Not having access to adequate exercise equipment can be a huge barrier to exercise for many people. The high cost of gym memberships can often make it difficult for people to justify the expense, and this can often deter people from getting started with exercise at all!
TRX suspension training is an amazing answer to the lack-of-gym problem and is something that you can do practically anywhere, anytime! It is a favourite tool of personal trainers and those who would prefer not to rely on gym based exercise to reach their fitness goals.
What is TRX?
TRX is a portable suspension system that sounds complicated but is actually incredibly simple!
This training system was first developed in 1997 by Navy Seal Randy Hetrick. His prototype was created using just a martial arts belt and the webbing from a parachute. The idea behind his creation was to allow him and his squadron to exercise anywhere whilst on deployment. A few years later, in 2001, Randy produced the first professional version of the TRX, and soon caught the attention of fitness fanatics around the world.
How Does TRX Work?
The main focus of this kind of training is muscular endurance, but you can also work some slight cardiovascular aspects into a workout if desired.
The equipment is simply two adjustable straps with a pulley system and handles. You can attach the straps to anything that is sturdy enough to hold your weight, such as a tree, a railing, or even a door.
The handles then serve to support your hands or your feet, depending on the exercise that you are doing.
The beauty of training in this way is that it can be as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. By simply changing the position and the angle of your body in relation to the ground, you can increase or decrease the intensity of an exercise. The key is learning how to utilise gravity and the weight of your own body.
When you decide to embark upon this kind of training regime, it is important that you start at the very beginning. You may think that you already have a good level of strength, balance, and coordination. However, training in this way is entirely different from the usual training systems that you will have likely tried before. Get to grips with the basic moves first, and familiarise yourself with the equipment. Only begin to progress with the intensity of your training when you feel confident to do so.
Core Strength
Strengthening of the core muscles is one of the most prominent benefits of working out with suspension training. In order to maintain your balance as you go through a TRX workout your core muscles have no choice but to get involved and engage.
As your continue with your TRX training, and your core strength develops over time, you will be able to move into more complex moves.
Balance and Flexibility
All of the movements involved with TRX suspension training encourage the development of your balance and flexibility. When you train in this way regularly then these two aspects of your physical fitness are naturally going to improve. The exciting thing about this is that you can easily see your progression as you start to increase the difficulty of your workouts. This can be incredibly motivating for your fitness efforts!
Improving Posture
Working to maintain your posture as you age is an important component of overall health and physical fitness. When you have good posture, you are also helping to keep your bones and joints in correct alignment, and also ensure that the muscles are being used properly.
Suspension for Success
One of the reasons that so many people who try suspension training tend to continue with it, is that there is such a variety of fun exercises. This means that working out never has to be boring again. You can follow different workout programmes that have already been created, or you can make up your own!
Often getting stuck in a rut of doing the same old exercises can cause people to hit a wall with their training and when this happens they may quickly lose interest in their fitness ambitions. However, when you keep things fresh with TRX then you are much less likely to experience this common issue.
In the Gym
You don’t have to be total gym-phobe in order to have a go at TRX training, and the chances are you will be able to find this equipment in your gym if you are a member. The added bonus of using it in the gym is that you can get some professional guidance from an instructor, however, this of course isn’t necessary for getting started!
Ready to get started with TRX suspension training? Give it a go and see for yourself just how effective it can be!
References
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