who is Ladder Sport's Mike Mancias and Alex Toussaint?
A: Mike Mancias is best known for his 14-year career as the Athletic Trainer and recovery specialist for NBA great LeBron James. In addition to LeBron and helping develop the Ladder Sport product line, he has worked with other NBA, NFL, PGA, MLB and NCAA athletes who follow his winning blueprint of human performance that involves everything from nutrition and strength training to preventative medicine and rehab. His partner, Alex Toussaint, has a decorated acumen as well for being a world-class Peloton Cycling trainer and and certified fitness coach for the past seven years.
Final Word
Ladder is a supplement company launched by LeBron James, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other big names. The company offers five products, including a plant-based protein powder, a whey protein powder, a pre-workout, a superfood green drink, and a hydration drink (scheduled for launch soon).
Ladder’s supplements have been well-rated so far by bloggers, influencers, and professional media outlets alike, although the supplements are at the high-end of the supplement price range. Whether you opt to try the Ladder Sport Drink, Ladder Sport Plant Protein or Ladder Sport Pre-Workout supplement, it seems there is a sure-bet that the products are going to offer superior quality when it come to knowing exactly what you are putting in your body and that if top athletes and fitness enthusiasts are all using the products, assuming you can afford them, it is worth a shot at buying any one of them given your health needs and wellness goals.
To learn more about Ladder supplements and how they work, visit Ladder.sport today.
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