TRX Training’s Past in Outdoor Fitness Paves the Way for its Future

TRX knows the outdoor fitness game better than most. It’s putting that expertise on full display today — a point in time where it’s arguably needed the most

While some fitness brands are deaf to it, TRX Training answers the call of the wild — and has done so for some time now.

The functional fitness equipment supplier created several of its marquee products in outdoor settings, including the brand’s iconic Suspension Trainer and newer concepts like the YBell. While this was done out of necessity at the time, these outdoor roots are now an asset for TRX as the brand serves as a leader in the non-traditional fitness space.

“TRX and several of our hero products were created in non-traditional or outdoor spaces,” said Mark Livingston, VP of Commercial Sales at TRX. “This is a major factor in our heritage. This ‘outdoor mindset’ has been adopted successfully by thousands of customers around the globe.”

Outdoor Origins

Company chairman and Founder Randy Hetrick founded TRX’s Suspension Trainer, the brand’s flagship product, not in a gym or factory, but while abroad. During his career with the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, Hetrick and his peers needed something they could work out with that didn’t require an extensive setup process and operated in a variety of environments.

“They needed a way to train while deployed without access to gyms and the suspension trainer was born,” Hetrick recalled.

The Suspension Trainer features exercise bands that facilitate resistance training. They can latch onto almost any anchorpoint, which guarantees a maximum and versatile range of motion.

“This tool has changed the face of functional fitness – outdoors and indoors — over the past 20 years,” Hetrick added. “It’s a natural, compact and deployable product.”

The YBell, co-founded by Aaron “Az” Laurence, hails from a less traditional environment as well. After experiencing a surge in popularity toward his HIRT-style classes on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Laurence faced storage and transportation issues while attempting to scale upwards. In searching for a solution, he created the YBell.

“His classes became so popular that he did not have the space in his truck to load all the gear he needed for his growing classes,” said Livingston. “He also did not have the extra time needed to lug that extra gear to the beach. So, Az created YBells — revolutionary functional fitness tools that emulate dumbbells, kettlebells, dual grip med balls, and push-up stands all in one tool. This product is great for both outdoor and indoor use, and you do not need dozens of different pieces of equipment.”

What Makes it the “Great” Outdoors

While difficult for many to cultivate, the benefits of outdoor fitness are easy to conceptualize. By adding this brand of fitness to their offerings, operators can open up new revenue streams and present alternative, less congested and more stimulating gym environments.

“Being outside during warm weather months gives facilities a different use of space and gives members different physical and likely better mental experiences and benefits,” said Livingston. “There is something about being outside in the fresh air and sun that just makes your workout different and enjoyable.”

“We all know that people today spend way too much of their lives indoors, under artificial light, seated in front of screens,” added Hetrick. “This is not healthy for our bodies or for our minds. There is a growing body of research supporting the enormous benefits — both physically and psychologically —  to being outdoors, in the sunlight and fresh air, exercising with friends. Working out outdoors elevates both the heart rate and the spirit.”

TRX capitalizes on these benefits with flexible products that are easily weaved into outdoor environments, including the Suspension Trainer, YBell and several others.

“TRX’s functional training tools are a natural fit for different types of outdoor training,” said Livingston. “Our many pieces of functional fitness gear are compact, versatile, and offer trainers and users hundreds of different exercises and programs. We see lots of customers using TRX gear outdoors as a way of mixing up programming and environmental offerings.”

The brand also has users covered from a storage standpoint. Doing so adds to its outdoor expertise and maintains safety for users.

“With all fitness equipment, indoors or outdoors, a key factor to ensure safety is to care for and inspect your equipment and to coach your members to do the same,” said Livingston. “Using equipment outdoors does not mean leaving it outdoors, exposed to the elements and to UV rays from the sun. Such treatment will cause your equipment to age prematurely. TRX offers a variety of storage options for our customers to do just that.”

Down the Line

TRX expects outdoor fitness to only grow more popular given its benefits and the already established momentum behind it. Livingston has already seen a number of gyms add outdoor offerings attached to their brick-and-mortar facilities.

“There are key players beginning to emerge who are focused on the outdoor space,” said Livingston. “Some of these are centered around greenfield footprints, which may be space outside of facilities when the doors are opened or rolled up.”

However, the brand views mobile fitness as a key avenue for outdoor exercise in the future as well. OutFit Training , another brand started by Hetrick, is a major player on that front.

“The more interesting ones are now mobile based,” Hetrick said. OutFit delivers D2C outdoor mobile training experiences to customers in beautiful neighborhood parks and scenic parking lots, and provides B2B managed fitness services to golf courses, hospitality, universities and corporate campuses. OutFit works closely with TRX to offer its customers the world’s best functional training products and inspiring program.”

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