TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY: MY PATH TO THE TRX.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 11:10AM So here’s my personal "True Hollywood Story" about discovering the TRX.
Nautilus Freedom TrainerI started developing suspension exercises with the Nautilus Freedom Trainer at the Southwood YMCA in Tallahassee, Florida. The Freedom Trainer was not even engineered for these types of exercises but I made it work because the Nautilus brand version of this two-armed, multi-directional, pulley-based, total-body machine was the only brand on the market I had personally seen that, once the arms were raised to their highest setting, allowed several inches of space between the handles and the floor when the cables were fully extended for the now famous suspension training for which TRX is famous. For all of the other brands of this type of machine, the cables/handles extended all the way to the floor.
ABDOMINATION Fitness Video Series: "Superflye"I began working with clients performing planks, “Superflyes” (see video capture photo), pushups, and also integrating BOSU Ball work in with those various exercises when applicable and when the client’s strength was there. Granted, we were a bit limited with some exercises that we could perform (just simply due to space and range of motion with the cables) and especially compared to the library of exercises that TRX and the TRX community has now developed, but we were doing it.
Upon moving to Los Angeles, I had the "brilliant" idea of developing a prototype for a device / apparatus that would take the place of the machine to which I now no longer had access.
The "Superflye" PrototypeApproximately $111 later, I had developed “The Superflye.” (see photo) When I proceeded to take it out to the Santa Monica Stairs (an exercise location of which I’ve grown extremely fond) and set it up for testing / usage, I asked a passing runner if he’d like to try it out. He responded with, “Oh yeah, I just saw something like that yesterday, it’s called the TRX or something.”
Psssssssssssssssssssst.
The air went out of my million-dollar idea balloon immediately.
This post isn’t meant to be sour grapes, it’s meant to ask, am I going to roll over and not continue tapping into my creativity while working on new ideas and such even though someone else beat me to the punch? No. More power to the TRX creator. Randy Hetrick, you beat me to it. You have an amazing thing (and exercise movement) and I am completely behind the TRX support for our military. Keep it going.
If I was stranded on a desert island, I’d want to have a TRX, a BOSU ball and a set of kettlebells.
Oh, and a palm tree from which to hang the TRX.
Have a strong day, TRXers.