I really, no REALLY, like the TRX

I didn’t buy one for years because I thought they were totally overrated and overpriced.

I was kinda right, but mostly wrong.

Yes, there are more affordable options but for all around awesomeness, I think it wins.

• If you travel for work, you should have one.
• If you travel for fun, you should have one.
• If you have a home gym, you should have one.
• If you just want to be cool and hang out with the cool kids and sit at the cool table, this has nothing to do with that, but you should still get one and use it….it couldn’t hurt.

These are NOT the cool kids…

Here’s the deal with the TRX…

IT’S NOT FOR BEGINNERS….except maybe sometimes.

If you’ve just started training, save this for about 6 months to a year.

The instability the TRX creates can be very challenging even for a seasoned exerciser. But it can also be used for assistance to increase stability in many exercises for beginners.

Now you’re like, “What the F- jerk face. Is it good or bad?”

It’s great but usually here’s what happens:

Step 1) Person Sees TRX Class at gym and thinks, “That looks fun”….

Step 2) Person Buys TRX.

Step 3) Person can’t do a squat or pushup with only their body weight and now they’re trying to do these things with LESS STABILITY??????

Step 4) Joints can’t stabilize. Things move….

Step 5) Pain

Step 6) Stop Training

Step 7) “I got hurt because of the TRX” <——This step is also called the, Throwing of the Snowball, as in:

“Human beings live under the philosophy of, “I have a snowball and I have to throw it at someone.”  No one wants to take responsibility.- Gray Cook

In case you didn’t get it:

The TRX didn’t hurt you.

YOU thinking you were more advanced than you are with a lack of joint stability, mobility and strength and doing things you’re not qualified for hurt, YOURSELF.

So really, it’s YOU not the thing that sucks….

Why the TRX is Awesome:

It’s Super Portable:

It comes in a nice little bag and weighs about 3 lbs. You can stash that thing anywhere, let’s face it, it’s just some canvas straps, carabiners and clips.

Phot cred: postapocalypticlawyer.blogspot.com

It ain’t exactly a 4×4 steel gauge power rack.

Because of this you can get a pretty good workout on the road, in any hotel room.

If you’re already pretty strong, it’s not much on the strength front but it beats doing nothing.

You can stash it in your gym bag, although most gyms have these now.

Or if you have a home gym just anchor it to the wall, ceiling, I-beam or power rack (cause if you have a home gym you should have one of those too).

It’s Great For Deload Weeks:

If you’re training heavy and or hard all the time, there are periods of time when the best thing you can do is “deload”, decrease your volume, intensity or both and let the body heal, recover and rejuvenate.

During these blocks (usually a week or two) the TRX can provide you with a really nice training accessory because the exercises are challenging to perform and have a nice range of motion but they are not demanding on the CNS (central nervous system) and won’t crush you.

* Unless you do an inordinate amount of exercises or a never-ending metabolic circuit. But if that’s the case you clearly don’t understand what the hell a “deload” week is and you’re the jerk. 

Perfect for Accessory Work:

Body weight exercises are either,

Held up as the end-all, be-all of exercise.

or

Majorly and unfairly Poo-Pooed as too easy.

Both stances suck and are wrong.

Body weight is great, but if you’re strong, body weight ain’t going to do much for you gaining more strength in most cases. At some point you’re just too strong and doing more sets or reps of whatever is just going through the paces.

Let’s face it if you’re doing sets of 30 pushups, it gets kinda boring. Doing those on the TRX isn’t going to make you Mr. Olympia, but it’s a nice change of pace and challenge.

Using the TRX after heavy training for accessory work has, I’ve found, been a good way to get in a lot of volume without beating the body up or getting too bored doing endless reps of body weight work.

It’s Easy to Change/ Rotate Exercises:

With the TRX it takes about 1- 5 seconds to transition between exercises.

This is crucial if you’re doing metabolic circuits where you don’t want the hear rate to fall, or if you’re just a lazy P.O.S. like me and don’t want to change out dumbbells.

This is also great for packed gyms because at least you can pair your exercises and get your work in without waiting.

Ultimate Row Machine:

The Low Row on the TRX is one of the finest exercises you can do with this piece of equipment and well worth the price alone.

Most people straight up SUCK Balllzzzzz when it comes to rowing.

They can’t get the body “organized” and end up being a herky- jerky mess of something bad.

The TRX almost completely solves this in most cases, granted, it’s not perfect…some folks are just a mess…

But it’s NOT Perfect: The TRX Does Have it’s Downsides.

Price:

This is the biggest objection BY FAR….I know, cause this was mine.

If a client had not gotten me a gift certificate that paid for my first one ENTIRELY, I may still be without one (I currently own two).

$200 just seemed like a lot to drop when I already had EliteFts Blast Straps, which I also love.

The Jungle Gym XT is about $80, that means $120 CHEAPER, and is basically the same thing as far as I can tell…..and maybe that’s the problem, I’ve never used the Jungle Gym so I can’t give an honest appraisal of it.

But it is waaaaay cheaper and I’ve only heard good things about it.

The Pushup:

Blast Straps are waaaay more sturdy and are MUCH preferred for pushups and for some folks, rows.  Because Blast Straps are two separate straps they are easier to get “set up” in and maintain the correct “line” for the exercise.

Plus, the movement (especially in pushups) feels more natural with Blast Straps.

Beyond that,  the rubbing….

On the TRX the straps are a heavy canvas, which is great for longevity and stability but sucks when using the correct pressing motion..

Hands to ribs, Elbows back Chest out.

Following those rules to a T on the TRX means some serious arm burns.

I know, it’s not the end of the world but it sucks to have a giant burn mark or even blood blister on your upper arm for the next 4 days because the exercise equipment rubbed the sh@t out of you.

You don’t get that with Blast Straps which, do rub, but are MUCH more forgiving.

 I just wrote a 1200 plus word commercial for the TRX.

Full disclosure, I’m now a Perform Better Affiliate so if you click on that image and buy one from PerformBetter.com, I get a pittance. 

It’s a product that I get TONS of questions about all the time, so I figured I could kill a couple of birds with one stone here.

The TRX is just a product that I really like, use all the time with clients and myself and feel would be a great investment for anyone who trains.