Bodyweight workouts have gained massive popularity over the last couple of years. And as their name suggests, they entail exercises or workouts that use body weight to create resistance against gravity.
And, you don’t need fancy equipment to do bodyweight workouts. Suspension training systems are more than enough when it comes to bodyweight training. And, two of the most popular suspension training systems out there are the Gravotonics Yoga Swing and the TRX Suspension Training System.
So, between the Gravotonics and TRX, which one should you choose?
Well, this guide has the answers. In this article, we will do a comparative analysis of using the Gravotonics Yoga Swings versus TRX for bodyweight workouts.
We will take a closer look at what each entails, the benefits of each method, as well as the exercises that you can do with each devise. And by the end of this guide, you should have a clear idea of which system to choose for your bodyweight workouts.
About the Gravotonics Yoga Swing
The Gravotonics Yoga Swing was launched in 2003, in Bali, Indonesia.
It’s the best yoga swings on the market when it comes to aerial yoga, inversion therapy and suspension training.
It was originally designed to help yoga enthusiasts to go deeper into various poses, effectively and safely.
However it is perfect for bodyweight workouts too!
So, whether you are looking to lose fat, build strength, improve your flexibility, and much more, you can do that using the Gravotonics Yoga Swing equipment.
Unlike other yoga swings on the market, the Gravotonics Yoga Swing is purely handmade. Also, it goes through a thorough quality control process, to ensure the buyers get a high-quality product, which will deliver maximum value on their money.
Benefits of Yoga Swings for Bodyweight Workouts
No Skills Needed
Unlike some of the other suspension training systems out there, you don’t need any skills to use the Gravotonics Yoga Swing. You simply need to ensure the swing has been securely installed on your premises.
From there, you can start doing various exercises.
In short, anyone can use this piece of fitness equipment, regardless of their fitness levels or experience in aerial yoga or fitness training.
Plenty of Health Benefits
As earlier mentioned, you can use the Gravotonics Yoga Swing to perform a wide range of exercises and aerial yoga poses. And these exercises come with numerous physical, emotional and psychological benefits.
For instance, doing yoga swing exercises can help to enhance your strength and flexibility, alleviate back pain, improve body balance, correct your posture, enhance your digestion and improve your memory.
Furthermore, working out using the Gravotonics Yoga Swing can help to clear the mind, release stress and boost your overall productivity.
Full Body Workout
Almost all parts of the body are involved when executing performing poses using the Gravotonics Yoga Swing.
As a result, your muscles will be redefined and toned, your joints will be stretched and strengthened and your bones will become stronger.
In short, you will get a full-body workout with this suspension training system.
Highly Practical and Versatile
The Gravotonics Yoga Swing is highly practical and versatile. Its handles and straps are fully adjustable, giving you both the resistance you need in all the exercise positions to suit your body type.
It’s lightweight and portable. Furthermore, you don’t need special equipment or tools to assemble or disassemble it, which only takes a few minutes.
Also, you can carry this piece of fitness equipment almost anywhere you go. Whether you want to do your training indoors or outdoors, you simply need to identify a secure anchor point to hang your Gravotonics Yoga Swing, and you are good to go.
Exercising Using the Gravotonics Yoga Swing
The Gravotonics Yoga Swing is a highly versatile piece of fitness equipment, which you can use to do a wide range of bodyweight workouts.
So, whether you want to target your back, core, legs, arms or any other part of the body, the Gravotonics Yoga Swing can help you with that.
Some of the exercises that you can do with this suspension training equipment include:
Suspended Plank and Pike Up
The suspended plan and pike-up is a great exercise for working your core muscles. When doing this exercise, you will begin in the traditional plank position. You will then use the Gravotonics Yoga Swing to push your knees up and bring them towards your core.
To do this move, you will begin on all fours, with your hands firmly positioned on the ground, facing away from the Gravotonics Yoga Swing. From there, you will then raise one leg and position it inside the yoga swing. Ensure the foot is firmly positioned in the sling or handle.
After that, you should then raise the other foot and place it in the Gravotonics Yoga Swing. Once you’ve done that, you will then need to hold and maintain the plank position for 30 to 45 seconds. You should keep your hands steady while engaging the abdominal muscles, to reap maximum benefits.
Aerial Lunges
Aerial lunges can help to help to build strength and increase muscle volume, especially in your legs, butt and core. Also, they can help to enhance your overall flexibility, stability and stamina.
And, doing aerial lunges is not as hard as it may appear. You will do them just as you do regular lunges. But this time, you will take the stretch deeper with the help of the Gravotonics Yoga Swing.
For this exercise, you will first need to form a “U” shape on your yoga swing. After forming a U, you will then place your left leg inside the U and form a 90-degree angle at the knee. At this point, the yoga swing should be supporting your upper leg, slightly above the knee while your right leg should be firmly planted on the ground.
You will then lean forward and assume a lunge position with your left leg while keeping the right one firmly positioned on the floor.
You should then stretch your right quad as well as the hip flexors. You should repeat at least four times for the right leg and then switch to the left one.
Suspended Crunch
Crunches are among the most effective exercises for toning and strengthening the core muscles. Also, they can help to improve posture and balance while increasing the flexibility and mobility of the core muscles.
Also, this exercise can help to alleviate low back pain while enhancing neuromuscular response and stability
So, how do you perform a suspended crunch?
Well, you will begin with the Gravotonics Yoga Swing at its lowest point. You should then sit on the floor, place both legs inside the swing and then turn over.
By this point, you should be on the ground on all fours with your feet inside the sling. Your back also needs to be straight. You will then extend your legs straight back while supporting your body with your hands. You will then bring your knees towards the chest and then come back out.
You should do it for around two to three sets at a time.
About the TRX Suspension Training System
Also known as Total-Body Resistance Exercise, TRX is a specific form of training and suspension training equipment, designed and developed by Randy Hetrick – a former U.S Navy SEAL.
This suspension training method uses various types of bodyweight exercises, to develop balance, strength, flexibility as well as core stability.
It uses the TRX Suspension Trainer, which uses body weight and gravity to complete different exercises in exactly the same way the Gravotonics Yoga Swing does.
The system’s developer claims that it has been designed based on research gathered from pro sports, the military, as well as academic institutions.
The developers also claim that it leverages data gathered from the TRX team, which works with thousands of coaches, athletes, service members, and various other relevant professionals.
Benefits of TRX for Bodyweight Workouts
Total Body Workout
The TRX suspension training utilizes your body weight as resistance. Hence, it can help to with strength, joint and core stability as well as flexibility and coordination.
If you are looking to lose weight and build strength, or improve your flexibility or endurance, then you can do that using the TRX Suspension Trainer.
In short, you can achieve almost any fitness goal using this piece of equipment. By using your body weight to perform different types of exercises, you will end up getting a full body workout.
Can Be Used by Everyone
Just like with the Yoga Swings, you can easily adjust the positioning of your body, to increase or decrease resistance. It gives you maximum control of how much you can challenge yourself with different exercises.
Hence, it’s the ideal piece of fitness equipment for everyone, regardless of their fitness level.
And thanks to its suspended design, the TRX system delivers a low-impact, non-invasive training method.
To this end, it allows people of all fitness levels to exercise comfortably, with minimal risk of causing or worsening a pre-existing medical condition or injury.
Highly Adaptable Equipment
The TRX system comes with straps, which you can shorten or lengthen as you wish. Hence, you can increase or decrease the intensity of different moves, making it a highly adaptable piece of equipment.
Furthermore, this piece of equipment is highly portable. You can set it almost anywhere, as long as you can find an anchor point.
So, whether you decide to set it up somewhere in your house or bring it along during your travels, you can enjoy the benefits of the TRX for bodyweight workouts almost anywhere.
Exercising Using the TRX System
Just as with the Gravotonics Yoga Swing, there are hundreds of exercises that you can perform using the TRX for bodyweight workouts.
It all depends on the part of the body that you want to work out or the fitness goals you’re pursuing.
Some of the most popular exercises performed using the TRX system include:
Suspended Plank
Planks are an effective exercise that can lead to a healthy posture, build core strength, improve body alignment, boost balance and coordination, improve your flexibility and improve your metabolism, just to name a few.
So, how do you perform planks using the TRX system?
First, you will need to adjust its handles in such a way that they should be hanging around six inches off the ground. You should then place your feet on the handles of the TRX system. At the same time, your forearms should be parallel to the ground same as your knees.
Once you’ve assumed this position, you then need to press your heels back, so that you can get into a plank position. From there, you should lift your knees from the ground, making sure you form a straight line from your heels to the top of your head.
You should then hold this position for approximately 30 to 45 seconds. You can then gradually increase this duration as you become stronger.
TRX Split Lunges
Besides helping to strengthen and add flexibility to your legs, lunges can also work your core, shoulders and arms. Also, if occasionally experience tight hip flexors, then TRX split lunges will be great for you. They will stretch and strengthen various muscles in your legs.
To perform the TRX split lunges, you will begin by placing the left leg on the TRX straps. You will then press down as if you are exerting some tension on the TRX straps. And as you do this, make sure you are at a comfortable distance from the strap’s anchor.
Once you obtain that position, you then need to bend the right foot, forming a 90-degree angle while extending the left one fully. Remember to keep your back straight when performing this movement.
You should then repeat the same movement by interchanging the legs. Avoid placing too much pressure or weight on the back leg. While this is considered a lunge, it’s more of an up and down movement. So, if you place too much weight on the back leg, it will end up becoming a split – which was not the intention.
TRX Crunch
Also known as the reverse crunch or the suspended knee tuck, the TRX crunch is a suspension-based exercise, which helps to work the abdominal muscles. While it mainly targets the abs, this exercise will also challenge your core, the shoulders, and the chest.
When performing this exercise, you will be forced to master how to balance your body for prolonged duration. And this balance component will force you to engage the core so that you can maintain the ideal body position.
As a result, you will end up with a stronger core, which can help to improve your balance and improve body posture. Since this exercise engages several muscles in your body simultaneously, it provides an effective and fast means of getting a total body workout.
Gravotonics Yoga Swing vs. TRX Suspension Trainer:
Which One to Choose?
Without a doubt, the Gravotonics Yoga Swing and the TRX Suspension Trainer are comparable in almost all aspects when it comes to suspension training.
You can use the Gravotonics Yoga Swing to perform all exercises that you can perform on the TRX Suspension Trainer. The question is, which piece of equipment should you go for?
While you can use both pieces of equipment to perform various types of bodyweight exercises, the Gravotonics Yoga Swing has the edge over the TRX for bodyweight workouts.
This is because with the Gravotonics Yoga Swing, you can perform more exercises with more support, including tonnes of yoga poses and inversion therapy, non of which can be done with the simple TRX Suspension Trainer.
As you can see from this picture, you can use the yoga swing with just the handles and no sling attached, so its even easier to take with you for your workout session!
Furthermore, you get all this with the Gravotonics Yoga Swing and it is less expensive than its counterpart.