Nowadays, home workouts are becoming more popular due to the flexibility and safety they offer. Suspension trainers easily make the cut for one of the most valuable home workout equipment. They present a simple yet a highly efficient way to get fit right at the comfort of your own home. Suspension trainers challenge your body by providing conditions of instability that improve strength, balance, and flexibility amongst others.

Provided you have access to a door, tree, beam or any other strong support, you can use suspension trainers to work on all of your muscle groups. Whether you’re a newbie to exercising or a fitness enthusiast who’s looking to replicate gym routines at home, suspension trainers are a great choice overall. Here's why.

Why Use Suspension Trainers

Why Suspension Trainers

“What’s the difference between suspension trainers and other workout equipment?” you may ask. Suspension trainers typically consist of a set of handles and straps that, just like the name portrays, are suspended off of the ground. To have an idea of what they do, think back at the ring routines that you have probably seen gymnasts do.

The primary function of suspension trainers is to work on two main muscle groups in your body: your core and arm muscles. By strengthening these muscles, your overall strength and endurance will be significantly benefited.

Core muscles include:

• Traverse abdominis (located on each side of the naval)
• Internal and external obliques (extending diagonally from ribs to pelvis).

Arm muscles include:

• Biceps brachii
• Brachialis
• Coracobrachialis (in the anterior compartment)
• Triceps brachii (in the posterior compartment)

Given that the exercises typically require striving to keep your balance, it boosts your flexibility, strength and ultimately, your sense of balance. Suspension trainers, therefore, are are also suitable for exercising the whole body.

Where and How to Properly Use Suspension Trainers

Suspension trainers are usually made of nylon straps with foam or rubber handles at the end. Setting it up is easy and can be done almost anywhere. Attaching it to a pull-up bar, ceiling, or a door frame are the common setups recommended for beginners. Others would even hang it on a weight rack or a tree branch if available.

Once you’re done setting up, here are some popular workout options that you can do:

• Pistol Squat - this workout helps you enhance your leg and core strength via working each leg unilaterally. The squat typically requires support to pull off and this makes suspension trainers the best bet for this exercise.
• Single-Leg Lunge - this workout helps to improve ankle stability. It is advisable to have a sturdy object closeby to help you balance.
• Push-ups - suspension trainers are a great equipment for push-ups. This version builds your upper body and core and typically requires stability in the shoulders.
• Bridge - this exercise helps to build your core, glutes, and hamstrings. It is one of the workouts easiest to pull off.

We found out the most convenient method for home workouts is to mount your suspension trainer over a door with the help of a door anchor/stopper, which is usually included in the kit. For workouts, you would be needing lots of space and, a solid and flat surface to minimize potential injuries. When doing ceiling or wall mounting, it is imperative to first ensure they are sturdy enough.

WHAT TO AVOID

• Low-Quality Materials - you would need to ensure that the straps are made of high-grade nylon and that the handles are made out of quality foam.
• Uncomfortable Handles - you want handles that are convenient to use, so you should look out for padded ones.
• Weak Buckles - if the buckles come apart mid-exercise, it might lead to some bodily harm. This is why you need buckles made out of durable materials like carbon fiber.

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WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN SUSPENSION TRAINERS

• Military-Grade Straps - we recommend webbing straps that are at least 1.5 inches and are made out of high-grade materials like nylon. These make them highly durable to support your body weight.
• Non-Slip Grip - these handles are non-slip and secure a firm grip while doing various routines. These are also more comfortable to hold on to compared to handles with plastic or metal surface.
• Anti-Slip Carabiners - these should be made out of anti-slip steel to keep the straps from sliding and to effectively support strap tension. The straps tend to slip to and fro during workout, which can affect the way you perform your routines.
• Adjustable Buckles - we recommend double-cam buckles as these are highly adjustable and have a locking mechanism to secure strap mobility. Typical buckles cause the straps to slip and make them uneven in length during workout.
• Suitable Length - while there is no length requirement, straps that are not less than 7ft long are good enough to give you a variety of workout options. Strap length allowance also makes the suspension trainers more adjustable if used by several people with different heights.
• Wall Mount - this inclusion increases the weight support limit of the trainers up to 500lbs or even more, depending where you put it. This is perfect for your stationary home gym setup and also helps you save cost if already included in a suspension trainer kit as some brands sell it separately.
• Anchor - this allows you to set up in various fixtures, making your workout on-the-go. This doesn’t need untying or unscrewing, just anchor it on a secure platform and you’re good to go.
• Resistance Band - this inclusion adds more variety and challenge to your workout as it allows you to do more types of routines. It is usually sold separately, so having it included in a suspension trainer kit makes it a major plus.

Our Ranking Methodology

This comprehensive list was created through extensive research and analysis, measuring the full value of each suspension trainer by analyzing important features, safety/durability, return policies, and overall expressed customer satisfaction. The research process is designed to present information in a clear, concise, and fact-based manner. We also collect research from the latest studies to ensure that our criteria take into account the latest findings.

Our 2023 Best Suspension Trainers Review

After extensive research, we are proud to present the following list of our favorite suspension trainers available on the market today. The research process includes precise scoring for product attributes/specs, customer satisfaction, value, return policy, and history along with the average scores of all suspension trainers accessed through our research process. To paint a holistic picture, we've included pros and cons for each of the suspension trainers on our list.