Product test
Review: Bowflex Selecttech 552i – the AI-assisted dumbbells
by Patrick Bardelli
Fitness @home with the gym-in-a-bag
14/1/2021
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
Fitness centres are closed and probably won’t reopen for a while. The solution? Fitness @home, for example. With the gym-in-a-bag.
One way to stay fit at home is «Total (Body) Resistance Exercise», or TRX for short. Put simply: full-body suspension training using your own weight. Functional training using the wobbly slings activates your muscles and sense of balance. It’s a mini fitness centre in a bag.
TRX was developed by U.S. Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick for effective training even in confined spaces, like on ships or submarines.
Train like in a submarine
My place is currently just that: submarine-ish. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of placing something like a rowing machine in my apartment. Unlike my colleague, Restin, who’s wont to indulge in such lavishness. Lucky him.
It comes down to correct execution
Short after, I find myself tangled in the ropes – slings – for the first time. And I really have no clue what I’m doing. That’s not good. Correct technique isn’t just important on the rowing machine. TRX exercises done incorrectly are just as poisonous for my lower back. At the gym, I've become pretty confident in terms of doing the workouts correctly. But here, at home? I’m still a little (read: very) shaky.
And even the leaflet included with the product offers me little help. My brain can't seem to convert the pictograms of the individual exercises into the right signals to send to my muscles.
Suddenly, I remember that some time ago we produced a video series about TRX and correct exercise execution. Aha – here it is:
First impressions
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
