Suspension Training
Move · Resistance Training · Movement, Typed Supps
You change the difficulty by changing your body angle, which makes progression very smooth.
Stage by stage
- Setup (Angle sets the resistance): Body angle relative to the anchor determines the percentage of bodyweight moved, allowing very fine progression.
- During (Instability recruits stabilisers): The moving anchor demands continuous stabilisation, raising trunk and stabiliser activation.
- The trade (Prime movers produce less): Instability reduces force output from the main muscles by roughly 20 to 30%, which is the cost of the stability benefit.
- Weeks later (Stability and endurance gains): Trunk endurance and stabiliser strength improve, with smoother progression than fixed bodyweight movements allow.
Muscles trained
- Primary: chest, abs
- Secondary: shoulders, triceps, serratus anterior
Intensity
3.8 METs (Calisthenics (e.g., push ups, sit ups, pull-ups, lunges), moderate effort).
Time to effect
- Weeks: Strength and trunk endurance improve with consistent training.
Related supplements
Common myth
“Unstable training is simply a harder and better version of stable training.” In reality: It raises stabiliser activation but lowers prime-mover force output by 20 to 30% — better for stability and rehabilitation, worse for maximal strength and hypertrophy.
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