Before we discuss the TRX training method in depth, you may want to know a bit of the exact history on how and why suspension exercise or bodyweight exercise is an effective way to build a solid athlete .
Strength training using suspended body weight began more than 150 years ago. Generations of acrobats and gymnasts have used their own body weight and gravity for resistance. The use of hoops, ropes and trapeze bars to generate force has created amazing physiques that are a hallmark of these athletes.
Little by little, the way of seeing functional training styles has been changing and there has been an awakening in the value of strength and knowledge of the body; that is, the ability to move one’s body en masse through space in an efficient and powerful way.
These adaptations have also expanded the population of users capable of integrating into this incredible but relatively new style of training. Suspension training is no longer limited to highly advanced athletes.
How can suspension training help me?
1. Force
The force necessary to generate and control some movement in a destabilized environment is one of the best types of force. In such training environments, the core of the body is in a state of complete and constant activity during exercise.
This is because a stable base is required to maintain proper alignment and correct body position. This type of full-body muscle engagement is even more apparent when performing some very strict bodyweight exercises that can be used to build strength using suspension training.
2. Balance
In TRX training there is a relationship between balance , awareness and core stability . Suspension training pushes the body into a state of destabilization under load, this creates a difficult situation where the body or kinesthetic awareness must develop so that the core in conjunction with other stabilizers manage the center of gravity on its base of support.
This ability allows us to control our body position and produce a smooth and efficient movement while we are in increasingly difficult postures. This increased ability to generate energy and stabilize in unbalanced positions correlates with increased performance in almost all sports.
3. Stability
When any part of the body is destabilized in a suspension movement, there is an instantaneous increase in muscle demand . To counteract this instability, the chain of muscles must cooperatively adapt to a much higher level than in an exercise where position and range of motion are restricted and controlled, as with most traditional gym machines.
The increased demand on joint and muscle stability challenges the body to maintain or seek joint integrity, while neutralized muscles work to produce smooth movement while managing thousands of small disruptive forces.
In conclusion, suspension training or TRX requires higher levels of spinal stabilization in order to maintain exercise position and body alignment. Training in these unstable conditions generates complete muscular activation of the body’s primary motors.
4. Physical condition
Suspension training is a very athletic sport. Proprioceptive challenges are created that reinforce muscle sequences and motor patterns that are directly transferred to movements commonly found in sport and life.
This style of training requires coordination and integration of body movements and offers sport-specific variations that require power and agility, fundamental building blocks of athletics for any sport.
Conclution
Suspension training or TRX represents the evolution of functional training and is a tremendous, new and effective way of integrating the closed kinetic chain and body weight based movements of any training plan.
This additional training modality will improve the functionality and effectiveness of your exercise program and lead those who perform it to achieve maximum results.
References
- TRX Editor. Functional Suspension Training and TRX. To: trxtraining [Revised December 2015]
