This TRX upper-body workout develops strength in your arms, chest, back and core, with movements that translate to the way you move in every-day life. Try adding this workout to your training regimen to get a taste of how Suspension Training can take your fitness to the next level.
Suggested Workout Routine:
Perform 5-8 reps of each exercise.
Move through each exercise without rest until you get to the end, then rest for 3-5 minutes and repeat the entire series 2-5 times.
Exercise One:
TRX Y Deltoid Fly
Develop mobility in your shoulders and strength in your core with this upper-body exercise.
Set Up:
Stand facing the anchor point holding the TRX handles, with your hands extended over your head and your feet in a slightly offset stance. Brace your core and focus on keeping your elbows, hips and knees in line.
Movement:
Slowly lower your hands down in front of your chest while keeping your arms straight. Think of your chest, back, core and hips as one, solid moving plank - everything should move together in one seamless motion.
Finish:
To return drive your hands back over your head. Focus on keeping your core stable and your shoulders mobile.
Exercise Two:
TRX Chest Press
Build strength in your chest, shoulders and triceps with this TRX exercise.
Set Up:
Stand facing away from the anchor point with the your hands holding the handles out in front of you. Brace your core and focus on holding a solid plank.
Movement:
Lower your chest towards your hands, and focus on moving your entire body as a plank. Stop when your hands are in line with your chest.
Return:
Press yourself back up in one slow controlled movement, focus on keeping your knees, hips and shoulders in line the entire way up.
Exercise Three:
Squat Y Fly
Build strength and increase mobility in the shoulders and hips
Set Up:
Stand facing the anchor point with your hands extended overhead, holding the Suspension Trainer by the handles.
Movement:
Move your hips down and back, and push your knees out, while simultaneously lowering your hands to shoulder level.
Return:
Drive through your heels and push your hips forward while raising your hands back overhead, maintaining straight arms until you reach the top.
Exercise Four:
Triceps Press
Increase strength and definition in the triceps while developing your core strength and improving your active plank.
Set Up:
Stand facing away from the anchor point, holding the Suspension Trainer by the handles. Keep your elbows high and in line with your shoulders. Put your hands next to your temples with your palms facing away from your body. Brace your core and focus on maintaining tension throughout your entire body.
Movement:
Press down into the handle, keeping everything stable except for your elbow joint, until your arms are fully extended.
Return:
Lower your body down in one slow, controlled movement until your hands are back at the start position.
Exercise Five:
Inverted Row
This exercise is excellent for developing integrated core, upper and lower back strength.
Set Up:
Face the Suspension Trainer with your chest directly under the anchor point, holding on to the handles with your palms facing each other. Bend your knees to 90 degrees, brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
Movement:
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and use your lats to pull your body up until your hands are at the side of your rib cage.
Return:
Slowly lower your body back down to the start position.
Exercise Six:
Atomic Pike
An incredible, total-body challenge this move is excellent for strengthening your whole upper body.
Start:
Get in a pushup position with your feet in the foot cradles of the Suspension Trainer, directly under the anchor point.
Movement:
Brace your core and perform a pushup. When you reach the top of the push up, pause for a moment and pike your hips up while keeping your legs as straight as you can.
Return:
Pause for a moment at the top, then lower your hips back down to the start position.
Exercise Seven:
Pull Up
This TRX variation of a bodyweight training classic will strengthen your arms, shoulders, back and core.
Start:
With the handles of the Suspension Trainer over shortened, sit directly under the anchor point holding the handles with your legs in an L-sit position.
Movement:
Pull your chest to your hands while keeping your legs at a 90-degree angle from your torso.
Return:
Lower your self to the ground in one slow and controlled movement and reset when you hit the ground.
Exercise Eight:
Resisted Torso Rotation
A great exercise for developing functional core strength, this exercises challenges the entire upper body.
Set Up:
Stand sideways to the anchor point, with your feet slightly offset holding one handle with both hands at the center of your chest. Brace your core and lean slightly away from the anchor point.
Movement:
While keeping your hips, knees, shoulders and ears in line, press your hands away from your chest.
Return:
Slowly pull your hands back to your chest.
Repeat on both sides.
Exercise Nine:
PowerPull
An excellent total-body exercise, this move is perfect for developing rotational strength.
Set Up:
Stand facing the anchor point, holding one handle of the Suspension Trainer with one hand tucked into your side and your free hand reaching up toward the anchor point. Brace your core and focus on maintaining a solid plank position.
Movement:
Slowly lower your body away from the anchor point with your working hand, letting yourself rotate away, until your non-working hand is reaching toward the ground. Maintain your plank.
Return:
Pull yourself back to the start position in one controlled movement until your non-working hand is touching the Suspension Trainer.
Repeat on both sides.
This workout was originally featured on livestrong.com, get the whole story here.
