7 Simple Moves to Get YOU Started With TRX!

7 Simple Moves to Get YOU Started With TRX!

TRX Training   Ready to try working out with TRX?     Fast, fun & effective, TRX bodyweight training builds muscle, burns fat, increases flexibility and improves endurance.  To get YOU going, we developed 7 simple TRX moves that anyone -- at any level -- can use to get started.  With these 7 movements, you can perform 100+ TRX exercises that work every body part and start achieving your personal fitness goals.   The 7 SIMPLE MOVES are Push, Pull, Plank, Hinge, Lunge, Squat and Rotate.   Using your body as your machine, TRX will help you unleash your full fitness potential. So let’s get started!        First up, PUSH (chest press) - Hold TRX handles in front of you.  Brace your core and lean your weight into the handles, making sure your hips, shoulders, knees and ankles are aligned. Push back to start.            Next, PULL (low row) -  Lean back holding TRX handles.  Brace your core forming a strong plank with your shoulders pulled down and back.  Maintaining your plank, pull your chest up to your hands. Lower yourself down in one slow, controlled movement.           Third, PLANK -  Plank up into a pushup position keeping your hands directly under your shoulders. Brace your core and make sure your head, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles are aligned. Lower your knees to the ground.         Next, HINGE - Extend arms, pressing down on handles, knees bent. Bend forward from the hips, maintain a lengthened spine, extend the knees. Press on handles, extend at hips to upright position.             Then,  LUNGE -  With one leg through both foot cradles on the TRX, ground yourself through your working leg. Push your hips down and back, and lunge down until your front knee is bent to 90 degrees. Keep your core braced and your chest up the entire time. Drive through your front foot using glute and hamstring to bring you back up.              6th is SQUAT - Stack your elbows under shoulders, with feet hip width apart.  Lower hips down and back, weight in heels.  Drive through heels, squeeze glutes and lift chest.             And finally, ROTATE - Place arms in a "T", body in half kneeling position. Maintain lengthened spine, shift hips forward, rotate torso away from rear leg, side bend away. Shift hips back to return hip to neutral, arms down.             FOR FIRST TIME TRXers: Set your timer and do as many reps possible in 45 seconds with a 15 second rest in between each of the 7 moves.  When you are confident in the moves, increase the time per move to challenge yourself.  When you’ve mastered the moves, go to trxtraining.com to download a workout and our FREE TRX workout app.  Or stick with our TRX 7 foundational moves and mix it up to build your own custom workout!.     TRX suspension straps can be used at home, in the gym and outdoors at beach, park and field. Every TRX purchase comes with 15 and 30 minute workouts.      What are YOU waiting for? Join the TRX Movement today!  
6 Lower Body Moves to Get Winter Sport Ready

6 Lower Body Moves to Get Winter Sport Ready

It’s full-blown winter right now and we’re all out there exploring the slopes, skating the rinks, and otherwise discovering how challenging it is to exert ourselves in the cold. To get you prepped, we’re putting on our X-Games athlete hat (tune in for the actual games starting 1/29) and sharing our favorite TRX® Suspension Trainer™ moves for training our lower body—because as every winter athlete knows, leg strength and stability is key to explosive power in your sport. Bulgarian Split Squat The move everyone loves to hate, we love it for its trifecta of training: 1) unilateral strength, which is so important 2) balance, and 3) muscular endurance. It works not only your powerhouse quads and glutes, it targets all the hip stabilizers, from your adductors to your TFL—all while making you sweat as you try to balance and bust out reps.  Strap setup: Full length  Your setup: Stand facing away from anchor point. Back foot presses in strap..   What it does: Works single-length strength, stability, stamina.  How it works:  Lunge on your front leg, keeping back foot pressed into the strap. Go down as low as you can then press through your foot to come back up. Complete reps on one side then switch sides.  Pro tip: Lean forward to work the quad more; keep your torso upright to focus on the glute. Need a challenge? Add a hop and turn it into a plyo move.  Pistol Squat A strong body is a mobile one, which is why working on your pistol squat—getting those hips and adductors loose yet strong, while building up major quad strength—is key to feeling strong in any sport that requires kicking off one leg. Good news—with our Suspension Trainer, the pistol squat is accessible to beginners. Just use your arms to help pull you back up. Strap setup: Mid length  Your setup: Stand facing anchor point. Hands holding straps.    What it does: Works single-length strength, mobility, range of motion  How it works:  Hold straps, stand on right leg, left foot hovers in front of you a couple inches off the ground. Sit back into a squat. Try to lower down until glutes rest at your heel. Push through your right foot and leg to come back up, using your arms to assist as necessary. Complete reps on right side, then repeat with left side. Pro tip: Use your arms as much as you want to get used to the motion, then gradually rely on your leg more as you get stronger. Brace the core! Glute Bridges We might joke about everyone working on their “peach” these days, but it’s for a good cause—glute strength is crucial for everything from single-leg stability to powerful (and efficient) sprinting mechanics. Glute Bridges are the perfect way to isolate and target them. Experiment with one-legged versions when you’re feeling strong with the two-legged approach.  Strap setup: Almost full length Your setup: On ground face up, facing anchor point. Heels in straps.    What it does: Improves glute strength and endurance How it works:  Lie on back, knees bent at 90 degrees, heels in straps. Squeeze glutes, dig heels into straps, and lift up into a bridge. Slowly lower back down to start position. Pro tip: Try to form a straight line from knee to shoulder when at the top of your lift. Think strong core and fired-up glutes.  Hamstring Curl This move is similar to the Glute Bridge, but it focuses on the hamstrings—another large muscle group that’s vital to strong sprinting, as well as warding off knee injuries, which are all-too-common in winter sports. Instead of lifting straight up as in a glute bridge, focus on pulling the straps in with your hamstrings. The burn quickly adds up. Strap setup: Almost full length Your setup: On ground face up, facing anchor point. Heels in straps.    What it does: Improves hamstring strength and endurance How it works:  Lie on back, legs almost straight, heels in straps. Squeeze glutes and hamstrings to lift up into a bridge while simultaneously curling your heels to your glutes. Slower lower back down to start position.  Pro tip: Think mind-muscle connection. Actively think about your hamstrings as you curl.  Copenhagen Plank Our adductors (read: inner thighs) are overlooked in most training plans, but they’re the MVP of hip stability and strength—many hockey, soccer, and tennis players deal with groin injuries throughout their career, and adductors play a key role in this. The Copenhagen move is definitely advanced, but feel free to keep your bottom leg on the ground to take some of the pressure off your top, working leg.  Strap setup: Almost full length, handle should be level with your hip in a plank position. Your setup: On ground in a side plank, top ankle resting in strap.    What it does: Improves adductor strength and stamina. How it works:  Get in an elbow side plank with your top ankle resting in the strap. Brace your abs, obliques, and glute and lift into a side plank, top leg pushing into strap.  Keep bottom leg on ground to gently assist or lift it if you’re feeling strong.  Hold for 20 seconds. Work your way up to a 45 second hold.  Pro tip: Use your bottom leg as much as little as you need to take some of the load off the top leg. As you get stronger with your holds, make them dynamic for more of a challenge—lift your lower foot to meet your top foot for reps.   Lateral Curtsey Lunge Jumps  Because plyo is so, so necessary. Work on your explosive lower body power while also building up muscular and cardio endurance for long days of sports. It helps that it also fine-tunes your proprioception (which is just fancy talk for landing that leap on one leg with ease). Strap setup: Mid length Your setup: Stand facing anchor point, hands in straps What it does: Improves cardio, single-leg balance, coordination, overall power How it works:  Stand facing the anchor point, slightly out to the side.  Shift onto outside leg, draw inside leg back in a skater movement for leverage. Leap out with that inside leg to the opposite side, landing cleanly in a curtsey position. Leap from side to side for the reps you choose.  Pro tip: Think mind-muscle connection. Actively think about your hamstrings as you curl.  Spend plenty of time practicing these moves and your lower body endurance will thank you. And, of course, we recommend rounding out your winter training with some low-intensity, steady cardio to build up your aerobic base—all so you can stay out longer doing what you love, from skiing to playing an intense game of ice hockey.
7 Ways to Keep Clients Safe & Feeling Confident Upon Their Return

7 Ways to Keep Clients Safe & Feeling Confident Upon Their Return

As fitness businesses slowly begin to re-open and/or operate outside, some of us may have noticed clients returning at a slow trickle rather than a flood, mostly due to some degree of fear around safety protocols — which aren’t unwarranted. Fortunately, there are procedures, measures, and some not-so-obvious tips to abide by that can help put folks at ease during these tumultuous times. First and foremost, there are the indisputable duties: socially distance, frequent hand washing, go outside when possible, and most of all, sanitize everything. But what else? We’re going to show you how to go above and beyond (without over doing it) in providing comfort, safety and peace of mind to your clients and class participants : 1. Stay On Top of The Latest Science This new virus is complicated and while it's not always convenient, change is necessary to stay in business and protect our clients. We are seeing the Scientific Method play out in real time and finding that it’s not a short process to find solid answers. Recommendations about what we should do will change based on new evidence as it’s learned, so we need to stay vigilant and continue to seek out evidence-based advice, and then adjust our practices accordingly.  The CDC & World Health Organizations have been updating their sites regularly and leading fitness organizations like IHRSA have helped spread the word to fit pros around the world. Keep checking back with these sources periodically to see what may or may not have changed so you can adapt your offerings accordingly.  2. Communicate Regularly With Your Clientele Whether you write weekly newsletters or do verbal updates at the end of each session, make sure your clients get health and safety information from you on a consistent basis. Nothing beats the power of personal touch. If you’re implementing new policies, let them know in advance (and offer reminders) to allow them to shift their practices and give them enough time to plan and prepare for the changes. People tend to feel safer, more secure, and in control when they know the plan ahead of time and are given the opportunity to plan ahead.  3. Limit Equipment Sharing If you’re able, you may want to purchase additional pieces of equipment to limit the amount of sharing. Nonetheless, we do realize this may be easier said than done. For starters, the scarcity situation is real. Because of the pandemic, tons of production stopped and many supply chains around the world came to a grinding halt. At the same time, millions of people were scrambling to outfit their home gyms and keep their fitness in check during the shutdown. As a result, we saw (and are in some ways are still seeing) some serious scarcity when it comes to fitness equipment. This isn’t a great scenario if you’re trying to build your gear arsenal to avoid clients needing to share. The good news is that the situation is improving. If you’re able to purchase more equipment, great. If you’re not, consider asking clients and class attendees to bring their own from home. (Believe me, they’ll understand and appreciate the sentiment to help stop the spread of germs). Not having to share equipment or sanitize between exercises will offer your participants peace of mind (and a welcomed break from all the cleaning and hand sanitizing). 4. Document & Share Your Safety Efforts It’s a good idea to make sure both your current clients as well as prospective ones are aware that you’re taking the initiative when it comes to protecting them. Post your new policies and procedures on your website, your social media pages, and on any advertising you’re putting out there. Share photos of your safety equipment (i.e. thermometers, masks, sanitizing stations) and perhaps videos of a volunteer client going through a new check-in process so people know what to expect. You can even create infographics on websites like canva.com to make the information eye-catching and also match your brand. The ultimate goal is to let everybody know that you’re taking their health and safety seriously so they feel comfortable from the moment they show up. 5. Be Professional & Cover Your Legal Bases You’re not the only fitness business out there. You want to give prospective clients as many reasons as possible to choose your business for their workouts, so show them you’ve got your ducks in a row and confer with professionals about how best to proceed. Your CPA, lawyer, and your liability insurance agent can answer any questions you may have on how to make the most professional decisions that will ultimately protect yourself and your clients. If you don’t have access to a lawyer, check out companies like LegalZoom. Becoming an LLC instead of a Sole Proprietor has certain tax implications. Also, working out in a public park setting may mean you need new, updated waivers or additional paperwork for your clients to sign. Keep in mind that having attendees use their own equipment instead of yours may affect your liability coverage. These are all things you should square away sooner rather than later.  6. Use Your Common Sense  As previously mentioned, do all the common sense/obvious stuff, including:  Create hand washing/hand sanitizer stations throughout your facility and make sure that your restroom soap dispensers are always filled with antibacterial soap.  Use posters and signage reminding members how and when to sanitize.  Meticulously clean all surfaces and equipment between users and stock training areas with spray bottles containing disinfectant for members to use that meet Environmental Protection Agency standards against coronavirus.  Tape off water fountains and encourage members to bring their own water bottles.  Discontinue towel services.  Remind members to socially distance and consider taping off areas on the floor to indicate 6+ feet.  Keep training spaces ventilated by opening windows and doors.  Require masks at all times when not exercising.  Take group and PT workouts outside when possible.  Put a cap on the amount of people allowed inside the facility at once (consider a reservations system).  Provide temperature and/or symptom screenings for all workers at the beginning of their shift and any vendors, contractors, or members entering the facility. Make sure the temperature/symptom screener avoids close contact with workers to the extent possible.  7. Lead By Example True leaders lead from the front. Get tested for COVID periodically to ensure you’re not unknowingly spreading the virus. To find a testing site in your area and/or find a point of contact for COVID related inquiries, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) has created a tool to help you search for local health departments in your area.   Moreover, adhere to social distancing protocols yourself. Make sure your clients see you cleaning equipment, sanitizing surfaces, and wearing your mask when necessary. And model best practices when it comes to your own workouts, nutrition, and sleep to show people how to boost their own immune systems. For those that care about the safety of their family and community, they will appreciate your efforts and look to you for leadership of their fitness journey.   Start integrating TRX into your coaching today with the new TRX Suspension Training Course: Virtual Edition.   
7 Basic Movements

7 Basic Movements

Moving with TRX is as easy as 1-2-3 (4-5-6-7!) Get started with the 7 foundational moves that are the basis for every TRX workout. Here’s how:
6 Pack Abs Workout

6 Pack Abs Workout

#BetterAbswithTRX Everyone wants a killer six pack. It doesn’t happen by just sitting around. TRX Master Trainer Miguel Vargas can get you started.  Miguel has 5 killer exercises that are going to torch that belly fat and tighten up those abs. All you need is a TRX Suspension Trainer, a stopwatch, and a towel.  We promise this workout is going get you sweating.  Whether you’re new to the TRX straps or a TRX pro, these moves are going to leave your heart pounding and muscles pumping.   Best part, it’s just a few minutes a day.  A small price to pay to get and keep the waistline you’ve always wanted. The First exercise is the TRX SPEED SQUAT: Adjust the straps to Mid length. Stand facing the anchor point with your feet hip width apart. Stack your elbows underneath your shoulders with tension on the straps. Lower your hips down and back, bending at the knees to 90 degrees, and keeping your head and shoulders over your hips. Drive through your heels and return to standing. If you’re new take your time with these. If this isn’t your first rodeo, then we want you to get after it! That means move quickly and squeeze those glutes and abs to make sure we get that furnace churning and burning to melt that belly fat! The Second exercise is the TRX ATOMIC PUSH UP. Adjust the straps to mid-calf. Your body position is ground facing away from the anchor point with your toes in the foot cradles. Once your feet are in the straps, get into a plank position. Next, lower yourself to the ground in a push-up position. When you return to the top, pull your knees to your chest for a TRX crunch. Finally, return to your plank position to finish the rep. This exercise is not for the faint hearted. Trust us, if you can get through 20 of these, your arms, shoulders, and ABS will be burning and the sweat will start pouring. Take breaks when you need them, and as you get stronger you’ll be able to finish more in a row. The Third exercise is TRX SPEED SKATERS. Adjust the straps to mid-length. Stand facing anchor point with your elbows stacked under your shoulders. Start with your right leg behind your left leg in a crossing balance lunge. Next hop over to your right leg and complete the crossing balance lunge on the other leg. Repeat this for 20 reps and remember to squeeze those abs on every hop and landing. The more you squeeze the more you burn! The Fourth exercise is the TRX MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS Adjust the straps to mid-calf Your body position is ground facing away from the anchor point with your toes in the foot cradles Once your feet are in the straps get into a plank position. Start by pulling your right leg to your chest while the left leg remains straight. Lower your right leg down then raise your left leg to your chest. If your arms are already beat from all the atomic push-ups then you can complete these reps from a forearm plank position. Either way, every time you complete a rep you’ll be carving out another part of your rock’in abs! The Fifth and final exercise is a TRX BURPEE Keep your straps adjusted to mid-calf. Stand facing away from the anchor point and place your right foot in both foot cradles. Lower yourself down to the ground in a plank position. Complete a push-up and drive up to standing. That’s ONE! Just think, the stronger you get, the more explosive this exercise becomes. Complete each exercise for 20 reps on the minute. That means this workout should last less than 6 minutes. If you really want to build a killer 6 pack give it second round. Try it once and you’ll see that TRX is all core all the time.  If you want to get shredded, the TRX Suspension Trainer is the tool you need.   Photo Credit: Nick Lees (Instagram @iwitnessfitness) nickleesfitness.com  
6 Advanced TRX Moves That Aren’t Rows

6 Advanced TRX Moves That Aren’t Rows

Rows are part of practically every TRX Live class, and it makes sense why: the Suspension Trainer was designed with pulling in mind. Founder and CEO Randy Hetrick invented his first prototype because bodyweight-only exercises couldn’t keep him combat-ready as a deployed Navy SEAL who needed to climb caving ladders. But we’re going to let you in on a little secret: There are tons of advanced TRX moves that don’t incorporate rows. We’ll prove it with six of our favorites. TRX Hip Press Hetrick has described this move as “horrifically good hamstring and glute work.” Lie down on your back and face your anchor point with the straps adjusted to mid-calf length, and your heels in the foot cradles. The first half of this exercise is a hamstring curl. Push your heels down into the foot cradles to lift your butt off the ground, then pull your heels toward your body. The second half—pressing your hips up to the sky to eliminate the hip crease—will really make your hammies scream.  TRX Atomic Pushup Start with a TRX Plank, add a push-up to heat up your shoulders, and throw in a TRX Pike to make your abs feel the burn. Atomic push-ups are one of the moves that TRX die-hards love to hate. See if you can rep out a series of ten without taking a knee break. TRX Lunges Did somebody call for a quad-burner? This is another exercise that starts standing facing away from the anchor with the straps adjusted to mid-calf length. Thread one foot through both foot cradles, then step back into a deep lunge, touching your knee to the ground, then drive off your front planted foot, and come back up to standing. If you’re feeling extra sassy, you can add a hop before repeating the rep. TRX Overhead Squats Shoulders and legs at once: Is this too good/terrible to be true? For this move, stand facing the anchor with straps adjusted to mid-length. Grip the Suspension Trainer handles with your palms facing down, and your body locked in a standing plank. While keeping your arms and body straight, pull the handles overhead, so your hands are straight above you. Next, with your upper body and core engaged, bend your knees to drop into a squat. While you lower and raise up from the squat, keep your arms straight above you and don’t release your upper body tension. Once you return to the standing position, drop, and repeat.  While this is a step above the standard TRX Squat, it’s also a great warmup move when you’re working out on a cold day. When the heat starts spreading through your shoulders around the second or third rep, you’ll forget you were ever chilly. TRX Single Leg Squats TRX’s answer to the pistol squat, the TRX Single Leg Squat, tests your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and stability. Stand facing the anchor point with your straps adjusted to mid-length. Plant one leg into the ground, then raise your other leg straight in front of you. While keeping your weight in your planted foot, drop low into a squat—all the way to the floor if you can—and drive back up to stand. Repeat on the same leg for 10-12 reps, before giving the second leg a shot.  If you’re not quite up to completing a rep while holding your free leg straight out, you can also bend that knee to 90 degrees, or plant your heel down to act as a kickstand. Trust us, this one will burn no matter what.  And for all you daredevils wondering, “Can I combine that TRX Overhead Squat with a TRX Single Leg Squat?” the answer is yes. But you’ll probably regret tackling that challenge after the first rep. TRX Pull-Ups You don’t need a pull-up bar to train for pull-ups. Adjust your TRX Straps to the over-shortened position—aka “bunny ears”—and start by sitting under your anchor point with your hands, palms down, on the handles. Pull the handles wide apart—your arms should be in a 'V' for victory—then pull the handles down toward your shoulders, until your elbows drop towards your ribs.  You’ll notice you’re pulling yourself up, up, and away from the floor. Leave your feet on the floor for extra support, or cross your legs and lift your whole body off the ground. Are you ready to level up to these advanced moves? Try 10-12 reps of each and tag us on Instagram or Facebook to let us know how you did!
5 TRX® Workouts Every Runner Needs To Improve Strength & Endurance

5 TRX® Workouts Every Runner Needs To Improve Strength & Endurance

We’re all born to run, right? We definitely are, except many of us spend our lives in office jobs, sitting in cars during heavy traffic, and other factors that all play a role in how our body responds to both running volume and intensity. Training with your TRX® Suspension Trainer™ and other TRX weights plus resistance tools are a great way to add in running-specific strength, because while our bodies are highly resilient, over time, injuries can happen (like the dreaded IT band and achilles). The good news? Adding in strength training will make you a better, stronger runner by focusing on all the muscles that carry over into your running form and technique.  1) WARMUP ACTIVATION DRILL: BREAK OUT THE TRX® GLUTE BAND Every run starts with a solid warmup, and a solid warmup can go beyond the usual run-in-place and stretch—it’s intelligently firing up the muscles you’ll use during running. Firstly and foremost, activating your hips and glutes (read: glute medius, glute minimus, glute maximus, adductors, and more) to help stabilize your pelvis for power. Our new TRX® Glute Bands are specifically designed for maximum glute strengthening in a comfortable design made with everyone’s needs in mind.  Build up glute and hip strength to improve posture, pelvic stability, and low back pain. Soft fabric won’t bunch on leggings or tug hair when next to skin. 3 levels of resistance (light, medium, heavy) to best challenge you as you get stronger. Adjustable sliders offer even more customization. Mesh bag to carry with you wherever you go.  Perform the following moves back-to-back one time through to activate your entire lower body.  MOVE 1: MONSTER WALK, 20 STEPS EACH WAY Wrap the TRX® Glute Band of your choice around your knees, hinge back into a quarter squat, and slowly step out to the left 20 times. Then step forward 20 times, to the right 20 times, then backwards 20 times to complete a square. The key? Keep your hips level and try not to shift your weight too much so your glutes and hips do all the work.  MOVE 2: SQUATS, 10 REPS EACH With the Glute Band still looped around your knees, perform 10 bodyweight squats, then hold halfway down and perform 10 pulses (one inch up and down, no bouncing), and finish up with holding it at the halfway point again, this time pulsing your knees outward 10 times. The burn is SO real.  MOVE 3: GLUTE KICKBACKS, 10 REPS EACH Get in a tabletop position, hands and knees on floor, Glute Band looped around your knees. Keeping the core tight and without letting the low back arch, lift one leg toward the ceiling—make sure you keep the knee bent the whole time. It’s a burner of a move and really teaches you proper glute and core activation at the same time.   Want to stop the workout here? Our TRX® Strength Bands are great for shoulder workouts, upper body moves, and all-around full body workouts.  2) STRENGTH SUPERSET: BREAK OUT THE MINI TRX® EXERCISE BANDS Next up, we want to fire up the front of your hips, which includes your core. Why is this important? Lumbopelvic control and core muscles provide stability for better force generation and motion in the legs (read, less tight hamstrings and longer strides), as well as more controlled and efficient body movements. That’s definitely technical so here’s the gist: imbalances or weakness in the pelvic area and core can result in increased fatigue, decreased endurance, and injury in runners. Let’s add some resistance with our TRX® Exercise Bands, shall we?  Perform each move back-to-back, then rest for 30-60 seconds after the last move. Perform 3 rounds of the moves, then move on to the next Strength Superset, shown below.  MOVE 1: DEAD BUGS, 20 REPS TOTAL Loop the Exercise Band of your choices (we recommend Lite or Medium) around the balls of your feet. Lie flat on your back and point your arms straight up at the sky. Lift your knees off the ground in a tabletop position (90 degrees). Tighten up your core and without moving anything else, straighten one leg out all the way, then slowly return it back to starting. Repeat on the other leg. Continue back and forth until you complete 20 reps. Feel free to add in this opposing movement to make it more challenging: straighten the opposite arm overhead and flat on the ground with each leg rep.  MOVE 2: HIP FLEXOR MARCHES, 20 REPS TOTAL When your hip flexors are strong, you can bring your leg up higher for a better stride—plus it’ll take some of the stress away from your adductors so they don’t do too much of the work. With the Exercise Band still looped around the balls of your feet, stand up tall—as tall as you can, feet rooted into the ground—and lift one knee up as high as you can. Pause there for a second, then slowly lower it back down. Your opposite glute should be super fired up. Perform 10 reps on one side, then repeat on the other side. Extra challenge: Hold the last rep at the highest point for 10 seconds before returning to start.  MOVE 3: ADDUCTOR RAISES, 15 REPS TOTAL Remember what we said about adductors doing too much of the heavy lifting? They should also be strong to keep your hips balanced (especially with all of the glute work). Take a page out of champion middle-distance runner & steeplechaser Emma Coburn’s book and perform this burner of a move: Lie on your side and keep the Exercise Band looped around the balls of your feet. Lift and bend your top knee toward your chest, thendrop your knee to rest on the floor, bottom leg stays straight. Lift your bottom leg up and down, resisting against the tension. Perform 15 reps on each side to feel the burn.  3) STRENGTH SUPERSET: SINGLE LEG MOVES WITH YOUR TRX® SUSPENSION TRAINER™ In the fitness trainer world, this is called “unilateral” strength and it’s important because, guess what? When you’re running, you’re suspended on a single leg the entire time. Perform these moves back-to-back on your straps (shop the HOME2 and PRO4 here), then rest for 60 seconds after the last move. Perform 3 rounds of the moves, then move on to the next Strength Superset, shown below.   WHAT IT DOES Excellent coordination and control challenge Improves power and strength that carries over into running form Using the straps also works your upper back and arms MOVE 1: TRX LUNGE, 10 REPS Balance and control is the name of the game (plus full leg strength and pelvic control) with this suspended lunge.  MOVE 2: TRX SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGE, 10 REPS Feel free to go double leg with our standard TRX® Glute Bridge, but to really up the ante, try for a single leg bridge to really isolate your hamstrings, which are super important for every runner.  MOVE 3: TRX SKATER LUNGE, 10 REPS Want to feel super strong on one leg? Build up your quad (and knee strength) with this powerful move.  4) STRENGTH SUPERSET: WORK THE CORE Planks are challenging on their own, but add the suspended effort of your TRX® Suspension Trainer™? Boom—now we’re talking serious strength and control. When it comes to core workouts, there’s no need to overdo it. All you need are a couple back to really dial in on every last ab, oblique, and back muscle.  MOVE 1: TRX ROLLING PLANK, 10 REPS TOTAL This fiery combo is just that, FIERY. Start in an elbow plank with your feet in the cradles. Hold each of the following for a few seconds before moving on to the next for one full rep: Elbow plank > left side elbow plank > right side elbow plank > back to elbow plank. You’re welcome. MOVE 2: TRX PUSH UPS, 10 REPS Stay in the straps and move from your elbow to your hands. Perform 10 pushups and then rest, then repeat the superset two more times.  5) HIIT FINISHER: BUST OUT THE TRX® KETTLEBELL + TRX® MEDICINE BALL Now for the finisher. Turn a timer on for 8 rounds with 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. Complete 8 rounds of the first move, then perform 8 rounds of the second move. Boom—your heart rate is up and your lower body fully torched. Make sure you have a TRX® Kettlebell and a TRX® Medicine Ball with some bounce before you begin.  MOVE 1: KETTLEBELL DEAD CLEAN Place the Kettlebell between your feet then hinge back (like you’re about to deadlift), bending your knees to lower down when you can’t hinge back any further. Grasp the kettlebell by the horns, sit back a little deeper, chest up, lats squeezed like you’re holding a dollar bill there. Push through your feet and explode up, catching the kettlebell at chest height. Not sure how to perform this move? See a breakdown here. Not sure how to hinge? Try practicing with a broomstick first.  MOVE 2: SPLIT SQUAT HOLD + MEDICINE BALL SLAM Hold a lunge position with both legs bent, back knee hovering off the ground. Slam the medicine ball down hard on your left side, catch it, then slam it down hard on your right side, catching it again. Repeat back and forth. Congrats! Way to crush the whole workout. Feel free to do it twice a week to add in some serious strength to your running.  OH, AND JUST IN CASE... If you don’t already have a set of straps, check out our HOME2 (best for those new to fitness) or the PRO4 (best if you need something more advanced), and shop them now. And, of course, behind every Suspension Trainer workout is the anchor that hangs it up—find the one for your training space here.
5 TRX Moves with a Bench

5 TRX Moves with a Bench

Put these 5 TRX exercises together the next time you bring you TRX Suspension Trainer to the gym to add an extra challenge to your workout by incorporating a bench, a box, or any other sturdy knee-high surface. We know you have a weight bench lying around, so put it to good use with these five exercises, created by strength coach and personal trainer Doug Balzarini. “By adding the bench to a number of traditional TRX exercises, your strength, balance, coordination and core stability demands are greatly increased,” says Doug. As always, we advise using caution when executing these exercises, and ensure you are proficient in them before having your clients or athletes perform them. 1. TRX Elevated RowBy elevating your lower body for a TRX Row, you are now closer to parallel with the ground, making the exercise extremely challenging. Maintain a neutral grip (palms facing each other), elbows by your sides with a neutral spine throughout the movement. 2. TRX Elevated RolloutThis is a favorite exercise of Doug’s due to the full body control that is required. All the spinal stabilizers must be firing in order to maintain proper technique, and your posterior shoulder/scapula stabilizers must be engaged the entire time. Use a slow, controlled manner as you extend your arms and body out to your end range. 3. TRX Elevated Single Leg Squat (aka Pistol Squat)In addition to the increased balance component, the addition of the bench allows the “free” leg to extend out a little lower than if you were to perform this exercise on the floor. This is a good alternative if you don’t have the ankle mobility in the working leg or hip flexor strength in the free leg to perform a pistol squat on the floor. Be sure to keep your arms relatively straight and try to keep your weight on the heel to the mid foot while maintaining an upright posture. 4. TRX Elevated Hip PressDoug loves using this exercise with his MMA athletes due to the demands of the sport. They require a great deal of strength and endurance in the hips and glutes, and this exercise targets this area nicely. If you plan to add weight, it’s best to have a trainer or partner nearby to assist you. Adding the bench to this exercise allows you to get a greater range of motion through the hip joint. 5. TRX Elevated Hip HikeSimilar to exercise #4, being elevated on the bench allows you to drop the hips lower than when performing the movement on the floor. Make sure your shoulder and elbow are in a safe alignment and use a controlled tempo throughout. Try these moves on for size during your next workout, and you’ll find the added elevation will result in new heights of mobility, stability and strength. Doug Balzarini works at Fitness Quest 10 (www.fq10.com) as a personal trainer, strength coach and Operations Director for Todd Durkin. A Massachusetts native, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Business Management from Westfield State College. Since moving to San Diego, he has completed some graduate work in Biomechanics at SDSU, obtained an ACE Personal Trainer certification, the NSCA-CSCS certification, a Spinning certification, TRX instructor training, EFI Gravity instructor training and FMS training. He has also appeared in eight fitness videos, written numerous fitness articles, completed a MMA Conditioning Coach certification program and has competed in multiple grappling tournaments.
5 TRX Exercises for a Stronger Back
TRX

5 TRX Exercises for a Stronger Back

TRX Training Classic, few think about strengthening their back, until it starts to hurt or worse.  Spend 10 minutes a day, a few times a week to take care of that back and it will take care of you, or keep you from needing to see the doctor.  The TRX Straps are a simple and easy tool to get strengthen your back.  TRX Master Trainer Kari Woodall shows us how with these TRX exercises.    TRX Resisted Rotation For a stronger back, train your body in 3D and work the whole cylinder!  The Resisted Rotation fires up your Lats and increases core activation that prepares your body to perform better in all exercises.  - SSW, Straps Mid-Length, Single Handle Mode - Offset Stance, Inside leg forward hip width, Line up sternum on anchor, Engage core, Step towards anchor to load body more, Maintain active plank without tilt or rotation.   TRX Overhead Squat-Wall Slide The OH Squat may be part of your current leg workout, but we’re turning on the afterburners by adding a Wall Slide, making it more dynamic and challenging.  By maintaining constant pressure on the straps and rowing as you come out of the squat, you’re lighting up your backside from hands to heels. - SF, Straps Mid-Length - Arms in Y or I, Squat Stance, Maintain good posture and tension back on straps through hands while lowering hips down, Initiate Wall Slide with Scap while simultaneously driving up from the bottom of the Squat with hips.   T-Y Fly Combo The T-Y Fly Combo should be a staple in your pulling repertoire.  - SF, Straps Mid-Length or Mid-Calf - Arms in T, Offset Foot Stance to maintain constant tension through ROM, Maintain Plank while decelerating back bringing arms together, Initiate pull with shoulders and back, Pull with straight arms back to T, Alternate between T and Y.   TRX Power Pull  Buckle up because you’re getting a TRX Training Trifecta with the Power Pull:  a fantastic Unilateral Pulling exercise challenging your core and metabolic burn with Rotation and Speed! - SF, Straps Mid-Length, Single Handle Mode - Begin in Single Arm Row, Straighten elbow and open shoulders and hips simultaneously. Set Scapula down and then squeeze shoulder blades together to pull out of rotation and finish with Single Arm Row to return, Rotate in a plank and connected torso so hips and shoulders move and work together for effective power transfer.   TRX Pull-up Feel the burn with a little DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)!  The Pull-up is the final exercise, and for good reason: this exercise will revisit you for days after your training if you control the eccentric part of the Pull-up. - Straps Over-shortened - Sit under anchor, Set shoulder blades down and then squeeze shoulder blades together to pull up, Resist gravity and decelerate on the way back down by trying to slowly push arms overhead while maintaining active plank and open neck space. P.S. Get other TRX back exercises straight from the TRX App. Do your next workout with our TRX equipment:  TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® RIP TRAINER BUY NOW TRX® SRENGTH BANDS BUY NOW