A lot of us skip Mondays at the gym because it's jammed with everyone who ate and drank all weekend like they were going to the electric chair. And now they're trying to reverse the damage. In one day.
The problem is getting a decent workout at home, unless you have enough space for a lot of equipment. Which most of us don't. (Or you give everything double duty, like using a bench for a coffee table and hanging your shirts to dry on the lat pulldown.)
A Navy SEAL commander thought the same thing. His guys needed to stay in top shape - but since there are no gyms on the front lines, and hauling a leg-press machine across the desert is a little impractical - he developed a way for them to train using just their body weight and gravity.
It became the TRX Suspension Trainer, and you don't have to be part of an elite military team to use one.
The TRX is essentially a set of straps made from industrial-strength nylon webbing, with foam-cushioned handles and easy-adjust CAM buckles. By securing the TRX to an overhead beam, pole, tree branch, lifeguard stand, or doorway you can mimic just about any traditional exercise, hitting every part of your flab-riddled body. (And it can handle up to 1,500 lbs, so no need to worry about snapping the straps, Chubs.)
You increase or decrease the resistance by your body angle and distance relative to the center point. (I don't want to get into math and physics here, but you get the idea.) Meaning that the TRX can be used by both beginners and those of us who are a little more advanced in our physical fitness.
Included is a DVD and fitness guide covering basic exercises, so you're not flailing around like a fly caught in a web when you first start to use it. There are also sport specific DVDs available, covering core strength, Pilates-style positions and even a program for golfers. And, as happens with new and different fitness ideas, pro athletes are beginning to use it as well.
The whole system fits in a small drawstring bag and weighs less than 2 pounds, meaning it's coming with me on my next business trip. (I'm pretty sure I could hang my shirts to dry from it, too.)
$149.95
www.fitnessanywhere.com