There is always the question asked ask by people who know that I own a personal training gym and fitness center. “I can’t make it to your gym, what should I do at home?” – Should I buy a TRX suspension trainer like I see at all the outdoor fitness bootcamps, how about kettlebells, how about dumbbells…?
Well firstly this question is only valid if you stay really far away because having a proper gym is going to get you better results full stop.
But lets say you are posted to a 3rd world country to help preserve endangered species… and assuming you have a limited budget, here is what I would buy for a home gym in order of importance.
1. A pair of adjustable dumbbells. Preferably fat grip dumbbells as shown in this post.
2. An adjustable bench.
3. A training program from a good fitness coach 
– with a pair of dumbbells and a bench, a good coach can get you decent results!
4. A chin-up bar with multiple “grips”
If you have limited space or budget, I don’t recommend a TRX suspension trainer because you will outgrow it within a few weeks. You will get too strong if you are trained correctly. I also don’t recommend kettlebells because kettlebells are not as versatile as dumbbells and in fact KB’s were replaced by dumbbells long time ago but are making a comeback as an interesting alternative.
Feel free to add whatever equipment you like. TRX, gymnastic rings, kettlebells, etc once you have got the basics in place. Then its time to add the rest. But remember that in training gear, it is important to keep the main thing, the main thing and not get caught up in marketing hype.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Jon,
I’m Eugene from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Stumbled upon your blog via a friends post on Facebook.
I am thoroughly impressed by the contents of your blog. But I do have some bones that I could choose to pick with you
Let’s start with this particular article.
“I don’t recommend a TRX suspension trainer because you will outgrow it within a few weeks. You will get too strong if you are trained correctly.”
I don’t quite understand what you are trying to get across. Are you saying that correctly training with the TRX will make a person too strong (is this viewed as a negative result), and make the TRX redundant? Or that if you were to train with dumbbells you’ll end up being too strong and the TRX will be rendered useless in the quest for strength?
I personally am certified to teach and train with the TRX. Many of my clients who can be categorized as strong tend to struggle with the basic movements prescribed by Fitness Anywhere.
From the short amount of time that I have been on your blog, I’ve noticed your resistance towards the TRX. Wouldn’t you agree that the TRX can provide your clients with a different form of challenge compared to the traditional gym exercises. It gives them variety.
Please understand that I’m not here to challenge your opinions and workout principles, but rather I’m looking at trying to understand it better.
Keep up the great work that you are doing. I’m pretty sure you have and will continue to change and inspire many more people to change to a better lifestyle.
Regards,
Eugene
Thanks for the reply Eugene. TRX is better than most people will ever do by sitting on their butt. But there is better and there is ideal. And TRX will never replace a gym, OR a pair of dumbells.
If you gave me 2 twins of average genetics (i.e. not able to do the super awesome gymnastic rings moves which probably only 0.01% of the population can do), and one trained with bodyweight + TRX, and one trained with a properly structured dumbbell program, the one on the dumbbell program will improve faster and reach his strength goals faster.
Give the dumbbell twin a fully equipped gym, and he will have an even greater advantage over the TRX twin.
That is why TRX is a supplemental piece of equipment that is will marketed. Dumbbells are non-fashionable but more effective. It is a lack of skill in program design by many coaches that leads to ineffective dumbbell training.
Smart variety is important for progress, and it comes from choosing reps, sets, tempo, variations of basic exercises, and rest periods. These are the fundamentals of all good programs. Changing to TRX is not smart variation, it is de-evolution into something less effective.
Hi. I’m KahSeng from Singapore.
I have two herniated discs in my lumbar spine and have since started training on the TRX. I must argue with you that the TRX training has been a great revolution for me and it was a smart move. Let me also highlight that my injury was not caused by poor training form in the gym, but due to an accident. My physiotherapist had also encourage me to give the dumbbells a pass and use kettle bells, TRX or medicine balls. His point is that the dumbbells only involves mere movements that are too linear. He gave an apt analogy which involves one simple action of picking up your handphone from the floor. In such situation, we do not only engage our biceps muscles, we actually utilize the legs, back, arms and core. And dumbbells can hardly address it.
The TRX training has enabled me to better my fitness level in spite of my injuries. I’m proud to say that switching to TRX had allowed me attain IPPT Gold till today. The core muscles that are engaged during the TRX training taught me how to brace my back with proper form. At the same time, my fitness level is well maintained.
Penultimately, I feel that the people who merely view the TRX as a marketed fashionable tool is either myopic or simply lack the basic fundamentals to design a good program.
Like Eugene, I’m not trying to challenge your opinions and I fully respect your perspective. I just feel that you are giving the TRX a very biased review. At the same time, I will like to learn more from you and hopefully better myself.
That comes from a lack of knowledge of how to use dumbbells. That is not the dB’s fault.
Really? KBs? Med balls? Instead of DBs? If you are rehabbing – a physio’s area of expertise, it doesn’t make much difference because the weights you are using are tiny.
But it you want the best bang for your buck, adjustable DB’s are the way to go. They can do more things than a KB or med ball can. But hey, if you have space and money to spare then get everything for the sake of variety.