The best type of workout gear is the type you use. We think the TRX Suspension Trainer™ is pretty fantastic, and we want you to feel the same way, so we’ve put together a quick tutorial—and a free workout video with TRX Training Club® Coach Niko Algieri—to help you get comfortable with your TRX Straps.
The Set-Up
There are two critical pieces for every TRX workout: The TRX Suspension Trainer and an anchor. If you’re brand new to Suspension Training®, you’re probably starting with either the Door Anchor or the Suspension Anchor. (Both come with every Suspension Trainer, but if you happen to lose either, we sell replacements.) To maximize your workout, try to find a space at least eight feet long by six feet wide.
The Door Anchor is a black strap with a loop on one end and a padded square on the other end. You can toss the Door Anchor over any hinged door, and then close the door to secure the anchor. (Ideally, you want to use a door that opens away from you.) Once you shut the door, clip the Suspension Trainer carabiner through the loop, and you’re ready to begin.
The Suspension Anchor is the long, yellow or black strap with a carabiner at one end and loop at the opposite end. You can wrap it around a basketball pole, a tree trunk, an exposed beam or a play structure, like a swing set.
To set up your Suspension Trainer with the Suspension Anchor, first clip the carabiner on the main body of the Suspension Trainer to the bottom anchor loop of the Suspension Anchor just below the TRX badge. Do not clip it in any other loop of the Suspension Anchor.
Attach the Suspension Anchor to the anchor point by wrapping it as many times as necessary to ensure the bottom of the Suspension Anchor hangs at about six feet from the ground. This is the ideal height to perform all TRX exercises. If your anchor point is either taller or wider than expected, use a TRX Xtender to accommodate those adjustments and ensure your TRX is still at optimal height.
Clip the carabiner in the Suspension Anchor into one of its intermediate loops, or around the Suspension Anchor itself, and pull it tight to make sure it’s secure. A tip for attaching the TRX to a smooth bar or pole is to wrap the Suspension Anchor several times around it to prevent it from sliding side to side. Always remember to weight-test your TRX before using it by pulling hard on it.
Adjusting Your Straps
In the middle of each strap on your Suspension Trainer, there’s a square-shaped Barrel Lock Adjuster, and—just above it—a tab. (On the Home2 and Pro4 systems, the tab is yellow. On the Tactical and Digi Camo systems, it’s black.) In its “locked” mode, the Barrel Lock Adjuster faces up and down.
To shorten the length of your straps, tilt the Barrel Lock Adjuster toward you, so that it’s parallel with the ground. Keeping it parallel with the ground, use your free hand to pull up on the tab of the strap you’re shortening. When you let go of the Barrel Lock Adjuster, it re-locks its position. Repeat on the second side before beginning your workout.
To lengthen the straps, flip the Barrel Lock Adjuster toward you and pull down while holding it open. Some people find it easier to extend both sides at the same time.
Whether you’re shortening or lengthening the straps, it should be easy to adjust the length when the Barrel Lock Adjuster is fully open.
Finding the Sweet Spot
People at every fitness level turn to Suspension Training because it’s scaleable. Depending on your stance and your angle to the anchor point—remember, that’s the spot where you connected your carabiner to the loop—you can make an exercise easier or harder.
Here’s a quick tip as you get started.
When you’re standing, walking closer to the anchor point makes an exercise easier, stepping away from the anchor makes it harder. You can also think of it this way: the steeper the angle, the greater the challenge.
Learn With the Best
Working with a trainer is one of the smartest ways to level up your fitness routine, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune: You can access the full TRX Training Club lineup of Live and On-Demand classes for only $19.99 per month. New members get a 30-day free trial, so sign up, hop into class, and soak up the expertise of dozens of world-class trainers and hundreds of class options as you begin your TRX journey.
