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How to Communicate More Effectively
You’ve spent plenty of time and money learning how to develop life-changing training programs. You can assess physical function at a glance. You get goosebumps when calculating VO2 Max. But all of that means nothing if you aren’t able to effectively communicate what you know with your clients.
Of all traits that make up a qualified coach, communication is at the top of the list. That's why we've compiled our best tips for becoming a top-notch communicator. And since every coach's style and every client's needs differ, we recommend taking our quick fitness coaching assessment quiz to receive personalized communication and exercise guidance tailored to your specific goals. Whether you're training elite athletes or helping beginners start their fitness journey, these proven communication strategies will help you connect with and motivate your clients effectively.
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Focus on the Foundations.
If you’ve gone through any of our courses, you know that TRX has developed a standard system of cueing to guide individuals through each movement. Known as NAPS-MR, there are six elements that ensure that your clients and class participants understand and complete each exercise safely and in uniform fashion.
NAPS-MR, which is an acronym for Name the Exercise, Adjustment, Placement, Start, Movement and Return, includes all the steps that will get your client through the exercise, from A to Z.
Here’s an example:
N: TRX Inverted Row
A: Over shortened
P: Ground facing
S: Chest below anchor, arms extended over chest, knees bent to 90 degrees, shoulders should be positioned slightly lower than hip, hips pressed up, chest lifted
M: Drive elbows back, pull body towards anchor point, keep knees bent at 90 degrees, maintain plank
R: Lower body down until arms are fully extended, maintain plank
On a side note, it’s important to notice the simplicity of the information presented here. It would be easy to overinflate an exercise with loads of cues throughout the movement—squeeze your glutes, draw the belly button into the spine, shoulders back and down, maintain a long spine, for example—but there’s only so much info the human brain can hold onto. And when there are too many balls in the air at a time, the likelihood of dropping all of them increases. Practicing NAPS-MR helps to avoid information overload for simple, high-quality movement.
Understand Your Audience.
Tony Robbins is arguably one of the most effective speakers and influencers around today. One of the traits that helped him build such a robust following—each of his live events bring in anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000+ audience members—is his ability to appeal to each individual.
He says, “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to communicate with others.”
Not everyone responds to language and cues in the same way and so it’s up to you to figure out what makes your client tick and then adjust your language accordingly.
You may be an anatomy buff and know exactly what it means when someone asks you engage your lats while in push-up position, but the average client might not.
And while you could spend a good 20 minutes schooling them on anatomy and optimal structural function, it’s a lot easier and less time consuming to instead ask them to bring their shoulder blades toward their back pockets or corkscrew the hands into the floor. This is the primary concept behind our “Swing Thoughts” which were designed to create a visual reference/guide to help everyone understand exactly what is expected in an efficient and easily understood way.
Experiment with your language choices and notice your client’s responses to them. When you describe an exercise, do their eyes glaze over or do you see a lightbulb? In the same way that you assess movement patterns and adjust your movement plan accordingly, assess how your words resonate with clients and adjust your language choices, if necessary.
Visual Learning.
It can be endlessly frustrating trying to describe to a client his movement dysfunction. When performing an overhead squat, it’s easy for you to see that they have a left lateral shift in their hips, the right knee is valgus and they lack thoracic extension. If you try to explain it this way you might as well be speaking to them in gibberish. Even if you say that the right knee caves in and the upper-back rounds during the movement, the most adept client might not be able to grasp what you mean.
This is where a simple photo or video comes in handy.
Some people are visual learners, plain and simple. In these cases, showing instead of telling can give clients better insight into structural inefficiencies.
TRX Maps, for example, solves this problem by showing users exactly where the dysfunctions present and then offers solutions on what can be done to move more efficiently—all in a matter of seconds.
Should you not have TRX Maps at your disposal, your phone’s camera can also provide your client with both static (photo) and moving (video) feedback.
Be the Experience.
As the old proverb goes, being an effective communicator isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how you say it.
That’s where the phrase, “Be the experience” comes from.
Taking a client or class through a training session is about more than connecting a series of exercises together.
In order to affect real change, you have to create an experience that helps clients fully engage with a workout. How you do that depends on your coaching style.
We’ve defined three different coaching styles: The Sensei, the Coach and the Cheerleader. The Sensei, for example, is all about instruction, whereas the Coach inspires and the Cheerleader motivates. The Sensei looks at movement accuracy and precision, the Coach aims for form and intensity and the Cheerleader focuses on emotion and energy.
There is no one best approach and not everyone will be good at all three.
The best coaching style for you is the one that feels the most true to self. People have strong BS meters and will know right away when you try to be something you’re not. However, when you define which style or styles fit you best—you might choose more than one—then you’ll develop a stronger ability to connect with clients and guide them toward success.
Knowledge may be power, but it’s how you communicate that knowledge that sparks real, lasting change.
To learn more about the best ways to communicate with your clients check out TRX Education.
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How To Become a Wildly Successful Virtual Trainer
This year hasn’t been business as usual at Equilibrium, but—spoiler alert—this isn’t a Covid-19 sob story.
A year ago, Equilibrium co-founders Niko Algieri and Jay Brockway were walking away from the dream studio they had built in London. They had rows of neatly-hung TRX straps, a collection of pricey treadmills, and a roster of celebrity clients. They also had rent totaling more than £50,000 annually and a bad business partnership.
“We had this beautiful studio and brought in all these celebrities, but I wasn't making loads of money where I could buy a nice car, buy a house. It's impossible. I could eat and I could live, but I couldn't buy anything nice,” Algieri explained.
The studio was beautiful, but it was a drain on their bank accounts. Equilibrium needed a reset, so Algieri and Brockway decided to leave their picture-perfect space behind and start over.
But, again, this isn’t a sad story.
Let’s backtrack for a moment. Algieri started in the fitness business 12 years ago. Brockway, his brother, joined him four years later. The brothers built a reputation in personal training and through social media. (Algieri has more than 20,000 Instagram followers, and Brockway has more than 9,000.) Between hard work and social media savvy, they grew their client base, opened a gym, and started selling out group classes.
When they left their posh brick-and-mortar digs and group fitness behind, their old personal training clients came calling. Soon, they were training clients in their homes, and had almost no overhead expenses. When a friend offered them a smaller, more affordable space for personal training, Equilibrium found its new home.
Then the pandemic happened.
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Equilibrium was only offering in-person personal training sessions. If Algieri and Brockway were to continue making a living, they would have to make their client appointments virtual.
That sparked an idea. If they were training their London clients online, why couldn’t they tap into their social media following and offer virtual training to clients in other cities, too? And, if all fitness classes were becoming virtual classes, why not reboot their Equilibrium group classes on Zoom?
“With Covid and the virtual class experience, we've added our classes back in. We're doing [personal training] and then training 40 people in a class,” Algieri said. Business, despite global stay-at-home orders, is better than ever because now the brothers are working with an international client base. From New York to Los Angeles, Zurich to Tehran, they’ve seen explosive growth in a matter of weeks.
Every trainer will encounter business obstacles at some point in their career, but—as Algieri and Brockway have demonstrated—setbacks can set the stage for bigger opportunities. Instead of maintaining the status quo or simply mitigating the damage, these trainers found a creative way to grow.
Want to learn more from the Equilibrium brothers? Sign up for their TRX Roundtable discussion on Monday, May 18, at 12 pm PST.
Check out the TRX Roundtable Series —presented via Zoom— every Monday. You can watch previous Roundtables and sign up for future ones here.

How Russian Boxers Ragosina and Povetkin use TRX
Two elite boxers - world #1 super middleweight Natascha Ragosina and Alexander Povetkin - use TRX for fight prep. Need a boxing-specific training plan? Take our quick assessment quiz for customized workouts. Their trainer Jim Barcena, who brought TRX to Russia, explains: "With boxers, all punching power comes from legs and hips, and power transfer is all core strength, so the TRX is an awesome tool for them."
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Barcena puts the fighters through grueling 60 to 90 minute circuits that incorporate the TRX and other modalities. Some circuits feature three to five different movements that include a pushing movement, a pulling movement, an all body athletic or functional movement and a movement that focuses on sheer strength. Other circuits cycle through 12 different movements, always starting each circuit with a different movement on the TRX. He often supersets different TRX movements within one block of the circuit. For example, he'll have them perform the TRX Chest Press/Chest Fly Combo or have them superset the TRX T Deltoid Fly, TRX Y Deltoid Fly and TRX I Deltoid Fly.
When he’s in LA, Barcena often trains clients at the track at UCLA where many other trainers work with clients. “I was there the other day and Barry Bonds was working with his trainer. I could tell Barry and everyone else there was checking out what we were doing with the TRX. It's such a versatile tool. There are more uses than meets the eye.”
Povetkin's next projected fight will be against heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in September.
If you're a fighter or train fighters, check out the TRX Performance: MMA Workout download. How has the TRX helped to evolve, transform and grow your own training or your personal training practice?

How To Be A More Durable Tennis Player, Three TRX Exercises
Injury. That six letter word is anathema to all tennis players. Even if you're not playing tennis at the pro level, you still want to ensure you can scramble around the court, returning volleys with ease, until it's time to retire your racquet for good. TRX Suspension Training bodyweight exercise is uniquely suited to help you attain this goal because it's a triple threat, allowing you to increase strength, flexibility and durability simultaneously. In the video below, educator Justin Price focuses on the last benefit, durability, and shows us three TRX exercises designed to address the most common injuries incurred while playing tennis, so you can remain injury-free and highly mobile in your upcoming matches.
For more, check out our dedicated tennis training page and also be sure to check out the TRX Biomechanics: Healthy Back DVD and the TRX Performance: Tennis DVD for more instruction from Justin Price. Have you used the TRX to tighten your tennis game?
Justin Price, MA, is a corrective exercise specialist and creator of The BioMechanics Method, which provides exercise solutions for people in chronic pain. He is an IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year and an educator for the American Council on Exercise, PTontheNET, PTA Global and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

How To Add Dumbbells to Your TRX Workout
Since TRX® introduced Suspension Training to the world more than a decade ago, we’ve championed the idea that the TRX Suspension Trainer® can be a one-and-done tool. If you only have space for one piece of equipment in your home or on the go, the straps deliver a full-body workout.
But the Suspension Trainer doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s also easy to incorporate other equipment, like weights, into your Suspension Training routine to level up your strength training. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce TRX Dumbbells—the latest addition to our full-body lineup of tools.
Why TRX Dumbbells?
From weights to resistance bands, TRX has spent years branching out beyond our signature straps to outfit your gym with the highest-quality fitness staples for any type of workout. We’ve developed the best kettlebells, weighted vests, power bags, and glute bands, and now we’re excited to debut the ultimate fixed-weight dumbbells.
Ranging from 5 pounds to 50 pounds, (or 2.3 kg to 22.7 kg, for the metric-minded folks),TRX Dumbbells have durable, rubber-hex ends—so they won’t go rolling away—and ergonomic handles with a knurled textured grip to encourage proper form.
Get Reacquainted With a Classic
The dumbbell icon is synonymous with strength. While many people may associate free weights with mental images of bodybuilders and CrossFitters, dumbbells aren’t just for bulking up and building mass. They can also be used for strength and toning.
Curls, rows, presses, squats: many moves you do with your TRX Suspension Trainer can also be performed with dumbbells. And you don’t have to choose between tools. Sometimes, you can have it all!
How To Add Dumbbells to Your Suspension Trainer Workout
To ease into adding dumbbells into your TRX routine, we’ve developed two mini-circuits demonstrating different approaches to the combo. Want to find the perfect combination of TRX and dumbbell exercises for your strength level? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a personalized training plan.
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The first set pairs similar movements on both the TRX Suspension Trainer and TRX Dumbbells, and the second set incorporates dumbbells into your favorite Suspension Trainer exercises.
Let’s get started!
Superset Cardio Burst
For this superset series, we’re letting the TRX Dumbbells and TRX Suspension Trainer shine individually by pairing slight variations of the same exercise using each tool. Our three combos are:
TRX Jump Squat + Dumbbell Loaded Squats
TRX Sprinters + Dumbbell Stepback Lunges
TRX Hamstring Curl + Dumbbell Hip Thrusters
You’ll be doing each move for 45 seconds, followed by a 15 second break to reset with the next move. Total circuit time: 6 minutes. Feeling feisty? Double the set for a 12-minute burn.
TRX Jump Squat + Dumbbell Loaded Squats
Start with your straps adjusted to mid-length. Stand facing the anchor, heels planted hip distance apart, and lightly grip the handles. Drop low into your squat, and drive back up into a jump, lifting off from your toes and landing on your toes. Keep the movement fluid for maximum benefit.
For the Loaded Squats, you’ll once again start with your heels planted hip-distance apart. Rack your dumbbells on your shoulders—we suggest a set of mediums or heavies—and proceed to drop into a squat, and fire back up to full extension. For your safety, keep your heels on the ground for this move. (In other words, no jumping!)
TRX Sprinters + Dumbbell Stepback Lunges
Fully lengthen the straps, and stand facing away from the anchor point with the straps threaded under your arms. Keep your chest forward, and walk your feet back until your body is forming a 45-degree angle with the floor. The angle may feel a little weird, but the Suspension Trainer will support your bodyweight.
Next, pick one foot to be your planted or forward foot: that foot will stay connected with the floor as your other foot steps back into a lunge. Return to your neutral position—feet standing parallel—by driving off your forward, planted foot and activating your front quad.
Once you get the hang of that movement, you can add a balance component by not letting your “free” foot touch the floor at the front of the movement. Finally, you can either speed up or add a hop to each rep for an additional challenge. Don’t forget to spend equal time on each leg!
For your Loaded Stepback Lunges, you’ll hold either one dumbbell in each hand by your sides, like a suitcase, or grab the rubber ends of a single dumbbell and hold it next to your chest, under your collarbone. Keep one foot firmly planted, and step back into a lunge with the second foot. Both knees should bend to 90-degree angles, and your back knee should hover just above the floor. Drive forward to standing through the planted, front foot, and repeat the move, alternating between sides.
TRX Hamstring Curls + Dumbbell Hip Thrusters
For the TRX Hamstring Curl, adjust your foot cradles to the mid-calf position, and start lying on the ground, face up, with your heels resting in the foot cradles. In this move, you’ll begin firing through your quads and posterior chain to lift your backside off the ground. Once you’re flexing and floating, pull your knees in toward your chest, and then fully extend your legs.
If the back of your body feels like it’s on fire, you’re doing it right!
You'll return to land for your Dumbbell Hip Thrusters. Again, you’ll lie down, facing up. Bend your knees to form a triangle with the ground, and keep your feet flat on the floor. Load one or two medium or heavy dumbbells on your hips, and be careful to hold them in place.
With your shoulder blades firmly connected with the floor, engage your glutes and press your hips—weights and all—up toward the sky. (You’ve reached the top of the movement when you’ve straightened out your hip crease.) Drop your booty back to the floor, and repeat!
It Takes Two
In the second circuit of our workout, we’ll incorporate dumbbells into three Suspension Trainer exercises.
Don’t breathe a sigh of relief too soon: this isn’t a shorter series. Since these are single-side moves, you’ll have to complete them on both sides of your body. The exercises in this set are:
TRX Dumbbell Power Pulls
TRX Lunges with Dumbbells
TRX Plank with Renegade Rows
TRX Dumbbell Power Pulls
For the TRX Dumbbell Power Pulls, adjust your straps to the fully shortened length. (Pro-tip: If you want to keep the free handle from swinging while you work, you can thread the free handle through the triangle of the handle you’re using.)
Start with the Suspension Trainer handle in your left hand, with your left elbow pulled back and tight to your body. Your left palm should be facing inward while holding the handle. In your right hand, you’ll be holding a light or medium dumbbell.
Keeping your body squared with your anchor point, extend your left arm completely straight, then pull the left elbow all the way back. As you pull the left elbow back, you’ll reach the right hand and dumbbell up toward the anchor point. When you release and extend the left arm, you’ll rotate the right hand and dumbbell out and back to your right side for an opener.
As you complete reps, maintain your plank: your ears, shoulders, hips, and ankles should all be in one line. After 45 seconds on the first side, take a fifteen second break, switch which hand is holding the Suspension Trainer handle, and which hand is holding the weight.
TRX Lunges with Dumbbells
Adjust your Suspension Trainer to the mid-calf length, and stand facing away from the anchor point. Place a medium dumbbell or set of dumbbells in front of you on the floor.
Choose which foot you want to suspend, and thread that foot through both foot cradles. Pick up your weight or weights. If you choose two dumbbells, you’ll hold them at your sides, like you’re carrying a pair of suitcases. If you opt for a single dumbbell, hold it in front of your chest, under your collarbone.
From your standing position, lower down on the planted, front leg to an almost-seated position, extending your suspended leg behind you. Then, pressing your front heel into the ground, drive up to straighten your front leg and return to your standing position.
Repeat for 45 seconds, then place your dumbbells on the ground and switch legs during your 15-second break. (If you need more than 15 seconds to transition safely, take your time.)
TRX Plank with Renegade Rows
We’re beefing up the TRX Plank by adding a Renegade Row using our TRX Dumbbells.
Adjust your straps to mid-calf length and kneel facing away from the anchor point. Place a medium weight or weights at the top of your mat. Thread your feet through the foot cradles, and—using either your palms as your base or your TRX Dumbbells as handles—push up into a TRX Plank.
Whether you use the floor or a dumbbell as your base, one arm will remain straight, braced on the floor or dumbbell, while the other will rep out as many rows as possible for 45 seconds.
Choose your rowing arm, and pull your dumbbell off the floor in a low-row motion—elbow tight to your ribs—while maintaining your TRX Plank. After 45 seconds, take a 15 second break and switch sides. This is an advanced move, so feel free to take breathers as needed during your 45-second active interval.
If the traditional TRX Plank is too challenging, you can lower down to the floor, slide both of the foot cradles onto a single foot, and suspend only one leg while using your unsuspended foot as a kickstand on the floor. (Both legs will still be activated to support your plank and Renegade Row.)
One of the many strengths of TRX Dumbbells is they can be paired with so many tools in the TRX lineup—such as the Suspension Trainer and Glute Bands— to create more challenging workouts.
Can you use TRX Dumbbells on their own? Absolutely! And you probably will. But when you’re ready to test the theory that two tools are better than one—when you’re ready to challenge yourself with more demanding workouts—these TRX Dumbbell exercises will help you unlock next-level strength potential.

How Much Should You TRX?
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is: how often should I train using the TRX Suspension Trainer? Here, TRX Head of Human Performance Chris Frankel explains how regular TRX use can ensure your training program is varied, effective and efficient, whether your goal is to add mass, get ripped, lose weight, get strong, build endurance or cross train for your sport of choice: triathlon, skiing, cycling.
How many times per week you use the TRX is only one part of a systematic approach to training. The most basic or most sophisticated programs all start with foundational principles described by the acronym F.I.T.T., which stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type. Frequency is how many times per week you train (which is your question). But how often you train is related to how hard you workout, which is Intensity. And how hard you workout determines how long you train, which is the Time component. One thing you have already answered, and it is a great answer, is the Type of exercise: TRX Training. Not sure how to optimize these variables for your specific goals? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a personalized training plan that factors in your schedule and fitness level.
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First and foremost, proper nutrition and recovery are requirements for increasing lean mass and decreasing body fat. For most people looking to gain some muscle and cut some fat for an athletic, defined physique, working out three to six times per week will provide the necessary training stimulus. If you are new to exercise or just getting back into shape, start out training three days a week, for 40 to 60 minutes each session, with at least one day of recovery in between. As your fitness improves, increase the intensity of your exercise sessions by working at a steeper body angle, with less stability or a combination of the two. You should also add another day of training to your routine as you progress.
If you don't have a suspension trainer, pick one up today.
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There are some general guidelines you can use to increase strength, burn fat and improve your overall performance and durability. Some of your workouts each week should be strength based, with steep body angles and slower tempos for increased time under tension. You can alternate upper body with lower body or push with pull exercises. Some of your workouts each week should incorporate high intensity, powerful movements at faster tempos to tax your cardiovascular and muscular endurance. Some of your workouts can be a combination of strength and power, where you alternate a slow, strength exercise is with a faster, more powerful exercise.
A sample week may look like this:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Rest
Strength
Power + Strength
Rest
Strength + Power
Power
Rest
Proper warm up and cool down, including mobility and flexibility work, is a must. Adding interval work is another way to improve fitness and burn fat. If you work hard, do not miss a workout and do not sacrifice form for reps, you will soon “make your body your machine.”

How Do You Set Up Your TRX Outside, Ask the Trainer
The sun is shining, the air is warm and it's time to head to the gym for a workout. Not so fast! Why keep yourself cooped up inside at the gym now that winter is on it's way out? The TRX is perfect to take with you to your local park, high school, beach or even your backyard, so you can enjoy spring without missing a workout. In this month's Ask the Trainer, we show you how to set up your TRX outside so you can workout anywhere. So what are you waiting for? Grab your TRX, and head into the great outdoors.
Q: "I'm excited to get outside with my TRX now that the snow is finally melting. I'm a little nervous to set it up outside, though. How can I be sure the TRX is set up correctly and in an area that is optimal for my workout.
A: For optimal use, choose a workout area roughly measuring eight feet long by six feet wide. Also, be sure you're on a flat, non-slip surface. For best results, you want to use an overhead anchor point that's seven to nine feet off the ground and strong enough to support your bodyweight.
To set up your TRX, clip the carabiner on the main body of the TRX to the bottom anchor loop of the yellow Suspension Anchor just below the black TRX badge. Do not clip it in any other loop of the Suspension Anchor. Attach the Suspension Anchor to the anchor point by wrapping it as many times as necessary to ensure the bottom of the Suspension Anchor hangs at about six feet from the ground. This is the ideal height to perform all TRX exercises. New to TRX training? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a beginner-friendly workout plan that ensures proper form and progression.
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Clip the carabiner in the Suspension Anchor into one of its intermediate loops, or around the Suspension Anchor itself, and pull it tight to make sure it’s secure. A tip for attaching the TRX to a smooth bar or pole is to wrap the Suspension Anchor several times around it to prevent it from sliding side to side. And always remember to weight-test your TRX before using it by pulling hard on it.
TRX Safety Guidelines
Before each use, always inspect your TRX. Do not use a TRX with worn or damaged components. Replace worn or damaged components immediately.
Do not attach your TRX to an anchor point with sharp edges. For example, certain overhead metal beams or door hinges. Rubbing against a sharp edge will weaken or cut nylon.
Do not "saw" your TRX in a pulley-like fashion. Sawing will cause excessive wear of the TRX's stabilizing loop. If the yellow colored nylon begins to show through the black stabilization loop, replace your TRX immediately.
For athletes who perform sports outside such as tennis, soccer, football, cross country, track, etc., the TRX can be strapped to anything from a light pole, goal posts or chain link fences. Heading to the beach? Check out lifeguard stands, trees or volleyball posts. At your local park? Trees, calisthenic areas, posts or poles work great. The most important thing to consider when anchoring the TRX to an outside anchor point is to ensure it can bear your full bodyweight. Always weight-test before beginning your workout.
Lastly, make sure you have the right TRX accessories before heading outside to train. If your anchor point is either taller or wider than expected, use a TRX Xtender to accommodate those adjustments and ensure your TRX is still at optimal height. Have your best workout when you're being coached? Download one of our TRX workouts to take with you on your mobile device.
Try one of our TRX products today:
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How Do You Get Strong Shoulders, Ask the Trainer
This short TRX shoulder workout delivers big results for anyone who wants to build strength in their deltoids, traps and chest muscles.
TRX Clock Pull (alternating sides): 1 minuteTRX Swimmer Pull: 1 minuteTRX Push-up Plus: 1 minuteRest for One minute and repeat two to three times through.
Below are directions on how to perform each exercise:TRX Clock PullBenefits: Increases kinesthetic awareness, strengthens shoulder stabilizers
Adjust your TRX to mid length, and stand facing the anchor point. Walk your feet towards the anchor point and fully extend your arms to chin height.
With the right arm, perform a row while extending the left arm out straight to a T position. Allow both arms to straighten and lower the body back to start position between reps.
Perform 10 reps on the right side and then switch arms, this time performing a row with your left arm and extending the right arm out straight to a T position. Perform 10 reps on the left side. Keep your shoulders down and back throughout the movement.
TRX Swimmer PullBenefits: Improves lat engagement, strengthens posterior shoulder
With your TRX still at mid length, continue to stand facing the anchor point. Place your hands beside your hips, palms back, tension on the TRX and adopt an offset stance.
Lower your body down with arms straight, maintaining a strong plank position. Pull on the handles, drive your palms down and allow your body to move up toward the anchor point.
Slowly release back down to the start position between reps. Perform 10 reps.
TRX Push-up PlusBenefits: Improves serratus anterior engagement
Adjust your TRX to mid calf length and place your toes in the foot cradles. On your hands and knees, lift up into a hand plank position.
Lower your chest down, bend elbows to 90 degrees and keep your core engaged. At the bottom of the movement, drive through your palms and push up, keeping your body in a strong plank position.
At the top of the movement, push up a bit further than a normal push-up, causing your upper back to round slightly and your chest to cave. Perform 10 reps.
If you want more, be sure to check out our TRX for strength training page.

How Can I Be A TRX Instructor?
TRX® Instructors are among the very best group of educators in the world. Want to take your fitness career to the next level? Take our quick assessment quiz to get personalized recommendations for our instructor certification programs. They are part of an elite team of the most accomplished fitness professionals on the planet but to be a TRX instructor is much more than an accolade for a resume. This team of people has an unparalleled passion for the TRX® brand and for bringing our profession to the next level. They possess a deep training knowledge, a high personal physical competency and an unrivalled ability to coach and captivate in a learning setting.
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These like-minded individuals are proud members of a global family who have lived through the crucible that is the TRX Instructor Development Process. They exemplify TRX® values and represent the TRX® brand at the highest level. In short… they are “grade A”, “premium cut”, “10th degree black belt”, TRX “badasses”l!
Sounds cool doesn’t it?!
“So when do I start?!”
… Hold your horses cowboy - It’s not that easy
The first step is to fill out the instructor application form but before you do, let’s talk pre-requisites. This is what you’ll find on the website but I’m going to provide a bit more “detail”.
• Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science or related field (special qualifications apply for Sports Medicine Instructors)
This one means you can check the box and pass “GO”. To put it in perspective, there are no shortage of graduate and even PhD degrees within the Instructor Cadre
• Current National Certification (ACE, NASM, NSCA etc)
Same as the first bullet point. The essence of “minimum requirement”
• Attended a one-day, 8-hour Professional Education Course
So you’ve attended a course. This is a good start but certainly does not differentiate you from the other 100,000 plus people who have attended courses. If you’re serious about becoming an instructor make the commitment to come to all of them. Now you’re in more “rarified air”. Additionally you need to consider coming to the major conferences such as IDEA or Can Fit Pro and attend TRX® sessions there. This will expose you to the very cutting edge of the TRX® Training Philosophies and also bring you into contact with our key subject matter experts.
• Proven leader in the fitness industry
Are you presenting your ideas at conferences? Have you published articles in magazines or newspapers? Do you have any DVD titles to your name or are you running a successful youtube channel, training blog, forum or podcast? In short - what are you doing to be a leader to the profession at large beyond your client / facility echo sphere? What do you contribute?
• 2-3 Years of presentation experience
It’s not enough to be a knowledgeable trainer or a popular group exercise instructor. A huge component of being a TRX instructor is the ability to engage, inspire and educate a group of your peers for 8 hours! This is no mean feat and it is a looming crux for many TRX Instructor aspirants. Hone your craft! The ability to present well is a true skill that requires both innate talent and hard work. There has been no shortage of prospective instructors who have been truly humbled by this element of our instructor development process.
• 6-8 years practical experience in strength & conditioning, fitness and/or physical therapy settings
You’ve got to know your stuff… period. TRX Instructors have all “been there, done that” and excelled. They have walked many miles in the shoes of their audience and in this way can relate and connect with them to provide an authentic and practical learning experience. One of the pitfalls we identify in our Instructor Training Courses is that it is a highly dangerous thing to present at the threshold of your knowledge. If the information that is being delivered is “bedrock” then it only takes one question for instructors to lose their credibility. Always be learning! TRX Instructors are continuously questing for new knowledge and information.
• TRX Core Member (recommended)
If you want to know the cutting edge of what is happening at TRX, TRX CORE is the solution. It’s where we put out our latest content and our newest ideas. Anyone who wants to be a TRX® Instructor should be not just a CORE member, but a contributing member of the CORE. Get involved in the Forums, answer some questions and differentiate yourself.
The other piece of this process that is absolutely crucial is that Instructor values must align with the TRX® Brand values. I think that the best test for this one is to understand the following question…
Why do you want to be a TRX Instructor?
HONESTLY answer this question. If your answer is centered more around your passion for the brand, love of coaching and thrill of seeing those around you develop you are likely on the right track.
Even with all of these things in place there is still no guarantee that there is an instructor position available in your area. The sad reality is that we cannot develop every person who is perfectly qualified.
We are thrilled that you want to be a part of our TRX Instructor Cadre. While the development process is extensive and challenging, and our quality standards are world class the experience of being part of this elite family of professionals is profound.
Contact us at instructorapplication@trxtraining.com with your instructor application. These applications will be evaluated and ranked and weighed against company needs.
I truly hope that this clarifies what the best development pathway is to make yourself the strongest TRX Instructor Candidate you can be.
Good luck with the process!