Equipment
Best Suspension Trainer
Suspension trainers are used in the popular Pilates Suspension method predominantly but they can be used for other types of pilates also. Suspension Pilates is a combination of traditional mat pilates and a more contemporary version that uses props.
The great thing about this type of pilates is that you can practice at home by simply purchasing a suspension trainer. You can also incorporate suspension trainers into your regular pilates practice to make it more difficult and give your body more of a workout.
Below we look at the 5 best suspension trainers that can be used in pilates that are currently on the market.
5 Best Suspension Trainers
1. Best Budget: FITINDEX Resistance Trainer Kit
Transform Your Home Into a Personal Gym – Upgrade your workout regimen with the FITINDEX Resistance Bands Set. This kit is designed to sculpt and tone every muscle group from your arms and chest, to your legs and abs. Perfect for building muscle or burning fat, you can now enjoy a comprehensive workout without stepping out of your home.
Adaptable Exercise Intensity – The kit comes with 5 resistance bands in vibrant colors: Purple, Green, Red, Blue, and Grey, each representing different resistance levels ranging from 10 lbs to 50 lbs. Use these bands individually or stack them together to achieve resistance of up to 150 lbs. With 4 foam handles included, you can enjoy a workout session with a partner too.
Durable & Safe Materials – Our resistance bands are crafted from 100% natural latex, ensuring durability even after prolonged usage. Complemented with high-strength aluminum alloy buckles, sweat-absorbent, non-slip foam handles and sturdy yet soft ankle straps, we ensure maximum comfort and safety during your workout.
Simple & Versatile – The resistance trainer kit is user-friendly and versatile. You can easily secure the bands using the door anchor, capable of bearing weight up to 400 lbs. This functionality allows you to perform a variety of exercises safely.
Complete Muscle Building Kit – The FITINDEX 22 pcs resistance bands set includes 5 durable latex bands, 4 loop resistance bands (10lbs, 15lbs, 20lbs, 25lbs), 4 foam handles, 1 Door anchor, 4 Aluminum alloy buckles, 2 Velcro ankle straps, 1 Storage bag, 1 Workout guide and Installation instruction. This all-in-one set is designed to fulfill all your exercise needs, eliminating the need for additional purchases.
Advantages:
- Comprehensive workout from home, suitable for muscle training and fat-burning.
- Adjustable resistance levels up to 150lbs, catering to different fitness levels.
- Made with durable, 100% natural latex and high-strength aluminum buckles.
- Can support simultaneous use, promoting shared workout sessions.
- Easy to operate with simple setup via the door anchor.
- Complete 22-piece set eliminates need for additional equipment.
You can buy this suspension trainer on Amazon by clicking here or directly from the manufacturer by clicking here.
2. Best For Small Spaces: Lifeline Jungle Gym XT
Upgrade your workout routine with the Lifeline Jungle Gym XT, a versatile and portable alternative to traditional weights. Designed for ease of use anywhere, from your home gym to outdoor spaces, this is a must-have addition to your fitness arsenal.
At the heart of its unique design is a patented split anchor system. This allows for narrow, neutral, and wide angles of resistance, targeting a broader range of muscle groups compared to single anchor versions. Hence, it is hailed as one of the best door exercise equipment on the market.
The Jungle Gym XT comes with two non-scuff door anchors for secure attachment to doors at home or in the office. It also features a loop-over cinch connection for easy attachment to bars, beams, and even tree limbs.
Designed for users of all fitness levels, from novices to seasoned athletes, the Jungle Gym XT leverages body weight for various exercises. It’s perfect for everything from low-impact rehab workouts to intense strength-building and fat-burning cardio routines.
Moreover, the kit comes with industrial-strength suspension straps, built to withstand the most challenging workouts. With a quick adjustment, you can easily switch between high and low exercises. It also features EASY-IN molded foot cradles, which retain their shape, providing added safety when training the lower body.
Enhance your training versatility and intensity with the Lifeline Jungle Gym XT and see the transformation in your strength, conditioning, and overall fitness.
Advantages:
- Versatile and portable: Train anywhere, from home to outdoors.
- Patented split anchor: Allows wide, neutral, and narrow resistance.
- Secure, non-scuff door anchors: Safe workouts at home or office.
- Suits all fitness levels: Perfect for beginners to pros.
- Industrial-strength straps: Built for challenging, varied workouts.
- EASY-IN foot cradles: Ensure safe lower body training.
You can buy this suspension trainer on Amazon by clicking here or directly from the manufacturer by clicking here.
3. Best Advanced: TRX Training Pro4 System
The TRX Pro4 is engineered for the intense requirements of professional athletes and heavy-duty workout environments. This premium model takes things a notch higher with an enhanced design and high-quality materials. It boasts textured, rubber handles for improved grip and prevention of blisters, as well as foot cradles that can be adjusted to accommodate any size.
Featuring thicker, more robust straps, this set includes an extension line compatible with both door and wrap-around anchors. The TRX Pro4 lives up to the TRX reputation of easy maintenance – simply wipe it down or throw it in the wash, then air-dry, a crucial feature for equipment shared among multiple users.
Primarily designed for a fixed gym environment, the Pro4 is equipped with a lockable carabiner, adjustable using the provided Allen wrench. The exceptional durability coupled with an impressive 10-year warranty makes this suspension trainer a favorite among personal trainers, small fitness centers, and home users who intend to use it heavily.
Advantages:
- High-quality design suitable for professional athletes and heavy use.
- Textured rubber handles prevent slips and blisters.
- Easy to clean and maintain, suitable for multiple users.
- Enhanced safety with lockable carabiner and adjustable foot cradles.
- Backed by a robust 10-year warranty.
- Supports up to 350 pounds, catering to a wide demographic.
You can buy this suspension trainer directly from the manufacturer by clicking here.
4. Best Heavy Weight: Bodytorc Suspension Trainer
You can buy this suspension trainer on Amazon by clicking here or directly from the manufacturer by clicking here.
5. Best Overall: The Human Trainer Suspension Bands Trainer Kit
- Versatile tool for full-body strength and toning exercises.
- Suitable for indoor, outdoor, and travel use with easy setup.
- Adjustable difficulty levels accommodate all fitness stages.
- High-quality materials with a 2-year replacement warranty.
- Saves money by eliminating monthly gym fees.
- Includes instructional resources for varied workouts.
You can buy this suspension trainer directly from the manufacturer by clicking here.
Buyers Guide
To find the best suspension trainer for you it is important that you know what to look out for. Here is our buyer’s guide to help you find the best product for you.
Materials Used
Always consider what materials have been used to make a suspension band. Some materials will be more durable than others, for example, 100% natural latex is a very good material that is often used to make great quality suspension trainers.
Also consider what materials the handles are made of, if they are constructed from plastic and don’t have a rubber coating or foamy grip then they will be uncomfortable to hold and could put extra pressure on your hands.
You will be able to find out what materials were used to create the suspension trainer on the manufacturer’s website or on the sale tags on physical products.
Safety Features
Safety features are very important when looking to purchase any type of fitness equipment.
With a suspension trainer, you are often placing your whole body weight into movements and you need the assurance that the straps will not snap mid-movement causing you to fall and injure yourself.
Always check the type of anchor provided, the types of clasps used, and any other features that are said to be for the user’s safety.
You should be able to trust your equipment if you don’t you will be tense which can cause even more damage should you fall.
It is also worth checking what environment a suspension trainer is suited to. Some can be used both indoors and outdoors but may have different anchors depending on the environment.
If it is not specified if a suspension trainer can be used both indoors and outdoors it is best to avoid attempting to try it outdoors to avoid injury.
Weight Capacity
Always make sure that the suspension trainer you are looking at will be able to support your body weight. Most suspension trainers can support up to 300 pounds and a select number can support up to 400 pounds.
It is also important to ensure you have a sturdy door that the suspension trainer can be safely attached to and that will also be able to support your body weight when the suspension trainer is in use.
Heavy, wooden doors are usually the best type of door to use. If the doors in your property are hollow it may be best to use the front door as these are often the heaviest doors in any property for safety reasons.
If you don’t have a suitable door we recommend looking at purchasing a suspension trainer that can be used outdoors.
Experience Level
If you are new to pilates it can be beneficial to get a suspension trainer that comes with instructions for use as well as workout ideas so that you can get used to the equipment outside of class time.
If you are more advanced then you will be able to know exactly what you want and turning to professional brands, such as TRX Training will help you to get the best products to support your ability and training.
If you are unsure what to buy you can always speak to your Pilates trainer to find out what product they would recommend that would be a good match with your experience level.
Additional Requirements
Suspension trainers can be sold separately or in kits. Often the kits may seem expensive in comparison to the cost of purchasing just the straps.
When you purchase the straps individually you then need to purchase all additional accessories needed for safe use, such as door anchors, handles, foot straps, and more.
Always consider what needs to be purchased separately from a kit and then check how much it will be to get this item before purchasing anything to ensure the total cost is still affordable for you.
Budget
There is a huge amount of competition within the suspension trainer market, which is great for consumers as it means there are a lot of choices and different products are suited to different budgets and price points.
You should never go over your budget without ensuring that you absolutely need to. Shopping around can often help you to find the best price for a certain product.
Amazon often has discounts on products and when you purchase directly from the manufacturer you may get access to special products, extra products, product warranties, and more.
Once you find a product, shop around and then get it from whatever shop is offering the best price but also the best deal, such as free shipping.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you have found a great product to suit you and your budget from our list of the best suspension trainers currently on the market. Each product was carefully selected having met our criteria of being well priced, of good quality, and with great honest reviews.
If you are still looking for the right suspension trainer for you, don’t forget to reference our buyer’s guide to find the best product for you. Have you still got questions? Check out our frequently asked questions section below to find out more about suspension trainers.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Type Of Pilates Uses Suspension Trainers?
There are many different types of pilates that incorporate different props. Both regular pilates and suspension pilates utilize suspension trainers. Suspension pilates is a new style of pilates that uses mats and suspension trainers to perform Pilates exercises.
Many people find pilates classes that utilize props to be a better workout for the body and that is why suspension pilates continues to grow in popularity.
2. What Are The Benefits Of Suspension Training?
Suspension training is a great way to engage the whole body when working out or practicing pilates. Suspension trainers enable you to improve your flexibility as well as strength and cardiovascular fitness.
Suspension trainers are portable and easy to use and can be used from the comfort of your own home or a hotel room. Many people who start suspension training fall in love with this type of workout as physical changes can be noticed within weeks.
3. What Is The Difference Between Suspension Trainers And TRX Suspension Trainers?
There is no difference between these types of suspension trainers, they are the same type of equipment. TRX stands for Total Body Resistance Exercise, which is the type of training that is done when using a suspension trainer.
