THE SUSPENSION TRAINER Your first glance at a suspension trainer—a long nylon strap, with handles on both ends, anchored to the ceiling with a carabiner at its center—probably won’t tempt you away from the iron-forged familiarity of a heavy barbell or dumbbell in your grasp. A suspension workout includes movements for legs, back, chest, delts, and arms, with nothing more than gravity and our own body weight as resistance. We suggest you take a good look, because this training tool can make your workouts harder and more effective.   WHAT IT IS The original suspension exercise apparatus was designed in 1997 by a Navy SEAL squadron commander, Randy Hetrick, who was seeking a way to stay fit in the field. He later brought his invention to market, calling it the TRX (short for “total-body resistance exercise”). “It reflexively activates your core in all planes of motion and connects your torso and limbs as a coordinated system—which is how it works in real life, it helps by altering your body position, you can make exercises easier or harder, meaning there is no shortage of options for beginners to more advanced athletes.   WHAT IT DOES A suspension trainer can hit every muscle in the body and leave you just as sore as any typical bodybuilding workout—yes, even leg day. But perhaps its signature benefit is that no matter what body part you’re focused on, your midsection gets plenty of attention.   MORE INFO – Portable, lightweight trainer that can be taken anywhere. – Flexible design allowing you to train using traditional equipment (pull-up bars) to standard doorways. – Varied resistance/scalable training. – Develop strength for advanced movements such as pistol squats by using the trainer as an assistance aid. – Carry bag included.