How to Use the KB Duo
In this video, Trevor Theismann from Kbands Training.com shows users how to install and adjust the KB Duo suspension system in any home, office, gym, or outdoor workout location. The KB Duo is a lightweight, portable, powerful system that can be used to execute an astonishing variety of body weight workouts, each one targeting a different muscle group or athletic training goal. From weight loss, to core strength, to adding mass to the chest and arms, the KB Duo can provide all the benefits of a fully functional workout room… But once the workout is over, this system can be taken down and tucked into a shoulder bag or desk drawer.
The KB Duo suspension straps is versatile, safe, reliable, and strong. All you need to start your workout is a sturdy overhead anchor point. And with the door mount that’s part of every KB Duo package, a simple door frame will be enough to support dozens of strength training workouts. For more about these workouts and additional help getting started on the path to your fitness goals, visit Kbands Training.com.
How to Install the KB Duo Suspension Straps
If you’ve just purchased the lightweight, super-strong KB Duo suspension system, congratulations! As soon as you install your suspension trainer in your home or gym, you’ll be ready to launch into a countless variety of strength training exercises using only simple physics and the weight of your own body. And if you’re still thinking about adding the suspension trainer to your workout routine, this video can help you gain a better sense of how the system works and how you might be find a place for it in your established workout space.
Step One: Finding an Anchor
The KB Duo can be attached to any horizontal bar, branch, or beam that’s sturdy enough to support the user’s weight. In most of the demonstration videos on the Kbands Training website, the trainers use a sturdy squat rack to act as a frame for the bands. But a tree branch or support beam in the home will work just as well. To test the stability of the anchor, hold onto it for a moment with the feet raised off the ground. If the branch feels secure, it’s time to move onto the next step. The KB Duo can also be attached to a door frame—this will be explained a few sections below.
Step Two: Attaching the Mount Strap
The KB Duo set should include two extension straps and a mount strap, which is the narrow strip of fabric without attached handles. This will be the first piece involved in the installation process. The mount strap should be wrapped two to three times around the anchor bar. The two ends can them be pulled toward the user and one end can be passed through the loop of the other. Once the first end is pulled tight, the mount strap will be firmly attached to the anchor. It won’t go anywhere as long as the anchor bar stays in place.
Two or three loops of the mount strap around the anchor bar will allow the handles of the KB Duo to fall a few inches above the floor. This will be fine for exercises that require long straps. But to shorten the system and allow the handles to fall further from the floor, just wrap the mount strap around the anchor bar several more times.
For maximum height, the mount strap can be looped around the anchor so many times that the carabineers of the extension straps will be hooked through both ends of the mount strap. For lower height, just pass one loop through the other as indicated above, pull the strap tight, and hook the carabineers through the single hanging loop.
Step Two: Adjusting the Extension Straps
After the carabineer is clipped in place and the extension straps are attached to the mount strap, users can check the cam, or adjustable clip, that controls the length of the extension straps. Pull the black strap and the green strap to add or reduce length. Once the satisfactory length is established, it’s very important to make sure that the cam is clipped securely in place.
Alternative Anchor Points: The Door Frame
It’s also possible to mount the KB Duo system to the top of a closed door, which will support the user’s weight just as well as a beam or bar. Users can select the door mount from the KB Duo equipment pack and find a door that won’t be used or needed while the workout session is in progress. The door should ideally open away from the user.
The door mount is a small, sturdy pad that serves the same purpose as the mount strap. The foam side of the door mount should be pushed through to the opposite side of the door, and then the user can slide the foam piece as far to the left (toward the hinge) as possible. The carabiners of the extension straps can then be clipped through the loop just as they would be with the mount strap. The straps of the handles can be adjusted for length using the cam in the same fashion discussed earlier.
KB Duo Installation: Making the System Easier or Harder
The versatility of the KB Duo suspension system means that both advanced users with well-developed muscle groups and less advanced users with minimal strength can both gain a challenging and satisfying workout from the same set of straps. To do this, users can simply adjust how much body weight is placed on the muscle groups in question by bringing the feet closer to the mount or walking them further away.
Observe in the video demonstration how an advanced user can bring his feet in close to the door or anchor point. As long as he keeps his back straight, this will increase the tension placed on his arms and chest during the row or the push up. A less advanced user with a weaker chest and arms can walk the feet away from the support structure. With each small step, the body angle becomes more vertical and the weight is redistributed from the arm and chest muscles to the feet. This small adjustment will make things much easier or more difficult during the exercise. This can also help build or reduce resistance as a user lifts or rows to the point of failure.
KB Duo Installation: Final Notes
The KB Duo is portable, light enough to fit into a shoulder bag, and strong enough to hold up any user and last through the toughest workouts. Athletes on the go want a weight training system that works as hard as they do and can be installed anywhere, including the gym, the office, or the living room. Bring your workout with you as you travel or make your way through a busy day. And if you use the KB Duo at home, simply remove it from the anchor point at the end of your workout and store it away in a drawer or workout bag until the next time you’re ready to use it.