Suspension Training has become huge in recent years. Its unique combination of gravity, imbalance, body weight, and variable resistance allows you to get an unparalleled workout no matter where you happen to be. Its compactness, low price, and ease of setup make the suspension trainer perfect for home training.
In this article, we review 5 great alternatives to the TRX, the original suspension trainer.
TRX Overview
The TRX trainer is the most popular system on the planet. The nylon webbing strap is very heavy-duty, and quick snap solid steel carabiners are of the best quality. The strap adjustment system on the TRX is quick and easy. You can also purchase the TRX pro pack, which is an extension system that provides three different anchor points.
The TRX system is certainly a high spec quality trainer. It is, however, by far the most expensive trainer on the market.
Pros:
- High grade strapping
- Quick snap carabiners
- DVD
Cons:
- Very expensive
1. Coobons Resistance Band Set
The Coobons resistance band set is your all-in-one home gym, providing you with 5 bands, a band guard, door anchor, two ankle straps, two handles, a carry bag, and a workout guide. That trainer bundle will allow you to simulate nearly everything you can do in a commercial gym, using the bands and your own body as resistance to get an effective workout.
These bands are made from the highest quality natural latex rubber and come with an anti-snap promise. Each and is double layered to give you twice the strength of most competitors. Each band is fitted with carabiners to make it easy to attach to the handles.
You can stack these adjustable bands to provide greater or lesser resistance according to your needs. The max stackable resistance is 150 bs. The bands come in the following equivalent resistance levels:
- Yellow = 10 bs
- Red = 20 lbs
- Blue = 30 lbs
- Green = 40 lbs
- Black = 50 lbs
Nylon band guards provide you with a comfortable feel and grip and ensure that you won’t get any abrasions on your skin while working out.
Pros:
- 5 elastic bands
- Stackable
- Two comfortable handles
- 150 lb resistance
Cons:
150 bs may be too light for some users
2. FITINDEX Resistance Trainer Kit
The FITINDEX Resistance Trainer is a door and overhead mounted suspension training kit. It comes with two adjustable straps that are made of heavy-duty nylon webbing. Quick-adjust pods allow for instant switching up of strap length. A static sliding action allows for easy transitions between exercises. It has solid buckles and carabiners and soft foam grips for your hands and feet.
The non-slip handles on this system are made of PP and TPR and have a unique textured design. You won’t have to worry about any sweat slippage when holding the resistance straps. Another highlight of this system is the extremely sturdy thicken hoist buckle and triangle buckle. This ensures greater safety and longer life of the product.
The FITINDEX comes with comprehensive training and setup guide. You also get a handy mesh carry bag. The door mount system features a safety anchor tag. As a bonus, you also get 4 bonus resistance band loops ranging from light at 10 lbs to heavy at 25 lbs. This is one of the cheaper alternatives to the TRX to provide an effective full-body workout.
Pros:
- Quick-adjust pods
- Static sliding system for quick adjustment
- Very sturdy straps and buckle
- Premium quality at an affordable price
- Comfortable grips
Cons:
- Door mount may leave marks
3. Moulyan Bodyweight Resistance Training Straps
The Moulyan Bodyweight Resistance Training strap set has a couple of innovations that you normally find in a suspension trainer system. These include a removable footpad to provide customization of your foot positioning when doing exercises that suspend your feet. The integrated handles are also are built for comfort and durability.
The door anchor attachment has been tested to comfortably hold 400 pounds of maximum weight capacity and will not leave any marks on your door surroundings. With this system, you also can have an extra extender strap that is 36 inches long. Quality steel metal clamps and zinc alloy carabiners ensure safety while training.
The Moulyan system comes with a mesh carry bag and a comprehensive training poster. This is a reliable system that will provide you with years of intense training at a good price, making it an affordable alternative to TRX.
Pros:
- Removable footpad and adjustable straps
- Extra door attachment anchor
- Zinc alloy carabiners
- Extender straps
Cons:
- Hand grips are not very comfortable
4. Lifeline Jungle XT
The Lifeline Jungle Gym XT is a quality system from a well-respected name in home fitness. It features a wider than normal spreadability of straps, which extends your exercise options. The buckles are made from hard-wearing carbon fiber, with the straps being constructed from military-grade heavy-duty webbing material. The Lifeline Jungle Gym suspension trainer system comes complete with a door mount system that allows you to train even if you don’t have access to an overhead mount.
The Lifeline Jungle Gym Suspension Trainer system comes complete with a set and workout guide. In addition, Lifeline offers quality customer support.
Pros:
- More exercise options
- Carbon fiber buckles
- Door mount system
- Split anchor design
Cons:
- Hand and foot loops area little narrow
5. GRASEP Home Gym Bodyweight Resistance Training Kit
The military-grade suspension strap system from Grasep comes with high tensile webbing that has been tested to support up to 400 pounds bodyweight capacity. It features quality double stitching and soft, durable hand and foot straps that are foam wrapped for extra comfort. Padded foot cradles protect your ankles while training. A suspension strap and door anchor allow you to train in the absence of an overhead mounting system.
Your system comes with a set of extension straps to deliver a more complex training option. A four tails anchor system allows you to attach the straps to a range of different anchors including a horizontal bar, tree, beam, or any sturdy fixed object. The non-slippery handles are comfortable to grip.
Adjusting the length of the strap on this system is easy so that you can very quickly transition from one exercise to the next.
The Grasep Fitness system comes with a comprehensive user guide and a handy mesh bag for ease of transportation. The system comes with a 100% money-back lifetime warranty and a comprehensive 30-page user manual and exercise guide.
Pros:
- Military-grade webbing with strong stitching
- Heavy-duty carabiner
- Padded foot cradles
- Tested to 400-pound bodyweight capacity
- Split anchor design
- Lifetime guarantee
- Training manual
Cons:
- No paper assembly instructions What are the benefits of suspension training?
- Suspension training has become the most popular training variant of the last few years for good reason. The portability and variability of this piece of equipment are huge factors, allowing you to do a wide variety of exercises for the entire body. Here are five more reasons why suspension training rocks:
- Suitable for all levels – To make the system harder, you simply change the level of your body position. The lower you go, the more difficult the exercise.
- Hits both aerobic and anaerobic systems – When training on a suspension trainer, you are getting both muscular strength training and cardiovascular workout sessions. The faster you train, the more aerobic the exercise becomes.
- Low impact – Suspension training is extremely low impact, making it very user-friendly on your joints.
- Core strength – Due to the instability factor, every single exercise you do on the suspension trainer is core stability and strength exercise. That makes the suspension trainer a superior alternative when 6-pack abs are your goal.
Unilateral training – the suspension system makes it easy and safe to work a single side of your body in isolation.
Conclusion
The TRX is the most well-known suspension trainer system – and the most expensive. As we’ve seen, however, you don’t have to pay through the nose for a high-quality exercise program. any of the 5 TRX alternative systems that have been highlighted in this article provide you with what you need to get an excellent suspension-based workout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TRX safer than weightlifting?
No, TRX is not, of itself, safer than weightlifting. Both forms of resistance exercise are safe if you perform the exercises properly. When you are training on the TRX system, there is a possibility that you could over-extend muscle or fall to the ground. as a result, you should take the time to learn how to do the exercise properly, gradually increasing the resistance as you get more confident with it.
What should I look for when choosing a TRX alternative?
Strap Quality – The straps are what suspend your bodyweight. Make sure that they are constructed of quality material and that the buckles are reliable. Carbon fiber cam buckle material is ideal.
Handles – You’ll want a comfortable gripping surface for both hands and feet. In addition, the handles need to be as slip-resistant as possible.
Anchor Points – Not only must be the anchor points be sturdy, but you don’t want them to leave any marks on the door or ceiling. This is especially the case when it comes to doorway systems.
Portability – One of the great features of the suspension concept is that it can be taken anywhere. Your system should come with a carry case and should all pack up to just a couple of pounds.
