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Suspension Training is a registered trade and service mark of Fitness Anywhere, Inc.

What is Suspension Training

Suspension training is a method of resistance fitness training that uses a system of ropes or straps to allow users to work against their own body weight using a variety of multi-planar, compound exercise movements that develop strength, balance, flexibility, and joint stability simultaneously.

Suspension Training, the TRX suspension equipment, and the associated exercises were developed in the 1990s by Randy Hetrick, a former Navy Seal and Stanford MBA graduate; he began marketing them in 2005.

A rival product, Inkaflexx, was developed about the same time by Kurt Dasbach, a former professional soccer player in Chile. While he was playing in South America, he discovered an ancient Andean conditioning system that use suspension ropes and he developed InkaFlexx based upon it.

Pros

Because of its demands on the body core, Suspension Training essentially turns every movement into a total-body movement, thus reducing the chance of injury. Because of increased muscular demand, Suspension Training increases caloric demand making it an effective tool for weight-loss.

A benefit of Suspension Training is that the mechanism is light, compact, portable, and may be hung from any support capable of safely supporting your body weight, including attaching it over a room door. Suspension Training is used by military personnel because of its portability, ease of use, and results.

Cons

Some sports scientists have expressed concern that weaker users may not have the core stability or joint integrity to use the system safely and effectively.

A major problem with Suspension Training is the cost of the relatively simple suspension training device and their accompanying training programs and accessories. The TRX device costs over $200 and the InkaFlexx costs even more.