Suspending oneself, be it swinging from tree branches in the backyard, or climbing the playground climbers at the park, used to be a fun activity for most of us during childhood. Hanging out, pun intended, which comes naturally has got to do with our evolution. It is believed that humans retained the tendency or ability to climb from our ancestors like the apes. Our musculature supports such activities where we go against gravity. Traditional strength training routines have always had exercises that involved hanging – be it parallel bars, climbing ropes, or the chin-up or pull-up bar workouts. Over the years, these exercises have been refined, grouped and developed into a complete system of workout – suspension training, or TRX training (its most popular and trademarked iteration).
Suspension training is an exercise module where your bodyweight works against gravity, employing ropes and cables for resistance training. Different forms of exercise and equipment have been developed for this purpose with the most popular being TRX.
Suspension training provides people the freedom to install the set-up anywhere they want – from gyms or studios to parks, grounds and at home. The most common equipment used for suspension training are gymnastic rings, yoke bars, suspension straps and swings.
Benefits of suspension training
Different research has found suspension training to improve not only strength but also muscle mass and performance in athletes as well as non-athletes. The research paper, Suspension Training vs traditional resistance training effect on muscle mass, strength and functional performance in older adults, by Samuel Dolingos Soligon et. al., concludes that compared to traditional resistance training, it promotes similar muscle mass, strength and functional performance improvements.
Some of the common benefits are:
- Improved core strength
- Improved body balance
- Strengthened cardiovascular system
- Provides benefits of both strength and cardiovascular workout
- Helps in efficient fat burning
- Improved grip strength.
Base fitness for training
In suspension training or TRX training, one uses strength against gravity employing various muscle groups in the body. Thus, a basic level of fitness is a must before initiation.
“The most essential requirements are shoulder and wrist mobility aided by strong grip strength,” says Mohammad Aslam, coach and founder of Cali-OG Fitness Space in Bengaluru. “In suspension training the wrist and the shoulder joints are used the most. In the initial stage, there are fewer chances of error as trainees only do basic exercises. Later, as one progresses [with complex movements], the room for error goes up.”
Fortunately, the routines and equipment, with minor tweaks, can be simplified. The movement involved in all suspension training exercises are biomechanically sound. So, there is no risk of injury, unless done improperly or indiscriminately.
Warming up is essential to avoid strains and injuries. Simple physical training exercises like shoulder rotation, wrist rotation and hip rotation and muscle activation drills can be done before training.
How suspension training improves posture
Suspension training can improve posture, while strength building is directly linked to athletic performance.
“Exercises that involve hanging are natural to us humans and it also improves the posture by balanced strengthening of the muscles,” says Aslam. “It improves strength which is essential for any physical activity or sports. So, if someone is into team or individual sport activity then it will improve their performance.”
Takeaways
- Suspension training offers both strength training and cardiovascular benefits along with improved core strength.
- A base level of fitness is essential to begin training. Good wrist and shoulder mobility, along with grip strength, are important.
- It helps build muscular strength and endurance, which helps in improving athletic performance.
