Using a Suspension Trainer in a Weight Training Programme

Suspension training has increased in popularity over the last decade. There are many different pieces of kick from TRX, the basic gymnastic rings or my personal favourite the Jungle Gym XT. They bring balance to overall body conditioning. You can lift heavier in the weights room but work on stability on your suspension trainer. Suspension trainers are light, portable and best of all progressive to all fitness levels.

Try using a suspension trainer for the post activation potentiation (PAP) phase of a warm up. PAP is basically the part of the warm up that overloads your muscles to promote neural drive. For example a sprinter may perform 5 repetitions at 80% of his 1 repetition max on a squat. This will promote more nerve pathways to become active when he sprints which will result in a faster run. I’ve found that practicing single leg squat variations in multiple directions generally promotes the same effect but without any need to rack a heavy barbell up with weight. For athletes looking to improve their bench press a suspended push up will improve serratus activation and encourage scapular stability.

Suspension trainers are handy for improving movement patterns. Especially the squat. Too many people avoid activating their posterior chain when they squat. Practicing a squat on a suspension trainer will encourage participants to push their hips back whilst keeping the body upright. Therefore suspended squats work as good somatic feedback prior to a set of barbell squats to reinforce good form.

Suspension trainers are also very useful for unilateral exercises. Single arm rowing variations and lunging actions are easy to progress with suspension trainers. I’ve managed to get clients into full pistols within a months work on a TRX. I would always recommend practicing bilateral strength movements first such as your standard power lifts. This is to avoid fatiguing a muscle before you lift heavy as poor form from fatigue can result in an injury.

Also check out:

Hill Sprints for Speed

http://icankeepup.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/hill-sprints-for-speed.html

Resistance Training and Lateral Movement

http://icankeepup.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/resistance-training-and-lateral-movement.html