I got laughed at for using a TRX

The Zoom call had about 17 people on it.

All serious bodybuilders. Some competitive. Some just very dedicated gym rats.

I’d joined a 12-week pro bodybuilding mentorship program in 2017.

Paid good money for it.

Wanted to learn exercise techniques from the best.

The coach, someone I greatly admire still to this day, was going around the virtual room asking everyone to introduce themselves and give some context.

You can imagine…

“Training for 10 years, 300lb bench, 13 inch arms”

“Training 7 days a week at Golds gym”

Etc etc

Then it was my turn.

“I’m living in San Juan Del Sur in Nicargua and using a suspension trainer hanging from a door”

Silence.

But not as dramatic as it sounds.

Although I didn’t fit the narrative of the group, they were still welcoming.

However, I could tell I wasnt ‘respected’.

And I know they laughed at me.

And it’s because of what we hear all the time:

“You can’t build muscle with bodyweight. That’s just science.”

“Suspension training is for group fitness classes, not actual muscle building.”

I too believed that for a long time.

But I got my head down and experimented for a long time applying the muscle-building techniques I learned but using a suspension trainer.

When I first I started posting my jounrey and transformation photos on social media…

Some people were supportive… MANY were not.

Comments like:

• “Obviously using steroids”
• “Photoshop”
• “Must be lying about not using a gym”
• “Fake natty”

It was wild.

People couldn’t accept that it was possible to build lean muscle and transform your body using just a suspension trainer.

Fast forward to today.

It’s been almost 10 years since I left London gyms. 8 since that Zoom call.

I’ve travelled across 32 countries over 3 years using just a suspension trainer.

I’ve built a business (Fitness Freedom Athletes) teaching over 8,000 people how to build lean muscle with a suspension trainer.

I have two kids and I’m in better shape at 38 than I was at 28 spending 90 minutes a day in gyms.

And those gym bros?

I’m willing to bet most of them have injuries now:

Bad knees.

Shoulder problems.

Back pain.

Because they kept chasing heavier weights to feed their egos instead of learning how to train smart.

The lesson isn’t “I was right and they were wrong.”

The lesson I learned was: don’t let other people’s limitations become your limitations.

The fitness industry has convinced everyone that you MUST have:

• Heavy weights
• A gym membership
• Complex equipment
• 90-minute sessions

And if someone challenges that narrative, they get laughed at.

Even by professionals who should know better.

But here’s the truth:

Your muscles are pretty dumb.

They don’t know if you’re holding a barbell or a suspension trainer handle.

They only know: “Am I under enough tension to create a stimulus to adapt and grow?”

Create that tension with proper technique, and you’ll build muscle.

Whether you’re in a gym or on a beach in Nicaragua.

The people who laughed at me were trapped in old thinking.

They believed the story the fitness industry sells:

“You need our gym. Our equipment. Our supplements. Or you’ll fail.”

I proved that story wrong for myself.

And honestly?

That’s why I’m so passionate about teaching this.

Because there are people reading this right now who think they CAN’T transform their body because they don’t have gym access.

Or they’re traveling.

Or they work weird hours.

Or they have kids.

Or they can’t afford a membership.

And they’ve been led to believe their situation makes transformation impossible.

That’s BS.

You just need:

• One suspension trainer ($20 – $100 investment, lasts years)
• Proper technique (muscle-centric, not movement-centric)
• Consistency (3-4 times per week)
• Basic nutrition knowledge

That’s what I teach.

The same approach I used to prove all those skeptics wrong.

The same technique I’ve taught to 8,000+ people.

No gym needed. No heavy weights. No complicated equipment.

Just results.

You CAN build lean muscle with a suspension trainer….

… You just need to use it correctly.

Not movement-centric technique (mindlessly pushing and pulling).

But muscle-centric technique (isolating muscles, creating tension, focusing internally).

Build your high-performance body on your time in your own space.

Here’s to your Fitness Freedom!

Coach Adam
Founder, Fitness Freedom Athletes