Suspension training what is it

Each week we meet at the Hive, departing at 8. All levels are welcome. Regular exercise has many benefits but exercising and getting fit and healthy can be confusing and frustrating. We might know that exercising every day is good for us.

But with that said it seems to have become enormously complicated and divided on what we actually need to do to reach…. Indoor cycling in the Alps is not a common thing. But in the bike crazy town of Morzine, it is no surprise that cycling classes with us are so popular. In particular over the winter months, when the roads are hopefully!

Suspension Training. What is it and why do it? Get a total-body workout. Buzz Suspension Training classes include a full range of exercises that will help you improve your strength, flexibility, posture and balance. You work at your own level.

Conversely, it is possible to do dips and pull-ups on suspension trainers with two separate attachment points because you can position the attachments wide enough to allow your body to move vertically between the equipment's handles. The Yoke Bar is, perhaps, the most interesting piece of suspension training equipment on the market.

Unlike equipment with a clear single or double attachment point, the Yoke Bar essentially does both. While the bar features a single overhead attachment, this attachment is affixed to a horizontal bar from which two separate chains hang vertically. The result is a system that creates more instability than a traditional suspension system, providing a three-axis rotation that twists from the top anchor point, swivels to the front and back, see-saws from side to side, and swings from all three anchor points, individually and separately.

This added instability may recruit more muscle groups, particularly those of the hips, abdominals, back, and shoulders, enhancing functional training, balance, and core strength. The system also comes with separate attachments that can be added to the chains, offering a handlebar option for pulling and pressing exercises like pushups and rows or a more comfortable padded strap for planks and superman squats.

Because the suspension chains are all attached with carabiners, you have complete control over which link you attach the handles or straps to, making it possible to position the handles and straps at practically any height.

As a result, you have a lot of control over setting the equipment up for each exercise, and you can even use the overhead horizontal bar for traditional pull-ups. One thing to note is that the Yoke Bar system is heavy-duty. It's made from steel and chain, so it's incredibly durable and physically heavier than other suspension trainers on the market.

So, it's not one you can easily throw in a carry-on bag to take with you for an on-the-go gym. That said, its durability makes it a great option for hanging indoors or out as a semi-permanent gym.

You don't have to worry about wearing it down when exposed to the elements, so if you have a sturdy tree branch to hang it from, you can set it up outside without worrying about taking it down between workouts. Overall, due to its three-axis rotation, it's a more advanced form of suspension training that takes a little getting used to. Gymnastic rings are a classic suspension tool. They feature two separate attachment points that allow your limbs to work independently. Because the attachment points can be placed at varying distances from each other, you can use the rings to perform true dips, pull-ups, and muscle-ups.

The height of the rings can also be adjusted so you can perform exercises completely suspended off the ground or with your arms or legs in contact with the ground. One of the biggest drawbacks of rings is that they're inherently uncomfortable for any exercise where you want to suspend your feet from the ground.

In addition, placing your feet through the rings requires you to position the hard ring against your ankle or shin, which starts to hurt in no time.

This pretty much limits ring workouts to upper body exercises. If you're looking for a tool that combines the benefits of rings with a more comfortable strap system that allows for total body training, the TRX Duo Trainer is a good option. This system has two separate attachment points, just like rings, so you can use them to perform pull-ups and dips, but the handles are completely horizontal, making them easier to grip than the curved ring, and they also have a nylon strap that wraps around them for placing your feet through.

Swings could be the original suspension trainer. While the classic playground toy isn't as functionally flexible as rings or suspension straps and certainly isn't as challenging as the Yoke Bar, it's one easy way to give suspension training a try.

Plus, if you have access to a park, you can try it for free. Fielding et al. Finally, Bottaro et al. Considering that age-related impairments are greater in muscle power than muscle strength and mass, it is likely that PT could be a more specific RT mode compared to PRT for functional performance Macaluso and De Vito, ; Petrella et al.

Improving muscle power is not the only way to enhance functional performance. It has been suggested that the activation of the core muscles i. Additionally, the core muscles are responsible for balance maintenance and functional performance. It also allows daily life activities to be performed even on relatively unstable situations e. Therefore, considering the principle of training specificity, RT modes should attempt to simulate unstable environments when aiming to improve functional performance Behm, ; Behm and Anderson, ; Aguilera-Castells and Busca, In the past years, strategies aiming to stimulate the core muscles through the simulation of an unstable training environment have been proposed e.

In ST instance, instability is simulated by suspending the body's segments thought hanging straps, which creates an unstable environment where multi-planar and multi-joint exercises are performed using body weight and gravity as load agents Byrne et al.

The ST is a RT mode that has a simple configuration, takes up little space, can be adjusted to the practitioners' requirements and permits a great variety of exercises Figure 1. Although no study has investigated ST's safety, this method allows the adjustment and progression of the instability and training overload, even for frail elderly.

Importantly, studies investigating the acute effects of ST support the notion that this RT mode may produce substantial improvements on functional performance due to a higher activation of the core muscles compared with RT modes performed on stable environment e. In fact, Harris et al.

Additionally, a recent systematic review including 16 studies showed higher activation of core muscles for ST compared with PRT in the push-up, inverted row, prone bridge, and hamstring curl exercises Aguilera-Castells and Busca, Regarding the chronic effects of ST, Ma et al. Results showed that ST is as effective as PT for improving the strength, power and movement velocity. Therefore, future studies should investigate the effects of ST in older adults. Collectively, these studies allow us to suggest that the higher core activation inherent of ST, associated with its effectiveness in increasing muscle power, can make it a promising RT mode when aiming to improve functional performance in older adults.

Figure 1. Exercise approaches in different training programs. Resistance training: elbow flexion A , seated row C , and squat E. Suspension training: elbow flexion B , seated row D , and squat F. Regarding muscle strength and mass gains, we Barcelos et al. A recent study of Damas et al. Accordingly, other studies showed similar increases in muscle strength and mass in healthy adults when both bench press and push-ups performed with body weight, likewise ST were performed to concentric failure Calatayud et al.

Hence, current literature points toward similar neuromuscular adaptations when exercising to concentric muscle failure, regardless of RT mode or scheme utilized Burd et al. Although this hypothesis should be tested in the older population, evidence suggest that both traditional RT modes e. If these hypotheses are confirmed, ST would therefore be a viable approach to produce improvements in muscle strength, mass, muscle power, and enhance functional performance.

Additionally, the literature allows us to hypothesize that ST would be an alternative RT mode capable of increasing muscle strength, mass, power and functional performance due to the high activation of the core muscles induced by the instability, especially if sets are performed up to concentric failure.

Finally, future studies should investigate the effects of ST on these outcomes in older adults. To investigate this paradigm, studies should measure muscle strength, mass outcomes, and functional performance through a battery of functional tests e. All authors contributed to the development of the manuscript, reviewed it, and approved the content of the final version.

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Aguilera-Castells, J. Muscle activation in suspension training: a systematic review. Sports Biomech. Ahtiainen, J.

Short vs. Strength Cond. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Says one New York Times write-up on the trend , "The beauty of suspension training Furthermore, with increasing evidence pointing to the benefits of functional training, exercise scientists herald the synergistic approach of suspension training.

Just because suspension training was invented by Navy SEALS doesn't mean it's inaccessible to the rest of the population. Under the supervision of qualified personal trainers, this approach offers advantages to people of all fitness levels -- from novices to elite athletes.

Point one addressed the comparability of suspension training to weight systems regarding the outcome. Two areas where they're not comparable?

Portability and cost. Weights and large exercise machines are not only stationery due to their heft and unwieldiness but can also cost thousands of dollars more than a simple suspension system.