Using a Suspension Trainer for Circuit Workout Routines

Have You Heard of Suspension Training?




I started using a suspension trainer about a year ago as a part of my bodyweight circuit workout routine. Ever since then I've been hooked. It is fast, easy,fun, convenient, and challenging.





What is it?





A suspension trainer is a rig composed of nylon straps and two handles that can be hanged from a fixed object. The device uses your own bodyweight to provide resistence. Since the straps are unstable the extra effort needed to stabilize the device to develop strength and flexibility. Since the feet are usually anchored at a fixed point, the core is engaged in every exercise, making this device an excellent to increase core strength. There are many advantages to using a suspension trainer over dumbells or just plain old bodyweight without equipment. Here are some of them:





Shorter workouts: Since your feet serve as the anchor to your body in every exercise, your core and legs are engaged during every exercise, making each exercise, a total body exercise. The more muscles engaged, the less time it takes to get a total body workout. The number of exercises that can be performed is endless. You can perfofm chest presses, chest flyes, fows, curls, reverse curls, concentration curls, upright rows, tricep pushdowns, lat streches, and the list goes on and on. There is no extra equipment needed, just you and the rig.



You can take it anywhere: A suspension trainer is incredibly portable. It weighs about 1-2 pounds and hardly takes up any room in a bag. The straps are made to attach to just about anything such as a tree, a swing set or in a closed door. There is no need for any demo videos are exercise manuals. Even the simple push up or bicep curl will engage your whole body. I take my vacation at the beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA. A state of the art gym is 400 yards from my cottage and I can use it for free. Do I go there? No! I workout outside at a gazebo.



Adaptable: Suspension trainers are used by both world class athletes and novices, with fantastic results. All the user has to do is adjust the angle of their body by moving their feet farther from or closer to the attachment point. Yhis is really great for novice exercises because they can gradually add resistance instantly as they get stronger without changing dumbbells, place or moving a metal pin. Also, you can squeeze out that extra rep when you are about to hit failure with just a slight adjustment of your feet to make thing easier.





Here's a money saving tip.

The best selling suspension trainer currently sells for $120-$180. You can spend that much or spen $10-$20 minutes and make your own. I use a device I made with 3 dog leashes from the grocery store, a "Quick Link" from the local hardware store, and 2 pieces of PVC pipe for handles. The link is weight tested to 800 pounds. There are plenty of "Do It Yourself" videos on the internet to show you how.





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Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA.



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