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Randy Hetrick, a 14-year career Navy SEAL, developed TRX straps out of necessity. During deployment, he wanted to level up his workouts, so he tied a knot in a jiu-jitsu belt, slung it over a door, and used it to work through a series of bodyweight exercises.
When he brought the idea back home, it took off, igniting a suspension training craze. Now, the TRX strap has become a favorite piece of home workout equipment for many, including the ACTIVE Reviews Team. Suspension training has also made its way into gyms and boutique studios.
Of course, the TRX straps have come a long way since their humble beginnings. Many fitness companies have created their own versions of the iconic yellow and black suspension trainer, but the TRX brand still reigns supreme. With its heavy-duty construction, adjustability, and comfortable handles and foot cradles, TRX remains the undisputed leader in suspension training.
TRX Suspension Trainers
In this TRX strap review, we’ll break down the TRX Home2 System, a suspension trainer that’s designed for people of all fitness levels. We’ll go through the design and features, highlighting what we like and what we don’t. We’ll also dig into the benefits of TRX strap workouts.
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TRX Straps
SPECS
- Weight: 1.5 lbs.
- Type of anchors: Door and suspension anchors
- Type of clips: Non-locking carabiners
- Design and features: Adjustable nylon straps, foam handles, adjustable foot cradles, signature black and yellow color
- Warranty: 6 years
Weight
All parts included, the TRX Home2 System weighs just 1.5 pounds. It comes with a mesh carrying bag, which makes it easy to take outdoors, on airplanes, or even to the gym.
Type of anchors
The TRX Home2 System comes with two types of anchors: a door anchor and a suspension anchor.
The door anchor allows you to work out inside. You just drape the anchor over the door, close it, and lock it, if possible. After the anchor is set up, a quick tug will secure it in place. You do need to make sure the door you use is sturdy enough to support your weight and keep the strap in place.
We also recommend you use a door that opens away from you. If you have to use a door that opens toward you, you’ll need to move the anchors closer to the door’s hinges. This will increase stability and diminish the likelihood of the strap slipping.
The suspension anchor also lets you hang the TRX strap from a gym bar or a sturdy tree limb. It’s made of durable nylon and has an anchor loop that you wrap around an anchor point for a secure connection.
Type of Clips
This TRX strap comes with a non-locking carabiner clip that’s fixed to the strap. The carabiner easily attaches to the loops on either anchor. Non-locking carabiners aren’t as strong as the locking versions, but this strap can comfortably hold up to 350 pounds.
Design and Features
The design of the TRX Home2 is straightforward and effective. It has one continuous heavy-duty nylon strap that feeds through a locking loop. This automatically keeps the lengths of the straps even when you adjust them.
A pull tab allows you to adjust the main straps to four workout positions: fully lengthened, mid-length, fully shortened, and over shortened. You can simply pull on the yellow tabs until the strap is your desired length or use the D-ring adjusters to lengthen or shorten the strap. Unlike other types of suspension trainers, there are no numbered markings on the strap, but the locking loop helps balance the lengths of the straps.
The anchor point attaches to the locking loop with a non-locking carabiner. This carabiner clips onto either the end of the door anchor or to the suspension anchor strap, depending on which one you’re using.
The handles and foot cradles are attached to the other end of the strap. The handles are made of a comfortable, non-slip foam that’s easy on the hands, but not quite as durable as the rubber handles on the pricier TRX models. The foot cradles, which are also adjustable, loop through the handles. Unlike some other suspension training systems, the thoughtful, streamlined design prevents excess straps or grips from getting in your way as you work out.
The TRX Home2 System comes in the signature black and yellow colorway that made the original TRX systems so recognizable.
Warranty
This system is backed by a generous six-year warranty that covers material and manufacturing defects. If something goes wrong due to a flaw in the construction, TRX will replace your system for you. The warranty doesn’t cover any issues related to misuse, excess heat exposure, or water damage, nor does it cover changes in color.
What We Like
- Heavy-duty nylon strap
- Comes with door and suspension anchor
- Fully adjustable straps and foot cradles
- Locking loop design keeps strap even
- Lightweight and comes with a carrying case
What We Don’t Like
- Non-locking carabiner
- No numbered notches for adjustments
- Door anchor won’t work on flimsier doors
- Foam handles are less durable than rubber
TRX Suspension Trainer Models
How Does a TRX Strap Work?
A TRX strap harnesses the power of your body weight to increase muscle strength and improve balance. It has an anchor system that lets you attach a heavy-duty nylon strap to a door, pull-up bar, or bracket. At the end of each strap is a handle and foot cradle, which allow you to do workouts like planks, rows, squats, curls, and flys.
Because TRX straps suspend your body weight, each workout maximizes your muscle engagement by forcing you to activate your core for stability without putting stress on your joints.
You can mount a TRX strap in a single location, but many prefer to use these straps as portable workout tools. Simply throw one over a door or a solid tree limb and you can get to work almost immediately. When setting up the TRX strap, the equalizer loop should hang about six feet from the ground, and the foot cradles should hover about three inches from the ground when the straps are fully extended.
Who should buy a TRX Strap?
A TRX strap is a great investment for anyone who wants a low-impact workout that builds muscle strength, endurance, and improves core stability. They are easy to set up and can be used almost anywhere. They’re more compact than a lot of other exercise equipment, so you can get a full-body workout without needing a lot of space.
TRX straps are also excellent if you’re short on time. Because they activate so many muscle groups at once, you can get more from your workout in less time.
FAQs About TRX Straps
Are TRX straps effective?
Yes, TRX straps are just as effective as other types of body resistance and functional training programs, if not more. One study published in the Journal of Fitness Research found that suspension training programs can increase muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance just as much as regular resistance training.
Another study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared exercises done with a TRX strap to the same exercises done without one. Researchers found that the TRX exercises were even more effective than the standard exercise at activating and strengthening the core, a key muscle group for balance.
TRX training has also been shown to help older adults increase muscle strength in as little as 12 weeks.
How do you use the TRX system?
There are many ways you can use the TRX system, but each relies on your body weight and gravity to give you a challenging workout without free weights. The TRX strap adds an element of instability to familiar exercises like push-ups, planks, bicep curls, and squats. By holding the handles or inserting your feet through the foot cradles, the strap forces you to engage more muscle groups at once. Over time, this builds strength and improves balance.
Is the TRX strap system worth it?
Yes, the TRX strap system is worth it. From a health standpoint, it can increase muscle strength and improve your flexibility, balance, and core strength. And this particular TRX system is fully adjustable, has dense foam handles for a secure, comfortable grip, and comes with two types of anchors so you can vary your workouts. Plus, it’s easy to set up and store, and the price is fair for the high quality and the lengthy warranty.
Should I do TRX every day?
You certainly can do TRX every day, but you don’t have to. At a minimum, you should aim to do a TRX workout and/or another type of resistance exercise at least two days per week, as per the American Heart Association’s recommendation for strength training. However, if you have more specific training goals, you may want to do TRX more often.
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