Suspension Trainer Circuit Workout for Triathletes

Last week, I described how a suspension trainer could be a beneficial piece of home exercise equipment for athletes, and how easy it is to make one yourself!  If you missed the post, tisk tisk! It can be found here!

I also briefly mentioned a killer circuit workout I have been using and developing with my own suspension trainer.  Each workout has been slightly different, with a different exercise thrown in the mix to try.  That's the great thing about suspension trainers:  they are quickly and incredibly versatile!

Mark's Circuit:
12 exercises
15 repetitions each
2-3 "cycles"
Rest: 2 minutes after each cycle.  Other than that, go as quickly as possible to the next exercise WITHOUT rest.


1. Swimmer's Pull: 

Video can be found HERE (Start at 0:45)

2. Single Leg Lunge:

Video can be found HERE (Start at 0:50)

3. High Row:

Start

End
Video can be found HERE

4. Chest Press:

Start

End
Video can be found HERE

5. Rotator Cuff "W's":

Start

End
Video can be found HERE (Start at 1:00)

6. Sprinter's Start:

Video can be found HERE (Chris Lieto, You are welcome!)

7. Bicep Curls:

Video can be found HERE

8. Tricep Extensions:

Video can be found HERE

9. Atomic Pushup:

Video can be found HERE

10. Hamstring Curl:

Video can be found HERE

11. Plank:

Hold Position 30-60 seconds
Video can be found HERE

12. Pike:

Start

End, and please don't do this on your head (terrible picture....)
Video can be found HERE

One comment and suggestion for all the exercises:  Make sure you are making it challenging for yourself.  Do the exercises at a controlled pace, adjust the straps (either lengthen or shorten) to give you the right amount of resistance, and make sure you have a challenging placement for your feet (closer usually means easier.  But not always...)

That's it!  Good luck getting through it a few times.  If you are going quick enough, it should be pretty tough!  And like I said, I usually may add one or two extra exercises (focusing on my old lady hips).  But overall, I think it's a great full body workout!

Let me know how it goes!

Thanks for reading!

Homemade Suspension Trainers

About a month ago, a co-worker of mine brought in and showed me her TRX Suspension Trainer.  I had seen these things before, either from Drew Brees endorsements or infomercials.  I never really understood how they were used, or really how they could be an effective resistance trainer.  

Wait, it's just a bunch of straps???

I tried out a few "moves" on the TRX, and immediately knew I had found a new training toy...  and I wanted one BAD!  

I am all about convenience when working out.  This is probably one of the main reasons why I enjoyed P90X, don't severely dislike my trainer or treadmills, and can get a decent workout in from a DVD.  Suspension trainers, like the TRX, are a new addition to the "home gym" equipment world.  There are no weights, bars, balls, or resistance bands.  Just you and some straps.  And possibly a door or pull-up bar.

As soon as I got home, I checked out online the pricing for the TRX, and WAS BLOWN AWAY!  Needless to say, it was WAY out of my price range.  I was kinda bummed, but found out from ANOTHER co-worker ( I work with some very active and fit people) that making your own is a possibility.  Again, I ran home, and did a little research via google, and found out how!

I found several blog posts describing what you needed, how you built it, and how you could use it. Mainly, though, I followed one video:

I followed this video to a tee, using 3 truck tie downs, a piece of PVC pipe, and an old carabineer I had.  15 minutes later, I had a suspension trainer!  It's that easy!  Granted, there are some differences between my homemade version and the TRX, but I am able to do just about everything I can think of!  I attached my trainer to a over-the-door pull-up bar I have, mainly because I am scared to put it over a door.  But really, you can attach it to many different things.  Several videos I watched show people attaching it to trees, decks, basketball goals, their ceiling, etc.

Please excuse my dirty laundry...

I really like using this.  I have done 5 full body workouts with it, each lasting 45 minutes, and I have been DEAD after.  Because the suspension trainer is so incredibly versatile, I have been able to do LONG circuits on it, without much rest between exercises.  You can move between exercises in about 10 seconds, and that's only if you need to adjust the straps.

My first try at suspension training!

I will be posting my circuit routine in the coming days, and will try to get into the specifics of how you use it, and why this is such a great training tool for athletes!  

Thanks for reading!