What is it? Long strips of canvas with rubber handles at the end – you anchor them to a wall, grasp them by the handles and instantly become fit.
How much does it cost? Chances are your gym has TRX straps somewhere. But home kits are also available; I found one on SportPursuit for about £60.
What does it promise? A fast, portable, lightweight, total-body functional workout that strengthens your core, improves your balance and increases muscular endurance. Advance warning: I am a fan.
What’s it actually like? I’ve dabbled with TRX before, while training for obstacle course races and trying to keep pace with a round-the-world sailing crew (which, to state the obvious, I could not). But now that I’m pressed for time, it’s invaluable. The home kit is easy to set up: you just anchor the straps behind a door (you can also buy anchors that you screw to the walls). Once that’s done, you’re away. My favourite TRX exercise is the row – a sort of reverse press-up where you lean back as far as you can before pulling yourself up on the straps – but you can just as easily use it for lunges, squats, burpees or even Pilates moves. The theory is that doing these exercises while suspended keeps your entire body engaged – which, anecdotally at least, means that you end every session aching and exhausted. You know, in a good way.
Best and worst bits? The best bit: it’s brilliant. The worst bit – and this is entirely hypothetical in the event that my landlord is reading – is that the combination of a man my size and a TRX strap might be just too much for an interior door to take.
Is it worth it? Definitely, if your doors are up to it.
