Free PDF-Training Plan! From soldier to suspension trainer pioneer: How I built the best workout of my life with 60 euros!
So, out of the thousands of articles you’ve already read, take this brief moment to pay a little more attention to this one thousand and first!
We all know it and it has probably happened to you several times. You read these crucial lines, you just hear this one sentence from someone to whom you give meaning in your life and suddenly so many things in your life make sense again, take on a new perspective or importance. Sometimes we understand the message the moment we encounter it and sometimes it takes a while for the deeper meaning to emerge. I have (luckily) encountered these moments many times in my life and I am very grateful for these moments. At this moment, when your eyes are rushing over these lines, I hope to be one of those people who, my (still) unknown reader, gives you something important that will help turn your current life into a positive and happier future.
Am I taking on too much of this task? Am I overestimating myself and my abilities?
It may seem that way to you at this point, but if you give me a little time, a little bit of trust and give yourself the chance to be curious and let new things happen, then the following article can have so much positive effect. Yes, it can even significantly improve your quality of life. So, out of the thousands of articles you’ve already read, take this brief moment to pay a little more attention to this one thousand and first.
OK. I won’t keep you in suspense any longer, I’ll start straight away with my topic. However, not without giving you a little information from my life and telling you about my path to the sling trainer and sling training and explaining why this training is a real game changer, which is what so many other fitness products, training methods and exercises promise you. In my opinion, there are far fewer of these game changers than the advertising industry would like to convey.
But first of all, listen to me:
The year is 2006 and I was still a soldier at the age of twenty-four (oh children, where did the time go?) in the Bundeswehr for a total of twelve years. I served in the Bundeswehr in the career of sergeant in the Army anti-aircraft force. In this career you go through various “training courses” that prepare you for later service as a fully trained sergeant in the military service. One of these courses also included the “Leisure Trainer for Popular Sports” course at the Bundeswehr sports school in Warendorf, the one Trainer license C/grassroots sports German Olympic Sports Confederation as a conclusion if you passed it successfully. Now, as an active soldier, I wasn’t exactly the least athletic and although I didn’t have an easy time with this course, I didn’t have any major problems either.
2008, I was a sergeant major in the light missile defense force
*"Heads up! Some links here are affiliate links, meaning I might get a small kickback if you buy something—no pressure, though! I only share stuff I love."
Why this introduction? On this course I encountered the sports equipment “sling trainers”, also known as sling trainers, for the first time. I was standing after duty in one of the many multi-purpose sports halls when the first lieutenant, who was responsible for our purely sports training, happened to be in the hall as well TRX-Force-Sling-Trainer, So she attached the khaki-colored military version of the TRX to a wall bar and began her workout. When I asked with interest what this new piece of equipment was, she gave me a quick introduction and some really strenuous-looking exercises, including single leg squad before. I watched enthusiastically as she did extremely strenuous exercises with what I consider to be small and simple sports equipment. I was immediately interested and after a closer look at the nature of the strap material and the carabiners, I was naturally curious to find out how much such a thing costs TRX Force Kid costs and whether she had any recommendations for a possible “soldier’s discount”?
TRX wanted 279 euros — I built it for 60! The ingenious DIY solution that even inspires physiotherapists.
I didn’t like her answer at all, that the sling trainer in a complete set, a Kid, normally costs 279 euros, but she bought it for 250 euros with the same soldier’s discount. I would have been satisfied with seventy to one hundred and twenty euros, but not with more than twice the price. I mean, we’re talking a main carabiner, two smaller, simpler carabiners, a few meters of webbing, a few handles and a door anchor, as well as a paper training manual. It had to work differently!
Since the TRX was quite new on the market at the time, we didn’t have any smartphones with an “Amazon app” (yet) and I couldn’t find any alternative cheaper products, a solution had to be found. I wanted to own such a sling trainer because I was extremely impressed by the efficiency and the idea of being able to fully train the entire body with such a handy device. I like to do sports just for myself anyway, without a training partner or team, and I thought this thing was simply brilliant. In simple terms: a “functional” solution was needed.
After her training session, I asked the first lieutenant if she would let me borrow the sling trainer for an evening. I had an idea! So I took the TRX trainer into my room and spread it out on the floor. Luckily, because of the course, I had my writing materials with me, including a twenty centimeter ruler. So I started writing down all the strap lengths, the width of the handles and the carabiner information and took photos with my phone, well, in 2006 it was a bit of a smartphone.
No sooner said than done! Because when I’m passionate about an idea, then I’m motivated.
The following weekend, after returning from Warendorf to my hometown, I drove to a nearby scrapyard and asked the manager of the place if he would sell me 15–20 meters of old car seat belts? Nodding his head, he waved over to his scrap mills and said that for twenty euros I could assemble the belts I needed from the cars. No sooner said than done! Because when I’m passionate about an idea, then I’m motivated. I then drove to a saddler who specialized in making horse saddles and asked him what needle and thread I would need to sew the straps together with the highest possible load capacity. He recommended a saddler’s needle and trout line, which I also took with me for an additional twenty euros in pocket money. Since I wanted to build my sling trainer easily, I bought one aluminium tube, one meter long and three centimeters in diameter, from which I sawed off two pieces of 12 centimeters each at the hardware store. For the padding of the handles I used simple ones to start with Grips for a bicycle handlebar, made of foam material.
Did you know that a car seat belt can withstand a tensile load of 2000 kilograms, i.e. two tons? I was amazed.
I paid another ten euros for the tube and the handles. I still had loads and climbing carabiners at home because as soldiers we also went climbing and abseiling from time to time. The only thing missing was a way to adjust the length of the straps. After a short research I came across so-called “Tri-bar buckles” made of V2A steel from boat building. So I quickly went to the boat building supply store and bought two of these buckles. So I had all the material for my hand-sewn sling trainer together and spent a total of sixty euros on very high quality materials, instead of €149 for the individual TRX if you buy it without the “kid”. Class! Did you know that a car seat belt can withstand a tensile load of 2000 kilograms, i.e. two tons? I was amazed.
So I packed up all the materials and, in addition to learning the theoretical content, I had something good to do during the evenings on the trainer course, namely sewing.
I connected the straps using so-called “house stitches”. However, I only found out months later that this form of seam, which is also used in cargo straps in logistics, was called that, because I was still to be fascinated by the passion for self-made sling trainers. And I would also run into the saddler who sold with needle and thread again if I wanted to cooperate. But that’s another story that I might tell later. Since I had my blueprint from the original TRX, the entire sewing job only took me maybe two hours and my own sling trainer was finished. Later I also came across it Building instructions on the internet, where the webbing was made from worn climbing ropes. Also a cheap and effective solution. This is how I got my first sling trainer and there were many more to come.
I was able to do the individual exercises thanks to many people YouTube tutorials (basic training) and my previous knowledge as an athlete. From then on, I only needed a tree, goal post, lamp post or a horizontal bar to do my full-body workout when there was no ticket for the fitness room in other barracks. Bundeswehr soldiers will know the problem and will roll their eyes at this point. Just bureaucracy. When I met up with a former comrade in 2012 Fitness trainer for group workouts became self-employed in functional fitness, my sling trainers and the training with them were an integral part of our planned workouts.
Since I told you, dear reader, this blatant muscle soreness from one-legged squats or… Crunshes in the sling trainer I would like to introduce you to the sling trainer and its possible uses in the following text. In this sense, shared suffering is more worthwhile suffering. Thank me later ;-)
2013, photo shoot at the old train station with the self-made sling trainers.
“Why physiotherapists love this 1kg miracle — and why YOU don’t want to train without it anymore!”
Imagine having a gym in your pocket: gentle like rehab training, effective like a professional workout and more flexible than any gym subscription. Physios swear by it because it protects joints, tones muscles and eliminates even stubborn back pain. And you? You’ll get addicted to that feeling when your core muscles burn after 20 minutes in a way you can’t after an hour of dumbbells! Give it a try — your future self will thank you!
👉 Your advantage: Blast the bastard with ease — this thing turns even couch potatoes into exercise fans.
What is a sling trainer?
Simply put, the sling trainer consists of two robust straps. One of the straps, the main or retaining strap, is attached to trees, doors, street lamps, outdoor laundry rods or, classically, to the ceiling. The second band has handles for your hands and loops for your feet at both ends. This is where your whole body training takes place with your own body weight.
Since you are constantly working in an unstable position, the training stimuli in your muscles are significantly higher than with classic bodyweight training. In this way, you train the target muscle, the adjacent muscle groups and your deep muscles through the instability and the core of your body permanently through the tilted position of your body.
Significantly higher training stimuli than with classic body weight training.
You need one for training on the living room ceiling at home wall anchor (for attaching the sling trainer), a load-bearing wall, a drill and a craftsman. I think the method of attaching it to the ceiling is the most effective, as it allows you to do heavy exercises vertically and therefore allows you to do more exercise variations. The Vertical pull-up with feet crossed is one of the most difficult and effective exercises due to the permanently unstable body position. Your supporting and deep muscles work at peak performance during this exercise. Of course, this exercise is more for advanced sling trainer athletes. However, so that you can get there too, I would be happy to give you one basic training plan with an attachment that will help you get fit if you enjoy this training regularly.
How I Burned 250 Calories in 30 Minutes with Sling Training — No Equipment!
In the long term you will have better posture, lean and strong muscles and prevent back problems. During a relaxed thirty-minute workout with a normal heart rate, you burn a total of 250 calories.
“Why your muscles work differently during sling training — and why it is so effective”
With classic strength training you primarily challenge the large, superficial muscles. But what about the deeper stabilizers and connective tissue that are so important for healthy posture and fluid movements? This is exactly where sling training comes into play.
Another significant advantage for me is the possibility of changing the intensity of the training stimulus while performing the exercise. I want to be more specific! For example, if you sit on a training device or move a dumbbell, in most cases you have to change the holding pin of the weights or add additional discs to the dumbbell, which interrupts your current exercise or set. This is particularly annoying if you realize after the first few repetitions that you have set the training stimulus too low and are therefore completing an “empty set”.
The Underrated Power of Instability: Why Pros Love This Tool!
It’s different with sling training. Let’s take the classic one Push-ups in the sling trainer. If the training stimulus is too easy for you because the angle to your vertical body axis is too small, then simply move your feet back a few centimeters and put your body in a larger inclined position. As a result, there is more load, i.e. more stimulus, in your target muscle, the chest. I think this aspect of sling training is fantastic, as it allows you to train much more effectively. You could even simply cross one foot over the other during this classic push-up exercise and, standing on one foot, would make the push-up a much more unstable exercise and thus provide more stimulus to the supporting and deep muscles. When training on a device, you would have to get up every time, or unstable chest training is not possible at all on a butterfly device.
Of course, some strength athletes will say that training on the butterfly is an isolation exercise and if you like it unstable, you should use free weights. But I also claim that the use of free weights cannot be equated with unstable exercises on the sling trainer in terms of the effect on the trained muscles and their immediate neighbors.
This is how sling training challenges your deep muscles:
👉 Instability as a key stimulus
Every exercise on the sling trainer forces your body to make constant mini-corrections. These particularly activate the deep stabilization muscles, which are often neglected in normal exercises.
👉 Fascia is also trained
The combination of traction and gravity not only stimulates your muscles, but also the connective tissue. This improves the power transfer between your muscle chains and prevents injuries.
🚩 Why you shouldn’t neglect these muscles?
Many sports primarily train the main muscles:
Cycling strengthens your legs, but hardly any core stability. The bench press challenges the chest and arms, but not the important shoulder stabilizers. Jogging improves your endurance, but hip and core control is often lacking
Without strong stabilizers, you risk long-term imbalances, restricted movement and a higher risk of injury. Sling training specifically counteracts this.
🧑🔬 Studies show why sling training is more effective than dumbbells.
Studies confirm the benefits:
Greater core activation than traditional strength training (University of Wisconsin)
Better joint stability and injury prevention (German Journal of Sports Medicine)
Successful in rehabilitation and competitive sports (Sports Medicine Journal)
The result: With sling training you specifically strengthen your deep muscles — for more stability, performance and long-term movement health.
Advantages and disadvantages of sling training at a glance.
Advantages:
✅ Little time required — even 20 minutes three days a week is enough to build muscle
✅ Joint-friendly training, lower risk of injury
✅ no travel to the gym
✅ Every body and training type can learn to work with the sling trainer, initially with instructions
✅ Weight approx. 1 kg, fits comfortably in your hand luggage
✅ Improves endurance, coordination, agility and strength
✅ trains large muscle groups, the deep muscles, entire muscle chains and the core muscles (abdomen, back) at the same time
✅ faster training success with over 300 exercises
✅ entire training programs per App, in books or on YouTube
Disadvantages:
❌ Bodybuilders in the process of bulking up will still require additional heavy free weights and machine training
❌ Beginners should complete basic training
Sling training for beginners: This is how you start training your body with 20 minutes a day.
🏃🤸🏋️
If you have read up to this point, you now need to do exactly the following:
so that in six weeks you can thank me with a friendly smile and write an email:
- Get yourself a sling trainer (I would be happy to use the links listed below).
- Watch for about an hour “Basic exercises for sling training” on YouTube and save exercises that you like
- Pack the sling trainer in your backpack and take your smartphone with you to watch the YouTube videos
- Hang the sling trainer on a stable point in an environment that suits you.
- Give yourself 30–60 minutes, or about two workouts, to familiarize yourself with the feel and basic movements
- Check out all the exercises in my “Full Body Workout Plan” in peace at home.
- Go out to your favorite training location and do your first full-body workout according to a fixed plan
- Complete this training at least three times a week for a total of six weeks
- After the last training session in the sixth week, you go home and send me an email telling me about your last six weeks.
- Either you continue training with the whole-body training plan and make the exercises more difficult, or you use the apps and books to tailor training plans to your needs. You are also welcome to contact me for tips and ideas. I would be happy.
Would have, would, wanted, could. Doing beats everything!
Before you declare war on your inner bastard, you still need to learn the basics. You can get these in any good fitness center with trainers or from a personal trainer who specializes in sling training. Having the basics shown in a tutorial on YouTube is only recommended for somewhat experienced athletes. Injuries and poor posture should be avoided!
Of course, you can continue to train in sling training groups afterwards. However, you can now also follow your own path to success with a number of good books, professional training apps or helpful YouTube videos. You can find a small overview at the end of the article.
Whether traveling, in hotels, on the beach, in the park or wherever you feel comfortable, your sling trainer and you are in for a long fitness partnership.
You will learn to love the feeling of being toned right down to the core muscles and you won’t want to miss it anymore.
A whole new dimension of sports experience is waiting for you. Have fun training, anytime and anywhere. Stick with it, it’s worth it!
PS: Here’s a bonus for all sports beginners of all ages. In the first six to eight weeks of your regular training (The linked article explains the physical changes through continuous training in more detail) you will experience an intensive developmental spurt in your body that you have never experienced before. Not to mention the positive waves of happiness hormones released.
So let your inner bastard tremble in fear of the jack-of-all-trades. Sports Free!
I welcome ideas, suggestions, comments and constructive criticism as I’m just starting to write articles.
Quality sling trainers from €35 — €160
👉 TRX sling trainer, the top dog in the complete set, 169,95 €
👉 TRX sling trainer, basic set, 134,95 €
👉 Vario-Sling, made in germany For 49.90 € it is best to buy the alternative for a wall anchor suggested below
👉 cheap no-name product €33.99 for the sake of completeness, cheap but may not last as long
Helpful reading for your start to training
👉 the ultimate sling training, efficient, functional training 19,95 €
👉 TRX sling training: the official training book 19,99 €
👉 Sling training: fat burning and body shaping €20.00 especially for women
The best apps for phones and tablets
👉 Android Suspension Trainer Workout
👉 iOS Sling Trainer Workout
Beginner workout-Video on YouTube
👉 TRX full body workout / for beginners / Kaya Renz
All the best wishes and a good workout and progress for you. Trust in continuity. Gregor