About the Founder of Xiser®: Dr. Juris Terauds

Dr. Juris Terauds is a world-recognized biomechanist, athlete, researcher, inventor, and founder of Xiser Industries. His work helped shape how athletic performance, human movement, exercise equipment, and safe high-intensity training are understood.

The Xiser® stepping machine was not created as another ordinary piece of fitness equipment. It was designed from the science of biomechanics — the study of how the human body moves, produces force, and performs under load.

From Elite Athlete to Biomechanics Pioneer

Before founding Xiser Industries, Dr. Terauds built his career at the intersection of athletics, research, and human performance.

• University of Dubuque javelin record holder with a throw of 215′ 8″
• Two-time Iowa Conference Champion
• PhD in Biomechanics from the University of Maryland

His career evolved from competitive athletics to scientific research focused on one central question:

How does the body move — and how can we improve movement safely, efficiently, and powerfully?

That question became the foundation behind Xiser® and the development of a compact, durable, high-performance stair stepper exercise machine built for serious training.

Olympic and International Leadership in Biomechanics

Dr. Terauds served in several important roles in international sports science and biomechanics research, including:

• Director of Biomechanics Research for the Montreal Olympic Games
• Director and Coordinator of Biomechanics Research for the 1976 and 1980 Olympics
• Consultant to the United States Olympic Committee
• Consultant to international athletic federations worldwide

His research influenced several areas of elite athletic performance and equipment design, including:

• Modern javelin design used in world-class competition
• Athletic equipment safety standards
• High-speed motion analysis in sports science

Dr. Terauds also served as a biomechanics representative to NASA, helping establish motion requirements for space shuttle systems.

This background matters because Xiser® was developed by someone who understood movement at the highest levels — from Olympic performance to aerospace motion research.

The Birth of Xiser® Industries

While a Full Professor at the University of Alberta, Dr. Terauds began researching stepping biomechanics and the way the body produces force during stepping motion.

In 1980, he founded Xiser Industries. In 1983, he filed the U.S. patent that influenced virtually every stepping machine that followed.

Instead of chasing mass-production trends or building a disposable home fitness gadget, Dr. Terauds focused on designing a portable stepper that was:

• Compact and durable
• Built for true high-intensity effort
• Serviceable, not disposable
• Portable, yet commercial-grade
• Engineered around biomechanics instead of gimmicks

The result became the Xiser® stepping machine — a portable stair stepper designed for efficient force production, balance, low-impact movement, and high-intensity training.

Why Biomechanics Matters in Exercise Equipment

Many exercise machines are built around convenience, electronics, or appearance. Xiser® was built around movement quality. Dr. Terauds understood that a serious high intensity training machine must allow the body to work hard while moving safely and efficiently.

A well-designed stepper should do more than simply move up and down. It should allow strong leg muscles to work, encourage controlled force production, reduce unnecessary joint impact, and support intense short-bout training.

That is why Xiser® continues to stand apart from ordinary mini steppers, compact cardio machines, and lightweight home fitness equipment. The Xiser® High Intensity Trainer™ reflects decades of biomechanical research, not marketing trends.

A Legacy of Science-Driven Training

Dr. Terauds has made major contributions to biomechanics, sports science, injury prevention, and exercise performance.

• Authored 17 books on biomechanics
• Published 34 research articles
• Presented 68 scientific papers internationally

His work spans Olympic performance, aerospace motion research, injury prevention, and exercise science.

Xiser® reflects that legacy — exercise equipment designed from first principles of human movement. From the original concept to the finished product, the goal has always been to create a portable, durable, biomechanically correct machine for people who want real training results.

The Xiser® Philosophy

Xiser® was founded on a simple idea: training should be efficient, powerful, and grounded in real science. The machine should not distract the user with unnecessary electronics or gimmicks. It should allow the body to do what it was designed to do — produce force, move with control, and train with intensity.

That philosophy continues today. Whether someone is using Xiser® for high intensity interval training, short-bout exercise, compact cardio training, or athletic conditioning, the foundation remains the same: serious movement, serious engineering, and serious results.

“If you want to look like an athlete, you better train like one.”

— Dr. Juris Terauds