Suspension Success:

Why TRX Is the Ultimate Bodyweight Workout

Other than dumbbells, my other favourite piece of training equipment is the TRX. If you are unfamiliar with the TRX, it’s a suspension trainer that uses your body weight as the resistance. The straps on the trainer act as resistance against the user’s body weight. The training revolves around seven basic compound movements: push, pull, plank, rotate, hinge, lunge and squat. These movements can, in turn, be developed into many workout options. TRX is short for Total Body Resistance Exercise, and it was invented by a Navy SEAL, Randy Hetrick. He developed this tool because he wanted a way to stay in shape while on duty. He created the first prototype using an old Jiu-Jitsu belt and a few parts from a parachute harness repair kit. Since then, the TRX has taken the fitness world by storm, combining strength, balance, and flexibility in a straightforward design. I’ve been using it since it launched in 2004, and I even took a workshop with Randy in 2010. I love it and have incorporated it into weekly training routines for myself and my clients for over 20 years.
But should you buy one?
Here’s my pros and cons cheat sheet:

Pros:

  • Great for building core strength
  • Great muscle endurance & strengthEliminates some of the up and down exercises that dumbbell exercises require:
    Example: you can perform a chest press standing with a TRX, whereas, with dumbbells, you must be supine
  • Provides variety for your workout
  • Portable
  • Allows your muscles to undergo more time under tension (TUT) during your workout
  • Improves balance and joint stability
  • Provides a functional workout because it trains multiple muscles instead of just one body part
Cons:
  • Anchoring it. Through the years, I have tried using a door attachment, as well as anchoring to a wall and then hanging on a support beam. Hanging from a beam has been, hands down, the best way to train with it.
  • Learning curve
  • Adjusting the straps. Many of the exercises require different lengths, making this a tedious task when you’re training (however, this video will teach you how to adjust it like a pro!).
  • It is hard to increase your strength with it continuously. Because it is bodyweight only if hypertrophy is your goal, a TRX isn’t your best bet.
This TRX one is my recommended pick for home use. Let me know if you have one or decide to get one!

Hi, I’m PJ Wren.

I’ve been working with people of all ages, all fitness abilities, and varying fitness goals for over two decades.

I’ve helped thousands of women over the years who are just like you, feel more energized, stronger, and more confident in their bodies. I turn gym goers and non-believers of getting fit at home into believers, with at-home workouts that will give you the results you want, no gym equipment or crazy diet required!

I’m passionate about women over 40 because I am over 40 myself.

I know what it feels like to be middle-aged, and what it’s like to have a hot flash while looking for my bloody reading glasses.

I’m honoured you choose me, in the HUGE ocean of fitness professionals, to help you get fit, get strong and get fierce.

I promise to only give it to ya straight while listening to what you want, and what you need.

ox PJ

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