DIY Suspension Trainer

If you work out at home or outdoors or travel frequently I recommend making yourself a suspension trainer; a pair of handles or loops on ropes or webbing which can be used to perform a variety of bodyweight exercises like chin ups, rows, and inverted curls when there are no bars or suitable handholds to hang from. They’re lightweight and take up little space in your suitcase, back pack, or car trunk, and they can be quickly and securely anchored between a door and door frame, looped over a bar or an exposed beam or joist, or clipped to an eye bolt securely fastened to a load bearing structure. They can also be looped under the feet or anchored to the ground or a post and used for a variety of isometric exercises or to assist with balance during exercises like bodyweight squats.

suspension-trainer-row

A variety of commercial suspension trainers are available, but most are ridiculously overpriced considering how inexpensive the materials are and how easy they are to construct. The popular TRX home suspension training kit costs $200 and many competing brands cost over $100, but you can easily build your own in a few minutes for around $20 using common materials available at any home improvement store and a few basic tools.

The design I describe here cost me less than twenty dollars and only took a few minutes to make.

This could mean a savings of several hundreds of dollars for a gym or personal training studio planning to install multiple suspension training stations if they make them themselves.

Materials

Suspension trainers are typically made with nylon webbing, plastic buckles, and foam covered PVC handles. You can buy a pair of tie down straps made of strong webbing with plastic buckles at home improvement stores for around seven or eight dollars, and a two foot length of three quarters or one inch schedule 40 PVC will cost you a little over a dollar.

If you plan to hang them from a chinning bar or power rack frame one pair of eight foot straps is enough. If you plan to hang them from an overhead beam or anchor them to the top of a door frame you will need to buy another pair of straps for extra length.

Spring clips can be used to prevent the straps from slipping when anchored between a door and the top of a door frame (use them with the clips on the side of the door facing the outside of the frame) or to clip them to eye bolts you can fasten to a beam or joist or to allow you to quickly clip them to a bar.

Suspension Trainer Door Mounting

The webbing I bought was rated to hold up to two hundred pounds and the spring clips were rated for double that, so the pair of straps can handle well over my body weight. Always check the strength before buying anything you plan to hang from or support your body weight on, and err on the strong side with both materials and design.

If you can’t find straps like these at your local home improvement store you can get both heavy duty webbing and plastic hardware at Strap Works very inexpensively (one inch webbing with a breaking strength of over three thousand pounds is only $0.45 per foot)

suspension-trainer-webbing

I bought one inch schedule 40 PVC, which has an outer diameter of around one and a quarter inch. If you plan to put cushioned grips on yours buy the three quarter inch PVC, which has an outer diameter of a little over an inch because the cushioned grip will add around another quarter inch to the diameter. For a cushioned grip, buy a 1×12 padded grip from an exercise equipment parts supplier like Full Circle Padding, cut off the end, and cut it into two six inch pieces to cover the handles.

The set I made included a single pair of straps ($6.97), a two foot section of one inch, schedule 40 PVC ($1.80) and two half inch spring clips ($4.64 each) for a total cost of $18.71, which is a savings of over $180 compared to the TRX.

If you don’t need the spring clips the total cost is only $9.43. If you get an extra pair of straps for more length and a twelve inch padded grip from Full Circle Padding ($5.75 plus shipping) would bring the total up to the mid thirties, which is still a very reasonable price.

Tools

All you need is something to cut the PVC and some sandpaper to smooth the edges and rough up the surface to improve grip if you aren’t going to add padded grips. If you are adding padded grips you’ll also need a scissors to cut them with.

I used a hacksaw and a miter box to keep the cuts reasonably straight. If you don’t have a saw or pipe cutter and don’t want to buy one you should be able to find someone at your home improvement store to cut the handles for you.

DIY Suspension Trainer Materials

You will need a tape measure and a sharpie to mark the cuts on the PVC and grips and mark lengths on the webbing so you can adjust both straps to equal lengths.

Construction

Measure and mark off two six inch lengths on your PVC. If you are adding a padded grip cut the end off and mark off two equal lengths (the halfway point if you purchased a twelve inch grip). Double check before cutting.

suspension-trainer-handle-measure

Cut the PVC handles.

suspension-trainer-handle-cut

Sand the outside and inside edges of the ends of the handles and rough up the outside to improve the grip if you don’t plan to put padded grips on them. If you are putting padded grips on the handles spraying them with hairspray first will help keep the grips in place.

suspension-trainer-handle-sand

You could simply thread the tie downs through your handles, fasten the buckles, and put the spring clips on, but I think using the buckle to create separate loops for the handles and the rest of the strap looks better than using one big loop and it keeps the handles in one place.

Thread the end of the webbing through the handle then through the middle of the buckle frame…

suspension-trainer-handle-assembly1

…then back around through the buckle to secure it.

suspension-trainer-handle-assembly2

After you do this for both straps, measure off equal lengths from the ends of the webbing and mark them with the sharpie. If you plan to use the straps at different lengths for different exercises, measure and make marks at those lengths for quick reference when making adjustments.

suspension-trainer-webbing-marking

Put the spring clips on if you plan to use them, and you’re set.

suspension-trainer-complete

While there are other ways to construct these, this is one of the quickest and requires no sewing or additional hardware.

If you have a machine or a heavy duty stitching awl and don’t mind sewing, cut the end with the buckle off one of the straps and thread each end through a handle and sew it into a loop using strong thread, which you can also get at Strap Works. In the example I mocked up with duct tape pictured below I measured off twenty four inches for each loop, and duct taped about the last three inches of the loop together.

Then fold the strap in half creating a loop with the fold, and sew the strap together from about three inches to about six inches from the fold, creating a loop. Thread the other strap through the loop and fasten the buckle. Mark off regular increments on the strap with the sharpie for repeatable positioning if you want. Add a spring clip and you’re all set.

DIY Suspension Trainer

Use

To anchor them to a door frame hang the straps over the top of the door with the clips on the outside of the door frame (the side the door opens towards) as pictured above. If possible, use a door that opens into a room with nobody in it so you don’t have to worry about someone opening the door while you are using them. If not, notify everyone there not to open the door without knocking or place a conspicuous sign  on the door alerting people not to open it.

If you plan to use them outdoors you can either clip the ends together and hang them over a high post or strong tree branch, or wrap the strap over a chinning bar, monkey bar, pipe, or beam and fasten the spring clip as pictured below. Make sure the structure will support your weight and doesn’t have any sharp edges which may cut into or damage the straps.

suspension-trainer-on-bar

Many public parks have swing sets with eye bolts or similar mounting hardware for the swings which works well for clipping the straps to. Use them between the swings if the spacing is not too wide (more than a little outside shoulder width).

suspension-trainer-pike-pull-up

Like barbells, and dumbbells, there are a few really good exercises you can do with suspension trainers, and an almost infinite variety of relatively ineffective and/or dangerous ones (including most of the exercises recommended in the courses and DVD’s sold with commercial suspension trainers). Suspension trainers work best for exercises requiring you to hang most or all of your body weight from your arms like chin ups, pull ups, and inverted rows and curls, and should be used for these when a fixed bar or handles at the appropriate height is not available.

They also work well for exercises like chest flyes (horizontal shoulder adduction), rear delt flyes (horizontal shoulder abduction) and overhead triceps extensions if they are performed with the body positioned more diagonally than horizontally and with wide foot spacing for stability.

Suspension trainers work very poorly for exercises requiring your arms to support most of your body weight like push ups and dips because the additional effort required to maintain balance and correct body positioning reduces your ability to focus on  intensely contracting the target muscles.

Suspension Trainer Dips

Contrary to the misinformed claims of so-called “functional training” proponents, this instability and additional balance challenge does not make exercise more effective for strengthening the muscles of the trunk or “core” or translate to improved balance in other movements. If your goal is to maximize general improvements in muscular strength and size and overall functional ability you should perform push ups, dips, and similar exercises on a stable surface or bars, not on a suspension trainer.

Suspension trainers should not be looped around the feet or ankles to support the legs for similar reasons. Exercises requiring the feet to be supported in an elevated position should be performed using a stable platform or bar, like the roller pad on the UXS bodyweight multi-exercise station.

However, suspension trainers can be looped under the feet to anchor them for use during isometric exercises for the upper body like compound rows (pictured below), arm curls, and lateral raises, using timed static contraction protocol. These are discussed in detail in the Project: Kratos bodyweight high intensity training program handbook.

Suspension Trainer Timed Static Contraction Row

If you’ve been considering buying a suspension trainer for your home workouts or your personal training studio or gym, give this a try before you spend way more than you need to overpriced commercial suspension trainer. If you follow the instructions here you will get something that is just as strong and works just as well for a small fraction of the price.

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  • Vanner Sep 10, 2013 @ 21:42

    Thanks for presenting these kind of options Drew. Showing flexibility in tools is always helpful for those with limited resources.

    • Drew Baye Sep 11, 2013 @ 14:52

      Vanner,

      You’re welcome. I am considering putting together a book with plans for dozens of DIY training tools after I finish other writing projects if there is enough interest.

      • Michael Oct 20, 2013 @ 6:15

        This was very useful especially since reading the Project Kratos book. How about a combination of dip station/ row station made from pipe? You are doing an excellent job.

        • Drew Baye Oct 20, 2013 @ 11:23

          Michael,

          I plan to post more DIY projects like this in the future, and a chin/dip/row station will probably be one of them.

  • Don Hyrkas Sep 25, 2013 @ 21:27

    Drew, you’ve done it again! I’ve had a homemade unit similar to yours for quite awhile and I use it whenever I’m on the road. It’ll “work” you! “Thanks for sharing.” . (No, I don’t moderate a recovery group! LOL)

  • Carsten Dietrich Oct 10, 2013 @ 10:53

    Dear Drew,

    Thank you for this excellent post! By reading the part on how the act of balancing in certain exercises may distract oneself from focusing on the target muscles. Can this idea be extrapolated to certain dumbbell exercises like the dumbbell bench press? On one side it enables you to train each side independently but I always have the feeling to get a better contraction or efficiency on the target muscles by using a regular bar.

    • Drew Baye Oct 14, 2013 @ 8:58

      Carsten,

      Yes, although the difference between dumbbells and barbells depends on the grip width and path of movement and is probably not as great as the difference between free weights and machines or push ups. The more the path of a pushing movement is constrained the harder the triceps can contract without causing the weight to move off balance or the body out of proper position.

  • Andi Oct 14, 2013 @ 2:43

    “Suspension trainers work very poorly for exercises requiring your arms to support most of your body weight like push ups and dips because the additional effort required to maintain balance and correct body positioning reduces your ability to focus on intensely contracting the target muscles”, any gymnast would beg to differ and so would I.

    I have been using my very own designed suspension trainer for 12 years now, long before anyone ever marketed one. My inspiration was the Olympic rings, but I made some changes to include more functionality and I still prefer my design over anything else out there.

    Dips, push-ups, a variation of dumbbell flys and ab roll outs are just some of the regular exercises I perform and they make for a superior workout including stabilizers and core.

    Your design seems simple, functional and easy to make. However from a rigging perspective your mounting on the bar is not advisable at all. Furthermore I’ve sewn my 1″ webbing on a regular sewing machine with regular thin thread, but back and forth several times all around and criss cross and haven’t had a problem yet.

    • Drew Baye Oct 14, 2013 @ 8:19

      Andi,

      Research shows training on stable surfaces to be more effective. Unless you are training specifically to improve your ability to balance on rings or a suspension trainer you are better off performing exercises like dips and push ups on bars or the floor. A fixed bar or handles would also be preferable to a suspension trainer for many pulling exercises, but suspension trainers are a practical alternative for when bars aren’t available.

      “The decreased balance associated with resistance training on an unstable surface may force limb musculature to play a greater role in joint stability. The diminished force output suggests that the overload stresses required for strength training necessitate the inclusion of resistance training on stable surfaces.”

      Behm DG, Button D, Power KE, Anderson KG, Connors M. Relative muscle activation with ice hockey actions. Can. J. Appl. Physiol. 2002;27:S4.

      Anderson KG, Behm DG. Maintenance of EMG activity and loss of force output with instability. J Strength Cond Res 2004; 18: 637-40. 118.

      Sparkes R, Behm DG. Training adaptations associated with an 8-week instability resistance training program with recreationally active individuals. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 1931-41. 119.

      Cowley PM, Swenson T, Sforzo GA. Efficacy of instability resistance training. Int J Sports Med 2007; 28: 829-35. 120.

      Kibele A, Behm DG. Seven weeks of instability and traditional resistance training effects on strength, balance and functional performance. J Strength Cond Res 2009; 23: 2443-50. 121.

      Willardson JM. The effectiveness of resistance exercises per- formed on unstable equipment. Strength Cond J 2004; 26: 70-4.

      As for “core” and “stabilizer” training you may want to read

      Lederman E. The myth of core stability. J Bodyw Mov Ther 2007; 14: 80-97.

      • Andi Oct 14, 2013 @ 11:09

        Fair enough Drew, if your goal is hypertrophy. I don’t care about size, big muscles for the sake of big muscles is useless. My goal is functionality and you can’t beat a suspension trainer for upper body strength, agility and flexibility. That said, I focus on natural movement and wouldn’t think to perform squats on a bosu ball.

        I had to give up weight training 12 years ago, due to a lack of facilities. Looking for a minimalist but challenging alternative, I made my version of a suspension trainer. Over some weeks of use I made a number of functional modifications. I still use the same device today and even though my situation has changed, I wouldn’t go back to weight lifting.

        Good health has to equal functionality and adaptability, that’s my main goal. Thirty years of regular self care and having been able to maintain the same weight, size, athletic proportions and most of all physical capacity indicates to me that I’m doing something right. I’m always interested in learning new methods, but considering my experience I’m not so easily persuaded.

        For a long time now my regular training is self care for health maintenance. I have a Jeet Kune Do approach to training: I look to learn about everything, use what is functional and discard what is not.

        • Drew Baye Oct 14, 2013 @ 11:41

          Andi,

          This isn’t limited to hypertrophy, there is no advantage to training on an unstable surface for functional strength or joint health. The only advantage is for someone who wants to improve the specific skill of performing the exercises in question on an unstable surface, but this skill will not transfer to improved balance in other activities. However, strength increases will transfer to other movements regardless of whether the exercise was performed in a stable or unstable manner, and training on a stable surface or platform is more effective for this purpose.

          I suggest reading the studies I referenced in my previous response as well as my comments on so-called functional training in A Return To The Dark Ages?

  • Andi Oct 14, 2013 @ 12:56

    Define unstable surface, a suspension trainer used properly is no different then using dumbbells or cable machines for targeted exercises. Machines are limiting and focus on isolation which is great for rehab and desired in body building, but not functional conditioning. So I respectfully disagree: having to stabilize and balance recruits more muscle action and increases functionality, that is the advantage. Good strength using suspension trainers, cable machines or free weight easily translates to good performance using machines, but not vice versa. Dips on Gymnast rings or suspension trainer is a perfect example for that.

    I’m not implying that suspension trainers are superior, it is just my preference. They are very effective while minimalistic. I can take them to use anywhere and don’t have to be constraint to machines or facilities.

    I don’t mean to be dismissive of your suggested reading material, but considering my 30 years of experience and my current stack of reading material, it will not be a priority.

    • Drew Baye Oct 14, 2013 @ 13:25

      Andi,

      An unstable surface or support is one that moves under the subject. While there is a difference between balancing your body weight on an unstable surface or suspension trainer and balancing a barbell or dumbbells, the same would hold true for both – the greater the balance challenge the less one can focus on intensely contracting the target muscles.

      I suggest you read my recent post on machine training myths regarding the myth that machines do not improve functional strength.

      Strength transfers both ways between machines and free weights, cables, etc. What does not transfer is the specific balance skill and the effect on specific exercise performance, and you should not confuse the two.

      Considering how little you understand the subject after thirty years you might be right to not bother reading any of the studies or articles I have suggested. If you don’t get it by now I’m not sure anything I could recommend would help.

      • ED Jul 11, 2014 @ 17:55

        Somewhere I recall reading someone compare training effectively for strength in unstable environments as like trying to fire a cannon from a canoe.Amused me anyway.

        • Drew Baye Jul 15, 2014 @ 12:03

          Hey Ed,

          The saying “you can’t fire a cannon from a canoe” is usually used in reference to the importance of having a strong base to apply force from during athletic movements, but it applies to exercise as well. While training on unstable surfaces increases the activity of muscles involved in balance and stabilization it decreases activation of the muscles you are trying to target during the exercise. Performing an exercise on a stable surface allows you to work the target muscles more effectively, and more safely.

          • Ed Jul 16, 2014 @ 17:12

            Thats exactly my point Drew.I am actually quite sickened by the sort of things i have seen in gyms over the last few years with regard to unstable surface training combined Lord help Us with weights.Mostly accidents waiting to happen in my opinion.

  • JLMA Oct 26, 2013 @ 11:45

    Drew,

    Do you focus here on the construction of STRAIGHT handles rather than CURVED (rings) handles because straight handles are a better choice (for pulling exercises)?
    If both kinds are available, is one type a better choice than the other? Or not really?

    Just wondering. Thank you.

    JLMA

    • Drew Baye Oct 28, 2013 @ 10:21

      JLMA,

      Straight handles were chosen because they are better than rings for both pulling and pushing and PVC pipe is inexpensive and easy to work with.

      • JLMA Oct 28, 2013 @ 10:35

        Thanks, Drew.
        I wonder too if the fact that in these suspensions systems the grip rotates with the hand motion, as opposed to a fixed-to-the-wall bar (where the handle/grip remains in place) makes a (significant) difference in terms of biomechanics and or performance.
        Just wondering…

        • Drew Baye Oct 28, 2013 @ 11:51

          JLMA,

          The biomechanics of an exercise will be different with moving handles than a fixed bar or handles. How much depends on the exercise and the degree and direction of movement. The ability to move the hands more freely may reduce wrist and elbow discomfort for some people during certain exercises.

  • Jonassah Dec 1, 2013 @ 8:44

    Drew,

    great post! Very practical for travelers and outdoor people!
    I have a question, how can I train my lower back using suspension trainer? If possible a compound movement. Thanks before.

    regards,
    Jonassah

    • Drew Baye Dec 1, 2013 @ 14:51

      Jonassah,

      A suspension trainer isn’t necessary for training the lower back. There are plenty of floor exercises which do this well. I’ve covered these in detail in Project: Kratos

  • ED Jul 11, 2014 @ 17:48

    Drew,thank you for your comments on suspension type training.Glad for your objective approach as you neither damned the method nor were blind to its limitations.Presently its hot of course in the training world with the usual over inflated claims that its just just perfect for everything,when of course it has its strengths and weaknesses too.Glad to see you comment on the training on or in unstable environments makes you stronger nonsense.Think this is still taught as doctrine on many personal training courses over here in UK unfortunately.Know of one such instructor only a few miles from where I am who has his clients squat on small green balls as an exercise.He describes it as a cutting edge technique.Needless to say he is an idiot.Thanks again Drew.

    • Drew Baye Jul 15, 2014 @ 12:08

      Ed,

      Suspension trainers, like barbells, dumbbells, machines, bands, and other equipment can either be safe and effective if used correctly for exercises they are well suited for, or dangerous and ineffective if used incorrectly or for exercises they are poorly suited for. During the six months I trained exclusively using bodyweight I kept a pair strapped to my UXS for inverted curls and triceps extensions, but I never used them for dips or push-ups.

      • Ed Jul 16, 2014 @ 17:14

        I have no problem with suspension training Drew.

  • Steven Sep 16, 2014 @ 12:04

    This is great. I wanted to note that for an extra $1.50 I got sprinkler risers so I wouldn’t have to worry about cutting/sanding the PVC pipe. Just thought I’d throw that out there for anyone else.

    • Drew Baye Sep 17, 2014 @ 11:16

      Hey Steven,

      This is a great idea, as long as you are able to purchase sprinkler risers that have at least a one inch outer diameter.