Suspension trainers are fantastic pieces of home fitness equipment. They can be used to achieve pretty much every fitness goal (bar the most sleeve-bursting muscle-building ones), and because of their inherent instability they’ll work your core even if you’re just knocking out set after set of biceps curls and triceps extensions.
The kit can also be set up virtually anywhere, with door anchors the most convenient option, and the straps can be wrapped up and everything stored in a drawer, so you don’t have to permanently give over a room or even a corner to your exercise habit.
The danger is, though, that because it fits in a drawer it’ll be left there and forgotten. Maybe you decided the format wasn’t for you – or perhaps you just ran out of workout inspiration when left to your own devices.
Good news, then: TRX, the brand synonymous with suspension trainers, offers a year’s subscription to its app with new purchases. This offers plenty of options itself – and it’s also recently launched TRX Live with PTs leading 50-minute sessions on Zoom.
The workouts are led by experienced trainers, some formerly of boutique London gym Equilibrium – including co-founder Niko Algieri, who shared this beginner’s TRX guide with Coach and recommended these top TRX exercises.
The class schedule runs Monday to Saturday, rotating through lower-body and core, upper-body and core, and total body every three days. Two morning sessions are held daily at 7am and 10am (UK time), with an evening 6pm session every Thursday. Classes cost £10 and you’ll be emailed the Zoom link once you’ve booked.
We took a Monday 10am class and it didn’t take long to see the advantage of having a trainer keeping an eye on you. While there’s a cap of 30 places, in our class there were fewer than 10. The trainer chatted with me beforehand about my level and, knowing I was new to the class, kept a close eye on my form, gave more detailed explanations than she would have needed to otherwise and offered easier alternatives at some points. She clearly knew her class and that kind of relationship can make all the difference if you want to improve your fitness and stay interested over the long winter ahead.
And there’s no doubt it will improve your fitness, especially if you take each type of class every week.
Book a TRX Live class | £10
