What is a TRX? It stands for total body resistance exercise and is a form of bodyweight suspension training. Developed in the late 1990’s by Randy Hetrick a US Navy Seal.
Suspension training enables more muscles to be used during every exercise, working together to improve tone, calorie burn, and strength and lower the risk of injury.
What are the benefits?
- Core stability
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Whole body training
In this video I will show you five exercises, I suggest that you perform 45 seconds work and then 15 seconds rest / set-up for the next exercise. Repeat three times and if you want to make it more challenging slow down your speed of movement to increase the time your muscles are under tension. Watch below.
- Atomic Press-up
Area worked: Chest, arms & core
How to do it:
Kneel facing away from the anchor point with both feet in the front cradles and align hands under shoulders. Lift your knees off the ground, keeping legs straight, raise hips toward the sky. Pull your knees into a crunch position and extend back to the start position then lower your body into a press-up position.
- Suspended Running Lunge
Area worked: Legs and core
How to do it:
Stand facing away from the anchor point with one foot in the cradle under the anchor point. Drop down into a lunge while reaching back with the suspended leg and push suspended leg down slightly to help with balance. Your front knee should lower to an angle of 90 degrees before driving through the floor to extend back up to the starting position. Remember to do opposite arm to leg movement.
- One-Arm Rows
Area worked: Arms, back & core
How to do it:
Stand facing the anchor point and lean back onto your heals while holding the cradle in one hand. Tense your core like you were performing a plank. Maintain the plank posture and use your arm & back muscles to pull your chest up to your hand. I’ve used my other hand to mirror my working hand to help me stay totally even throughout the movement. Lower yourself down in one slow controlled movement and repeat
- Skull Crushers
Area worked: Arms & core
How to do it:
Stand facing away from the anchor point leaning forward on your toes. With both hands on the handles bend your elbows and lower your body forwards. Keep your core tense like you were planking again and twist your elbows forwards whilst aiming to get your hands by your ears, thumbs facing towards the ground. From this lowered position push your hands forward to the starting position and repeat. Push up evenly and smoothly.
- Jump Squats
Area worked: Legs & core
How to do it:
Stand facing the anchor point with both hands holding onto the handles and lean back keeping your feet flat on the ground. Take a wide stance and squat as low as possible, from this position jump up high whilst holding onto the handles. Land softly on the ground straight back into a squat position and then immediately jump back up again and repeat. Maintain straight arms through out this exercise and don’t use your arms to pull up.
