Suspension Training for Upper Body
The second part in our suspension training series. The best part! Working your upper body on the ropes is fun and a full workout. Because you are using your bodyweight, your arms, shoulders, back, and chest will really feel the burn.
Generally with the upper body work, the closer your feet are to the wall/door the harder the exercise. This makes you more perpendicular to the floor. Gravity will weigh on you more. To make the exercise easier, move your feet away from the wall/door. You will be more vertical and less affected by gravity. Find a happy medium to be challenged while still doing the exercise properly.
The suspension systems are great for kids to exercise with. Kids of any age can do body weight work. They enjoy the challenge! I find that adults will focus better on not wobbling around. The suspension systems add an element of instability making your core work harder. Young kids and some teenagers struggle to keep their core strong – making this a great tool to help develop core strength for them. Just keep reminding them what to focus on. I always say to my young athletes “Anyone can do it fast, I am more impressed with you doing it sloooow”.
I show a few exercises in the video, but there are many more! A quick Google or Instagram search reveals many ideas. Keep the concepts and rules that we have discussed in other articles.
Alignment is very important. You must maintain your posture throughout. This includes your wrists. Keep them in neutral. The biggest break in alignment I see is floppy wrists. Keep them straight! Breathing out especially when you lift yourself up is vital. You are the weight now, so breathe out when you go against gravity. The suspension systems will help teach or remind you about body control. The straps will let you swing from side to side, use your core to stay in the middle.
When purchasing a suspension trainer, especially for home use, add on a door anchor. This small but important attachment allows your system to be secure on the door. They generally do not come with these attachments. The anchor looks like a small pillow that stops the straps from sliding through the door. They don’t cost much, but they are priceless for home workouts!
We have discussed leg exercises, and now the upper body. Next week we will talk about core specific work using suspension trainers! Now that will be a lot of fun!
If you want to learn more about reprogramming your body or need guidance putting a routine together, let me know! I would love to help.
