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  We’ve had dozens of requests for information on using the TRX Suspension Trainer with a BOSU, so we’ve enlisted the help of Brian Schiff, a physical therapist, fitness professional and experienced BOSU-er, to put together some TRX BOSU exercises to add variety to your routine and really challenge your core stability and balance. There are several ways to incorporate the BOSU with the TRX to add challenge to traditional exercises like the push-up. The key thing to remember is keeping strict form throughout the entire movement. Sacrificing form for more reps or to move on to the next progression is not recommended. The exercises performed in the video progress from easiest to hardest in terms of stability level, not necessarily perceived exertion as narrow grip push-ups may seem more tiring than offset. Not sure where to start with stability training? Take our quick assessment quiz to get personalized exercise recommendations matched to your current level. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ The TRX BOSU exercise progression Brian performs in the video is as follows: TRX BOSU Push-up ((flat side up) TRX BOSU Push-up Plus (flat side up) TRX BOSU Narrow Push-up (flat side up) TRX BOSU Offset Push-up (dome side up) TRX BOSU Push-up (dome side up) A suggested rep and set scheme is one to three sets of five to 10 reps at first. Gradually increase repetitions, add external loads (e.g. a weight vest) or increase time under tension (bottom position) to raise the intensity of each exercise. When performing these exercises, keep your hands beneath your shoulders at all times, unless you are seeking to further heighten core work. If so, gradually extend the hands forward of the shoulders, and this will increase the lever arm of the body and dramatically increase abdominal firing to prevent hyperextension of the lumbar spine. Using the BOSU with the flat side up approach allows for a wider base of support in the upper body. Therefore, you will sense more shoulder work. Conversely, the dome side up position creates a narrow base of support and forces greater recruitment of the chest and triceps. This position can also be much tougher on the wrist joint, so those of you with a history of wrist injuries/pain should use caution. The temptation to skipping ahead to the hardest exercise or the coolest looking one is normal, but failing to properly progress through these exercises can lead to a shoulder injury. So keep that in mind and be sure to master the exercises sequentially. Brian Schiff, PT, CSCS, (www.BrianSchiff.com) is a nationally respected physical therapist, author, speaker and fitness professional.

The goal of TRX Body Blast is to unite participants of all fitness levels to perform synchronized exercises in a group class. Music is the key ingredient, with exercises choreographed to the beat and instructor-led cues guiding collective movements. Ready to find the perfect TRX class format for your style? Take our quick quiz for personalized recommendations that match your fitness preferences and experience level. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ In this video, Dan McDonogh takes us through a TRX Body Blast workout. As "our instructor," he's selected the exercises (TRX Chest Press, TRX Triceps Press, TRX Standing Oblique Roll Out, TRX Biceps Curl and TRX Y Deltoid Fly) and the soundtrack, Nickleback's "Burn It to the Ground." As you can see from the exercise selection, the focus is on the upper body, which is a great programming strategy for an avid cyclist like Dan.   You can create your own workout like this, using whatever TRX exercises you like (shoot for 8-16 reps per exercise). Some things to keep in mind with exercise choice are: Appropriateness (match participants' ability levels) Intensity (adjust intensity with Stability Principle) Order (aim for minimal adjustments) Variety (work all three planes of motion)  Give it a shot, and I think you'll find performing the movements to music will make your workouts feel less like "work" and more like shakin' your tailfeather on the dance floor... or by the side of a lake in eastern Canada like Dan. If you're interested in learning about creating group workouts, register today for an upcoming TRX Group Suspension Training Course.

This is an intense fusion Boot Camp combining TRX, Battling Rope, and Rip Trainer from Fraser Quelch at his Canadian Pagoda of Pain. Want a boot camp program tailored to your fitness level? Take our quick assessment quiz. Boot camps are popular for good reason - they deliver results and are profitable for trainers. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ They make it easy to: Train a lot of people with a little equipment Set everything up without having your own gym or studio Work with large groups of people all at once You can perform a fitness boot camp at local parks, playgrounds or even in your own backyard. All you need is a little bit of room and whole lot of energy because Fraser does not disappoint! This workout will challenge every muscle in your entire body, using a combination of the TRX, ropes and the Rip Trainer (in the bonus round): Watch the video and let Fraser show you how it's done, then print off the workout and head outdoors to tackle the TRX Battling Rope Boot Camp. Trust us: it’s no walk in the park. Live in the San Francisco area?? TRX Summer Bootcamp Training is here. We have three TRX TEAM bootcamp sessions guaranteed to get you beach-body ready. Details here. Fraser Quelch is Director of Training and Development for TRX. An expert in functional training and endurance athletics, Fraser has presented at events worldwide and is featured in numerous fitness DVDs. Fraser holds a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education and in 2011 was named co-recipient of IDEA's Program Director of the Year award.

Put these two TRX exercises together for an awesome back and arm workout. This is an excellent combo for your whole posterior chain, especially your back and triceps, can be achieved by integrating a TRX Low Row with a TRX Triceps Kick Back. Watch as Fraser Quelch breaks down these two popular movements to create one dynamic combo. Fraser Quelch is Director of Training and Development for TRX. An expert in functional training and endurance athletics, Fraser has presented at events worldwide and is featured in numerous fitness DVDs. Fraser holds a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education and in 2011 was named co-recipient of IDEA's Program Director of the Year award.

TRX Training A very advanced, performance-oriented movement that targets strength and stability, with TRX Head of Training and Development Fraser Quelch, and TRX Founder and CEO Randy Hetrick. Want to make sure you're ready for advanced movements like this? Take our fitness assessment quiz to get personalized recommendations and a progression plan that will help you safely work up to challenging exercises while maximizing your results. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ

Did you know that the TRX Suspension Trainer offers everything you need for a total home gym? Here, TRX Head of Human Performance Chris Frankel shows you unique TRX exercises for your arms, core, back and legs to prove that the TRX Suspension Trainer is in fact the best option when you are looking for a home gym. Most workout programs call for pushing and pulling movements for the upper body, some sort of squatting or lunging for the lower body and some core work. Well, here are just a few ideas we came up with that you can do with your TRX home gym. Push Movements TRX Chest Press TRX Chest Fly TRX Triceps Press TRX T-Press Pull Movements TRX Row TRX Bicep Curl Rotational Movements TRX Resisted Torso Rotation Or any of the above exercises in single handle mode Lower Body Movements TRX Squat TRX Single Leg Squat TRX Lunge Put it all together for a metabolic challenge: TRX Burpee (Push-up, Plank, Lunge and Jump) What’s important to note is that you can load (add weight) or unload (remove weight) any movement instantly just by changing your body’s position relative to the anchor point (stepping forward or back). This is a huge advantage to the TRX, you don’t have to changing weights after every exercise, so you don’t have to buy more plates or heavier dumbbells, essentially your set with one purchase. Also you can modify any of the upper body movements to a single handle version adding a rotational or counter-rotational component, which you do not get with any other kind of workout system. Takeaway: For a total at home gym a TRX Suspension Trainer is not only the more versatile and unique than any other product on the market but it’s also way more affordable and discreet than a set of weights or a bulky machine. Get your TRX Suspension Trainer.

  Arm strength is a prereq for almost every major sport out there, from baseball to MMA to football. Coach and human performance expert Nick Tumminello relies on what he calls his "big four" to give his professional athletes arms that would make Popeye himself sit up and take notice. The big four consists of the TRX Biceps Curl at two different angles (more on this below), TRX Triceps Extension and TRX Triceps Press. Ready to build stronger arms for your sport? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a customized arm workout plan tailored to your athletic goals. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ We all know strong, toned arms are nice to look at, but there’s more to arm training than meets the eye. Performing isolation exercises like the ones in this video will also help you to improve sport specific performance and rehab injuries. Improved PerformanceMany sports coaches don't think specific arm training protocols are very functional or have much carryover to sports performance, but Nick disagrees. “Ever try to run fast or jump high with a strained or torn biceps?” asks Nick. “You can't, because the biceps play a functional role in both of those activities.” And simply put, specific biceps and triceps training is a must for ALL grappling and combat athletes. Everything from pulling a submission to attempting a take down to throwing a hook punch heavily involves the biceps and triceps and therefore demands those muscles to be strong. Injury RehabYour biceps and triceps help to control your shoulder and elbow joints. Any physical therapist worth his paycheck would say that a successful rehab program starts by building motor control in a muscle. How? By isolating it. “Once you've taught your biceps or triceps how to work, they'll eventually ‘wake up’ and learn to work even better to support your joints and work even harder on major compound exercises and integrated activities,” says Nick. It's All About AnglesIn the video, Nick gives us a quick lesson in biomechanics that will help you save time and get much more out of your TRX biceps and triceps training. During any style of biceps curl, the point at which your biceps is being maximally loaded (stimulated) is the point in the range of motion in which your forearm is at a 90 degree angle with the “load vector.” If you're using free weights, gravity is your load vector. So the point of maximal loading would be when your elbow reaches 90 degrees of flexion or when your forearm is parallel to the floor. If you're doing biceps curls using a TRX, the TRX strap is the load vector. Here, the point of maximal loading to your biceps is when your forearm makes a 90 degree angle with the TRX strap. Different exercises will create a maximal force angle at different points in the range of motion, as Nick illustrates in the video. The nice thing about arm training using the TRX is that you can quickly and easily change up the load vector to create a different training stimulus. And new training stimulus means new muscle! When performing this arm workout, keep the following guidelines in mind:  Perform all four arm exercises back-to-back in the order shown. Perform two to four sets for eight to 12 reps of each exercise. Rest 30 to 60 seconds between sets. Perform both biceps exercises back-to-back without rest for a biceps super set. Perform both triceps exercises back-to-back without rest for a triceps super set. Perform a biceps exercise followed by a triceps exercise for a front-to-back arm super set. If you don't have a suspension trainer, pick one up today. TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® HOME2 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® TACTICAL GYM BUY NOW   Nick Tumminello is founder of Performance University (www.performanceu.net), where he delivers world-class health and performance training and education to everyone from exercise enthusiasts to professional athletes. Nick is a highly sought after coach and educator and the inventor of the Core Bar. He has produced numerous educational DVDs and is a regular contributor to popular websites like T-Nation and Strengthcoach.com.

  Who doesn't want more power? (We're talking physically here; we can't help you get ahead in your career.) Our recent post on TRX for Power (with kettlebells) was a hit with the TRX Community, proving you're a power-hungry bunch looking for new and innovative ways to build strength on the TRX. Take our quick power assessment quiz to get customized exercises based on your goals and equipment. Well, there's another tool out there to help you achieve that goal, and that tool is a sandbag. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Sandbag lifting shares a lot in common with kettlebells with regard to their ability to challenge not only strength but endurance as well. A good bag will force the lifter to maneuver and adjust to the awkward weight. This definitely causes the body to use more muscles and expend greater energy as it is hard to get into one consistent groove. Increasing grip strength is another great reason to use sandbags. There is no piece of equipment that frustrates people as much as sandbags. Why? When using sandbags, there is no convenient place to grab. You have to constantly search for an open spot and then use a crush grip, which is nice for those of you who are into grip strength. Well, what happens when you combine a weighted sandbag with the TRX Suspension Trainer? Fraser Quelch showed us once, in this post from last year. More recently, Dan McDonogh had a go with combining these two training modalities when he joined forces with Josh Henkin from Ultimate Sandbag Training in the TRX booth at IDEA World 2010. What followed was an awesome jam session of “you go, I go” as the two educators took turns exploring and creating incredible multi-planar exercises using a sandbag and the TRX, taking some great TRX movements such as the TRX Diagonal Reach, TRX Golf Rotation, TRX Lunge and TRX Pike to the next level. Check out the video above to see how a simple sandbag and the TRX could redefine your training. According to Henkin, the benefits of using sandbags with the TRX are threefold: Using the TRX with the sandbag increases the lever arm, creating a perception of more weight without actually increasing the weight of the implement. Really hits stability with this! This is a great way to teach rotational training as the TRX/sandbag combo acts not only as load, but as a feedback system. Adding load is only one way to increase exercise intensity. Using this combo in this manner also focuses on exercise complexity and leverage, two commonly overlooked ways to increase intensity.

One of the major mistakes people make in their fitness programs is allowing equipment to dictate the training. While we all enjoy the variety and versatility of various pieces of equipment, our training philosophy and systems should always determine which and why certain pieces of equipment are utilized. In the case of TRX Training, we have a system of training that is built upon integration of the whole body during every exercise. The progressions of TRX Suspension Trainer drills often requires the stability of the whole body in all planes of motion. So, when we combine the TRX with other implements, we want to integrate tools and philosophies that offer similar not competing concepts. That is why programming the TRX with sandbag training can form a very comprehensive system of fitness. In utilizing multiple training tools, we need to identify how they can fill in the “holes” of each other and how they can help teach concepts that are complimentary. In the above video, strength and conditioning coach Josh Henkin demonstrates how specific drills using both the TRX and a sandbag can help you reach your fitness goals. Both the TRX and sandbags are based upon changing stability to enhance strength and perceived load. Manipulating leverage with TRX training may be familiar to many, but we can accomplish the same goal by changing the leverage of both body position and load position with the sandbag. Far too many times people add external load, and this philosophy of multi-planar whole body training gets lost. In order to allow incremental progression and more variables to allow successful progressions, we have far more options that we may first discover. Options to increasing perceived load include the following: Change of Speed: While many choose to try to increase speed, greatly decreasing speed may be an avenue of increasing intensity of the movement. As TRX Head of Human Performance Chris Frankel often states, “earn the progression.” This can be demonstrated by being able to display proper movement skills at much lower speeds to enhance control and isometric strength.  Range of Motion: While full range of motion is the desired end result of many movements, we can progressively implement varying ranges of motion to decrease or increase the perceived load.  Complexity: Often an overlooked component of traditional gym exercises, complexity can be a valuable tool for not only increasing the level of difficulty of the drill but the value as well. Exercise complexity can challenge movement in one plane while stabilizing in one or multiple planes of motion. An example lies in both TRX and sandbag training.  During the TRX Alternating Roll Out to Press, force is applied in the sagittal plane while being resisted in the frontal and transverse. In sandbag training, we can create the same training environment by altering the holding position and the stance of the body. Again, these are very complimentary training methods that allow more incremental progression and the ability to determine the right exercise for our clients without getting away from our core philosophy of stability, strength and mobility. See how not the random but deliberate combination of specific methods and equipment can yield higher results and reach new heights of your fitness. Josh Henkin, CSCS is the creator of the Ultimate Sandbag™ and the Dynamic Variable Resistance Training™ program. His programs have been taught in over 10 countries and are highly sought after. Visit his website at www.DVRTFitness.com.