By Vicky Waite
Suspension
For a while now I have been seeing a lot in both fitness magazines and on television about the portable fitness device called TRX Suspension Trainer. So I thought okay, it’s about time for me to order one and give it the test. The day that I receive it, of course, I bug my husband to put it together. And him being the Good Samaritan that he is, he drops everything to get this working and ready to go.
I was really eager to give it a try. This fitness device is the real deal! The TRX is so portable, versatile, creative and adaptable to so many fitness levels. There are two adjustable straps with handles and foot cradles that use gravity and your own bodyweight to do the exercises. By adjusting my body position with the Suspension Trainer, I can change the resistance of each movement. By now I was going to town with my new TRX Suspension Trainer as my husband looked on happily waiting for his pat on the back and dinner. You know happy wife, happy life!
What is interesting about the TRX is that when you first look at it, you begin to think that you are using some sort of industrial resistance bands. But, the difference here is that the bands don’t stretch, and this allows you to use your own body as the resistance. You are basically doing moves suspended in mid air. Anyone new to weight training will see some good muscle tone results with the TRX, even though there are no weights involved. I am feeling like I am doing yoga on ropes because it takes a lot of balance. The TRX works every part of your body. It’s great for those stomach muscles. And, what a quick way to get a cardio and muscle workout in less than an hour. You will be sweating up a storm.
It may be challenging, but not too difficult because you can always modify the straps to make it work for you. The TRX Suspension Trainer is being used at over 1000 gyms nationwide, according to Fitness Anywhere, it’s maker. You can focus on strength or flexibility, or put exercises together in a sequence with short breaks for more of a cardio workout. Great for improving functional strength, balance and flexibility. The population that benefits greatly from these unique qualities of the Suspension Trainer are seniors with arthritis. It’s an effective exercising tool for all those body parts. It’s safe and effective for elderly people with multiple conditions, dysfunctions and limitations. A benefit of the TRX for seniors is that no heavy weight needs to be employed which lowers the risk of injury. You are controlling how much effort is done by controlling the angle of your body. The steeper the angle, the harder the exercise.
This is cross training working multiple body parts with every move. The strap is adjustable for hundreds of exercise moves by changing the way you grip the strap, which then changes the workout. A big plus with the TRX is that it allows you to move through endless ranges and angles, which means it becomes much more beneficial and functional than other workouts. It weighs only two pounds so you can take it anywhere and use it indoors or outdoors.
Designed by a Navy Seal, Randy Hetrick, the TRX comes with a door attachment. It’s very affordable. And, yes this is the real deal! For more information visit www.fitnessanywhere.com and as with any exercise program, always consult your physician before you begin.