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Jungle Gym $49.99 + shipping, etc.

I'm not comparing it to other suspension trainers or extolling the virtue of suspension trainers in general, just giving my personal experience. I got interested in this after getting Steve Maxwell's "Fitness Hunter" series about fitness on the road.

Review of the Jungle Gym (not the JGXT). This one has a single attachment point.

I ordered it on a Sunday and on Tuesday I received an email telling me that it had been shipped and included a tracking number and expected delivery date of Thursday. When I arrive home Thursday, it was waiting for me in a sturdy, perfectly taped box. The unit was inside in a heavy duty ziplok bag along with some written literature and a DVD.

DURABILITY: I always thought the JG looked kind of flimsy but I was pleasantly surprised, It's absolutely fine for my 178# self.

ADJUSTABILITY: It's super easy to adjust. Just pinch the clips and slide the strap.

USE ON A DOOR: This is reason #1 why I bought it and it's ideal for this. (make sure the door opens opposite of the way you're pulling). There are tons of exercises that can be done. Some are obvious, but with a little thought modified versions of less obvious things can be done such as glute ham raises. Plus, it's easy to make stuff up.

USE ON A BEAM: If you just throw it over a beam, you can do most things as easy or more easy than you can on a door. Some leg exercises get a little dodgy and the strap can slip. This is particularly true for me because I looped it over something that rotates at my house. Solution is to loop the middle over the support and feed the handles through the loop. Much more solid.

DYNAMIC EXERCISES:
>>Push Ups: The clips hit your forearm a bit. Or put your feet through the loops for feet elevated decline push ups (easy to adjust the decline), or pike push ups, or whatever kind of push ups.
>>Dips: Don't like. Straps push against arms too much.
>>Arm Pulling: Almost everything is very easy to do. Changing hand position for chins/pull ups is easy.
>>Flyes: Comfortable
>>Squats, lunges: Comfortable
>>Back Extensions, Glute/Ham raises: Can be done relatively easy with a little creativity
>>Core stuff: Easy except leg raises as I end up swinging

STATIC/ISOMETRIC EXERCISES: Very easy to do and quick to adjust. Ross shows a home made thing he uses in "Never Gymless". This does most everything that does and more. And, it's very easy to do isometrics in different ranges of motion because the straps adjust so easily.

THE DVD: it's useful in conjunction with a variety of Youtube clips for this and other suspension trainers.

It provides a fine workout at home but I think it shines when:
>>You only have time for "bites" of exercise at home. Put it up, do a few reps, and move on.
>>You want to workout outside. Great for mixing things up on runs and such.
>>You are on the road and don't want to be held hostage to a shitty hotel gym or you want to workout in your room.

It weighs next to nothing and takes up very little space in a carry on bag. You could probably shove most of it into a pair of running shoes. It's going to see a fair amount of use on the road.


I liked the service and am having fun with the product.

Cool, I am looking at a couple of their products. Good review.

Fat Cat wrote:Cool, I am looking at a couple of their products. Good review.

either dicks or sports authority --I don't remember which-- is selling their stuff around here

Thanks for the tip, I am actually a three minute walk from Sports Authority. I will take a stroll over there and take a look.