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GET THE WORKOUT HERE On September 24, 2009, Ryan Job, a Navy SEAL veteran and a close friend of the TRX family, passed away following surgery to address injuries he sustained while operating in Iraq. As a Navy SEAL Team 3 operator and then as a veteran, Job never asked for recognition or praise from his fellow Americans. Yet those who had the privilege of knowing Job couldn’t help but walk away from any interaction with him without being inspired by his optimism, his determination, his unstoppable drive, and his unwavering commitment and dedication to family and country. Job set an example that we should all try to follow. Modest, hard working and blessed with an indomitable spirit, Job embodied all of the best qualities of America's service members. Take our quick values assessment quiz to discover personalized ways to honor and carry forward these essential military virtues. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ TRX CEO and founder Randy Hetrick, a former Navy SEAL, had the privilege of working with Job after his injuries. Hetrick developed a TRX Suspension Training program to help Job recapture the physical fitness he lost while recovering. On Veterans Day, we celebrate all of our active service members and veterans. And we remember Job—a loving husband and son, a true patriot, a dedicated friend who was always quick with a laugh in the most dire of circumstances, a game warrior who never let the magnitude of the challenges he faced dampen his burning ambitions or dim his courageous approach to everything he set his mind to achieving. He always pushed himself to go bigger, to be better, to get stronger. And he never, ever gave up. * On August 2, 2006, Ryan Job was on an otherwise typical SEAL foot patrol in Iraq when he heard the crack of a gunshot break the silence of a still night. It would be the last thing he heard before he went blind. “I was shot by a sniper through the right eye. The round fragmented inside my head and destroyed the right eye and the optic nerve of my left eye leaving me blind in both eyes. It also severed my olfactory nerve leaving me with no sense of smell or taste.” Two days later, Job woke up in the VA hospital in Bethesda, MD. “I couldn’t figure out where I was and why I could hear people but couldn’t see. I thought there were bandages on my face.” It’s the kind of nightmare scenario no one, not even a Navy SEAL, is emotionally or physically equipped to handle gracefully. Yet less than two years later, Job fought his way back into shape and to the summit of Mount Rainier with the help of Hetrick and TRX. Job completed the climb as part of an expedition with Camp Patriot, a nonprofit organization created by Navy vet Micah Clark to facilitate transformative expeditions and outdoor recreation for injured vets. Clark invited Job to join a Camp Patriot climbing expedition on Mount Rainier with several other vets, including an amputee and another blind soldier. Job trained hard using a program TRX developed for him leading up to the expedition. When the group reached the summit of Mt. Rainier in 2008, a fighter jet screamed over the summit to honor the achievement. * Job’s road to the SEAL teams and, eventually, to the summit of Rainier started in rural Washington state where Job spent his youth backpacking while tracking and hunting bears, deer, and elk in old growth forests. Job wrestled in high school and played rugby at Washington State, but never considered himself an outstanding athlete or student. His singular mission in life was to serve his country as a Navy SEAL. “The only reason I went into the NAVY was to become a SEAL. I had a private pilot’s license and wanted to fly jets, but I wanted to do both: fly and be a SEAL. The thing that appealed to me most was the unconventional nature of the SEAL community compared to the normal military, the kinds of missions they do,” he said. He wanted to be a SEAL so badly that he left Washington State in 2002 after three years of school to enlist in the Navy. He negotiated a clause in his enlistment contract that guaranteed no matter what, he’d get a shot at Basic Underwater Demolition School, or BUDS, the first testing phase for prospective SEALs. “Right after boot camp and my A school, I went straight to BUDS. The A school I picked was aviation ordinance, and the only reason I picked it was to get to BUDS more rapidly. I started BUDS four months after I went in.” When he made it to BUDS, he found the challenge he’d been waiting for his whole life—and then some. “BUDS was a major kick in the nuts.” But he made it. After graduating from BUDS in 2004, he joined SEAL Team 3 and spent the next year training with his platoon. In April 2006, his platoon deployed to Iraq and Job spent the next four months performing special operations. “We did all types of SEAL-style missions. Let’s just say my platoon made our deployment worth it. If there was a bad guy, they paid the man.” That doesn’t mean he had fun doing it, though. “There is nothing about combat that I enjoy except the fact that I did my part of it.” Then came the night of August 2, 2006 when a sniper’s bullet struck Job and took his sight, smell and sense of taste. Two days after being shot, Job was back in the States at the VA hospital in Bethesda where he faced surgery after surgery for the next six weeks. The community of current and former SEAL operators takes care of their own and a steady stream of SEALs past and present showed up to support Job. Navy SEALs and other special operators have the fitness, mindset and skills of professional athletes and put those aptitudes to the test every day in combat.  Before the accident, Job’s fitness and combat-readiness had been central to his identity. Now he couldn’t even go to the bathroom on his own. “When I was shot, I went from being in the top 1% of most physically capable people in the world to being in the bottom 1% in a fraction of a second. I was skinny and weak and didn’t resemble a SEAL anymore. I spent almost two months flat on my back in a hospital bed with my muscles atrophying. It’s incredible how far backwards your fitness can slide during such a short period of time. I was pretty depressed about the physical state I’d deteriorated into and I knew I had months of inpatient rehab left to go to get me back to my normal life.” As trying as his situation was, Job never gave up hope. “In the SEAL teams, we had a saying. When all else fails, plan B is just make it happen. Never be a quitter.” * When CAPT Rick Woolard (Ret.), a former SEAL Commanding Officer visited Job in the hospital he found that while the sniper’s bullet had taken Job’s sight and ability to smell or taste, it did nothing to diminish his toughness. When they talked, the only wish Job expressed was a way to work out on his own. In a quest to fulfill Job’s wish, Woolard reached out to the SEAL community and got in touch with Hetrick. Hetrick knew he had a solution for Job in the form of the TRX. “It was like, hey, here’s a training system he can do blind without any assistance. I knew he could challenge himself from the elementary level to the highest elite level. I liked that there wasn’t anything he could benchmark his effort against on the TRX. If Ryan had jumped on a bench press and could only bench 100 pounds when before he could bench 300, he might’ve been discouraged. With the TRX he was able to start from scratch and it gave him something to practice,” says Hetrick. When Job transferred to the Palo Alto VA in December 2006 for rehab to help him adjust to being blind, Hetrick had a special TRX workout protocol waiting for him. Until Job got his own Suspension Trainer, he had to have someone else help him work out and transport him to and from the weight room. When he got a TRX, he was finally to train on his own again at home. The next step was conquering the beast of a training regimen that Hetrick had waiting for him. “I spent weeks developing the routine,” says Hetrick. “I had this hypothesis that some of the exercises would be exemplary for blind people. I had a pair of blinder shades for flying in an aircraft and started with squat rows and curls and other stable positions. But that was no big deal. I could do it just as well with my eyes closed as well as open. “It turns out you can do any of the TRX exercises with your eyes closed. You never have to take your hands off the system. I could go through a whole workout with my eyes closed because I know how to adjust it, how far it should be from the floor. You lie down, you put your feet in. You stand up, you hold onto the handles. You never lose contact with it. “For someone without sight, the TRX serves the same purpose as a visible horizon. You know where you are because when you tug on the straps you know they’re up and in front of you.” Hetrick met with Job and introduced him to the new workout protocol during a hardcore session on the TRX in the garage of Hetrick’s Bay Area home. Job was gassed, but thrilled. “The timing of when I started using the TRX was good for my specific injury because I was learning how to be blind,” said Job. “I had been blind six weeks and learning how to do everything blind. The TRX works on your spatial orientation, your body position, your balance, it’s something that teaches you how to do physical activity and coordinate yourself blind. Besides all of the strength training and physical training, it really enhanced my proprioception.” * Throughout his rehab in Palo Alto, Job continued to use the Suspension Trainer. When he finished that portion of his rehab, he settled in Scottsdale, AZ with his wife, to pursue a business degree at Jones International University. The TRX became a cornerstone of his training. “It’s really an efficient way to get a workout done. It’s something I always have an option to do,” he said at the time. “It totally eliminates my problem of transportation to and from the gym or who am I going to workout with? And where am I going to workout? I like the fact that you can stretch on it, too—flexibility is important to fitness also. I like the fact that you can travel with it. I like the fact that you can incorporate it into any training routine whether you’re a runner or swimmer or weightlifter. You really can develop a program on it for any type of sport.” With the help of Camp Patriot, Job planned to climb Mt. Rainier. He’d never done any serious mountaineering prior to his Rainier attempt. In order to prepare his body for the challenge, he trained seven days a week and tackled a special mountaineering training program TRX designed just for him (the same workout found in the Ryan Job TRX Summit Workout). Once on the mountain, Job found himself ready to face the challenge rising more than 14,000 feet in front of him. The Camp Patriot team had reached the summit with a blind veteran the year before in 2007. The guides used the same system they developed on that climb to enable Job to ascend safely. Job was roped to a sighted guide five feet in front of him. “I could follow him based on the tension and direction of the rope,” he said. A second guide followed five feet behind Job and verbally described the terrain. “I used trekking poles in both hands for stability and steeper terrain and for finding obstacles, just like I’d use a cane.” The system worked and Job and the team successfully made the summit. “I attribute summit success and making it to the top to the team, first of all. Second, fitness was a huge key for me. Everyone else could see what they were walking up and take the right height, length and direction of steps. I’d have to pick my foot up a little farther each time, stride a little farther, and spend more time on each step just to identify where to put my foot. I had to use my upper body to pull myself up the mountain sometimes and support my upper body in addition to finding the footing in front of me with my foot, testing it and seeing if I could put my foot down safely. My process was twice as energy consuming as a sighted person.” He didn’t let that get in the way of enjoying the climb, though. “I love the mountains, I love the outdoors. I was very tired at many points but I was happy the whole time, excited the whole time. I loved being able to go back up to Washington state because that’s where I grew up. I liked the cold air on my face. I’m very sensitive to sound now. I like the sound of things when there’s snow on the ground. It sounds very different. It’s muffled. Echoes sound different, but I can still hear when a cliff or rock wall is next to me. On the summit there’s nothing above your head and nothing on your sides, just entirely open space.” The team made it to the summit and back down to the parking lot in just four days. “I was recovered from each leg of the climb each day we did it. Once we got back down to the parking lot, I was ravenously hungry but by the time I was done eating the big mountain of food I was ready to go back up the mountain.” The next adventure Job had planned after reaching the summit of Mt. Rainier was to complete a triathlon. He never got to accomplish that goal as complications from an operation to address his injuries took his life. Today, we remember Job for his tenacity, for his courageousness and for the way he inspired us to be our best. No matter what he faced, he never gave up. He showed us what it means to be a truly strong human.

TRX Training If you have been clicking back and forth between the TRX HOME2 and PRO4 Systems while trying to decide which Suspension Trainer is right for you, we have the scoop on the differences between the two to help you choose. When it comes to Suspension Training workouts, there’s no limit to the functionality of the two Systems. The basic design is the same: both rely on barrel lock adjusters to change the length of the straps, attach to an anchor point via a carabiner clip, have adjustable foot cradles, work with both the TRX Door Anchor and the TRX XMount, and come with one year’s access to the TRX App. If you love TRX Live workouts, you can follow along using either style of Suspension Trainer.  The main difference between the two options is the materials.  Because the TRX HOME2 was designed for personal use at home or on-the-go, it’s a little bit lighter weight (1.5 lbs) than the TRX PRO4 (2 lbs). The primary design difference, other than the color of the straps, is the handle. The TRX HOME2 SYSTEM has a slightly smaller, soft foam handle, while the TRX PRO4 SYSTEM has a more rugged, rubber grip handle. Because of the materials and designed with commercial use in mind, the TRX PRO4 grips dry more quickly when you disinfect them. Both systems are designed to go anywhere and come with mesh carrying bags, but the TRX PRO4 straps have a locking carabiner to prevent theft. While the lock function is a feature that's nice to have, it’s unnecessary for most customers who work out at home. Which TRX Suspension Trainer is right for you? That’s a personal choice. If you’re used to using the TRX straps at a gym, you’ve probably been using the TRX PRO4 SYSTEM and might prefer it for the sake of continuity. If you like to travel with your straps and tend to overpack, the half-pound-lighter TRX HOME2 SYSTEM may be a better fit. If the price is a concern, the TRX HOME2 retails for $50 less than the TRX PRO4. No matter which style you select, you'll be bringing home the most versatile fitness tool on the market. Ready to get the most out of your investment? Take our quick fitness assessment quiz to create a personalized training plan that matches your goals. And if you've been looking to jumpstart your strength training routine, you can't go wrong with a TRX suspension trainer. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Try one out today:   TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® HOME2 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® TACTICAL GYM BUY NOW Start with your own workout regimen today or use the TRX Training Club to get hundreds of TRX exercises delivered to your phone from trained professionals. 

Use this hip and hamstring mobility workout to help you get your summer body ready. This 15-minute mobility and stretching routine will unlock your body’s potential and help you get ready for a busy summer outside, on the beach, by the pool or on the trail.  This workout is the first in our Summer Salutation series, designed to help you get the most out of your summer with a boost of fitness and confidence. Want to find the perfect summer workout plan for your fitness level? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a personalized training program that'll help you reach your warm-weather goals. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ The Workout:Perform each exercise for 60 seconds per exercise, minimal rest between exercises, 1-3 times through.  TRX Wall SlidesStand facing away from the anchor point with your hands in foot cradles and your arms over your head, bent at 90 degrees. Drive hands into foot cradles so there is no slack in the straps and slowly extend your arms directly over your shoulders. Slowly bend your elbows back to 90 degrees to return to the start position.  TRX Forward Lunge to I Fly (Alternating Legs) Stand facing away from the anchor point holding the handles with your hands and your arms straight out in front of you. Lunge forward until your front knee is bent at 90 degrees, letting the knee of your trailing leg kiss the ground. As you lunge down, your arms should go directly overhead, unloading your legs slightly so you can focus on the stretch. Brace your core, press your hands into the handles and drive through your front foot to return to the start. Reestablish your plank before repeating on the other side.  TRX Hip Hinge (Wide Stance)Stand facing the anchor point with the your arms extended in front of you pressing down on the TRX handles and your feet wider than shoulder width apart. Bend forward from the hips with a straight back, pushing your hips back and extending your arms forward. Drive your hips forward to return to the start position.  TRX Cossack StretchStand facing the anchor point with your feet wider than hip width apart. Bend one leg and lower hips toward ground while keeping the opposite leg straight. Allow the toe of your trailing leg to come up, creating a stretch through inner thigh. Keep your hips low and repeat on the other side.  TRX Overhead SquatStand facing the TRX with your hands extended over your head in the foot cradles pulling back so that there is tension on the straps. With your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands still overhead, squat down until your thighs are parallel with the ground. 

Try this TRX high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout from inventor of the Rip Trainer Pete Holman and STACK.  If you are looking for the most effective way to achieve your fitness goals, you need to try high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT workouts are a proven way to improve endurance, burn more fat faster and minimize training time, while still increasing strength and power. Ready to get started with HIIT but not sure which intensity level is right for you? Take our quick fitness assessment quiz to get a personalized HIIT program tailored to your current fitness level and goals, helping you maximize results while training safely and effectively. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ HIIT workouts involve performing exercises at maximum intensity for short durations followed by limited rest intervals. Each rep should be intense, rating at least an eight out of 10 on a perceived scale of exertion. If you aren't out of breath and gassed after a complete circuit, you are not working hard enough. Performing the following TRX Rip Trainer HIIT circuit will "hit" every muscle in your body while targeting critical aspects of performance, including strength, balance, power, endurance and mental focus. Although intensity is important during HIIT training, attempt to progress to faster and more powerful movements, and never sacrifice control for intensity. Rip WindmillThis exercise will load your core by activating your abdominals, hips, low back and scapular muscles. Developing these muscles will improve your posture, balance and power transfer and reduce the risk of back injury. In addition, performing this exercise at a high speed offers a tremendous metabolic challenge that will improve your overall endurance and increase fat burn. Stand sideways to the anchor point using an alternating grip Draw circles with the end of the Rip Trainer, while squatting up and down Perform for 30 seconds at high speed, rest for 15 seconds and proceed to the next exercise Rip KayakThe Rip Kayak develops your posterior chain (muscles in the back of your body) in an offset foot position to challenge your balance. This will increase pulling power in a balanced position, while still challenging your heart and lungs.  Stand in an offset stance facing the anchor point with an alternating grip, as if holding an oar Pull the Rip Trainer back and return to start position in an arching path, as if rowing Focus on pulling your shoulder blades back and follow the same path each rep Don't let the cord hit the side of your leg Perform for 30 seconds at high speed, rest for 15 seconds and proceed to the next exercise Rip 90-Degree Jump PressThis exercise is about speed, power and agility. It mimics an Olympic-style lift, but it adds a rotational component to challenge your core. It should be performed with max effort each rep while maintaining a wide, stable base and using perfect technique. Be prepared to be gassed after this exercise.  Stand with the anchor point to your side Hold the Rip Trainer at your chest with an overhand grip Jump 90 degrees away from anchor point and aggressively press the bar off your chest Perform for 30 seconds at high speed, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat the circuit on the opposite side If you haven't purchased your TRX Rip Trainer, get it here.

It seems our three-part series on high intensity interval training (HIIT) from Mike Boyle sparked your interest (to read part 1, click here). To recap, HIIT uses specific, scientifically proven, work-to-rest ratios that map to corresponding heart rate zones. It's an intense form of interval training that produces rapid and dramatic changes to your body and cardiovascular system. We've received a lot of feedback from the TRX Community asking how to perform HIIT on the TRX Suspension Trainer. Here to show you how is Master Trainer Marc Coronel. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ One of the more common and well-known forms of HIIT is a Tabata interval. Developed by Dr. Izumi Tabata in 1996 to test the effects of HIIT on speed skaters, he set the work-to-rest ratio at 2:1. Athletes performed 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of recovery for a total of four minutes of work. In the video above, Marc follows the same work-to-rest ratio, performing 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. He only performs one round in the video for demonstration purposes, but you'll need to perform the exercises on both sides, completing as many rounds as possible for a total of four minutes. Though we typically advocate form over intensity, Marc incorporates the Suspension Trainer with some movements (the TRX Power Pull, the TRX Burpee and the TRX Single Leg Oblique Crunch) that can quickly jack up the heart rate without sacrificing too much technique. You'll notice Marc keeps the Suspension Trainer at mid-calf length to allow for smooth transitions between the exercises while maintaining his 10 second rest interval. HIIT works awesome for burning fat, building endurance and making the best use of your time, but there is a little more to it than just breathing hard and working up a sweat. Remember, try to make sure all of the exercises you choose use the same length adjustment and are hard enough to get your heart rate up in a short period of time. Give it a shot, be safe and respect the technique. 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 Have you incorporated the TRX into your HIIT with clients? Tell us about it below.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) techniques like tabata intervals can be used to supercharge your TRX Suspension Training or Rip Training workouts. The basic HIIT technique is to alternate periods of extremely high intensity exercise with short rest periods for a specified number of sets. Looking to find the perfect HIIT routine for your fitness level? Our quick assessment quiz can help create a customized interval training plan that matches your goals. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ This simple formula can be sliced and diced literally hundreds of different ways to target your exact goals, whether they're enhancing athletic performance or your appearance. You manipulate the work and rest intervals to create the optimal training result. If you're new to HIIT or just want a simple approach to experiment with, try using a 2:1 work-to-rest ratio applied to four different TRX Suspension Training movements. Using this approach, your workout might look like this:-5 x (:20 work, :10 rest) TRX Jump Squat-Rest one minute-5 x (:20 work, :10 rest) TRX Hamstring Runner-Rest one minute-5 x (:20 work, :10 rest) TRX Chest Press-Rest one minute-5 x (:20 work, :10 rest) TRX Low RowTry this sequence at the end of your usual workout, or use it as a standalone workout when you’re short on time. This is a tabata-like protocol that will be extremely challenging. The key to getting results using any HIIT workout is to push yourself as hard as possible during the work portion of the interval and to avoid the temptation to do anything except rest during the rest portion of the interval.Tweak the ratio of work/rest and the length of the intervals to suit your specific needs. Get after it, then find more HITT workouts here. Pick up your TRX Suspension Trainer here.

Whether you want to generate more power in your athletic movements or you just want to look better in those jeans, it seems like everyone is all about the booty these days. Looking for exercises that match your current fitness level? Our quick assessment quiz can help create a personalized glute-training plan for your goals. In order to help you reach your goals, TRX Master Instructor, Shana Verstegen notes that getting a BETTER BUTT can be as simple as adding these two TRX exercises. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ   Watch Shana demonstrate these simple Suspension Training exercises. One you can do without the Suspension Trainer (the Lunge), the other (the One-legged Squat)… you can't (at least, most of us can't). And that's what makes the Suspension Trainer such a versatile and invaluable tool. No matter your ability level, working with the Suspension Trainer will help you target those muscles in the glutes, hips and thighs, burn the calories and get the BETTER BUTT you're after. The FIRST exercise for a  BETTER BUTT:  TRX One-legged Squat Using the Suspension Trainer, they are multiple progression options for the one-legged squat.  Shana's brief video will walk you through several progressions of the exercise.  To get started, do the following: 1) Stand facing the anchor point. 2) Make sure your straps are at mid-length. 3) Balance on your right foot. 4) With your left leg forward, put your heel down. 5) Keeping your heel on the ground, lower your body down. 6) Go as low as is comfortable with your right leg, then come up. 7) Repeat or increase in difficulty by lifting your left heel off the ground.  The SECOND exercise for a  BETTER BUTT:    TRX Crossing Balance Lunge For a broad range of skill levels, there are multiple progressions for this exercise as well.  Start by doing the following;  1) Stand facing the anchor point. 2) Make sure your straps are at mid-length. 3) Balance on your right foot. 4) Lift and place you left foot behind and to the right of your right leg 5) Bend and lower both legs down to your comfort level  6) Repeat, or increase in difficulty by lifting your left leg off the ground  For an even better explanation of the  TRX One-legged Squat and the  TRX Crossing Balance Lunge, please watch Shana's short video. Ultimately, if you're going to put in the time for a workout, you want - you need it to be effective.  There is no more effective tool that the TRX Suspension Trainer.   Enjoy Shana's video and get that  BETTER BUTT by incorporating these two exercise into your next workout.   Do your next workout with our TRX equipment: TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® HOME2 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® TACTICAL GYM BUY NOW Photo Credit: TRX User and Triathlete/Fitness Model/Mother Angi Greene Fletcher (@AngiGreene)

Health and fitness ads, branding, and marketing are typically dominated by images of photogenic young people bursting with vitality. That might be the kind of advertising that gets those in a similar age group through the doors and to sign up for memberships. But as important as this demographic is to sustaining the industry, it’s by no means the fastest growing segment. For that, we have to look to the other end of the age scale. There are currently over 40 million Americans who are 65 or older (13 percent of the total population), and if current demographics and life expectancy remain the same, that number is expected to reach 89 million by 2050.   This means that if you’re serious about growing your business and making fitness accessible to all, it’s time to start thinking more about your elderly clients and how you can tailor your coaching craft to meet their unique needs. One of the main challenges facing those of retirement age and above is a lack of daily movement. According to an article written by Ian McMahan for The Atlantic, “Roughly one-third of Americans over the age of 65 are considered physically active, compared to around 80 percent of the general population.” This lack of regular physical activity can have a whole host of negative consequences, including a loss of strength and endurance, muscular atrophy, and a steep decline in mobility. And yet age-related physical decline is not an inevitability. McMahan references a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons which states that regular exercise can reduce age-related reductions in cardiovascular function by up to 50 percent. Plus, two studies on older cyclists cited in the New York Times show that consistent physical activity can preserve muscular and immune function and keep people biologically “young” at a cellular level. In a previous study by the same British researchers, eager cyclists in their 70s “proved to have reflexes, memories, balance and, metabolic profiles that more closely resembled those of 30-year-olds than of the sedentary older group.” This means that as a trainer, you can have a big impact on this rapidly expanding population group. One thing to recognize is that certain types of exercise programs are typically not well suited to seniors. “We often need to get older people away from high volume, high-risk movement and guide them towards high quality, low-risk movement,” said Chris Cygul, a TRX Master Trainer and the owner of St. Augustine Fitness, the only TRX Premier Training Facility in Northeast Florida. “This begins with an assumption that there could be some limitations – like a hip replacement or shoulder injury – that we might have to work around, while reassuring the client that you’re going to take good care of them and get them moving without aggravating their pain points.” Such an approach is in line with TRX’s movement quality-centric method for training people of any age group. Just as with younger clients, you should start by helping older people understand and master TRX Foundational Movements like the lunge, hinge, pull, and squat. From there, you can appropriately build on this solid base by carefully adding volume, intensity, and load. For those members who have the kind of restrictions Cygul mentioned, one of the benefits of Suspension Training is that it enables you to scale exercises. By simply moving closer or further from the "anchor point,” almost any Suspension Training exercise can be modified to meet the needs of any user. Because load/resistance can be modified and/or spread across several joints and muscles groups, greater volume of work can be accomplished, which leads to increases in strength and potentially lean muscle mass. So someone might be unable to do a full Atomic Push-up to begin with, but maybe they could do the first part of the exercise from a kneeling position. Or if they cannot perform a full squat, they might be able to start with a partial one using the straps for support. Another key component of programming for seniors is to give extra attention to the body parts that are meant to be mobile and those that are supposed to be stable, both on and off the Suspension Trainer, which can contribute to dramatic mobility improvements by increasing range of motion. “Mobility work is incredibly important for seniors, particularly those who’ve been sedentary for a long time,” Cygul said. “The stiffer they get, the less  flexibility they have, so you need to address that from the get-go. While you can share some basic mobility exercises, it can be just as useful if not more so to introduce them to yoga or another practice that will improve their mobility and stability. We also tend to do a more extensive set of movement activation exercises and take care with the warm-up portion of each workout.” The type of session that senior clients engage in is often key, too. Participating in high-tempo group classes at some gyms can seem like a fun challenge at first, but if someone lacks basic movement competency, it can lead to injury. “We get quite a lot of older members coming to us who got hurt doing group fitness classes elsewhere and have become hesitant to get back into exercising,” Cygul said. “Then there are those whose previous trainers haven’t understood how to bridge the gap between post-surgery rehab and training, and so they got hurt. After reassuring them that we do things differently here, we encourage them to get a few one-on-one sessions to build a strong foundation of quality movement.” A TRX Qualified Coach knows that starting with our Foundational Movements is a great way to get young and old alike moving well and moving often. However, because older individuals may need an extra helping of stability and confidence, starting with more "stand facing" exercises such as Squat Rows, T- and Y-Flys, low-Med-High Rows, Step Back Lunges are effective. Alternating these strength-endurance exercises with some “stand facing away” mobility moves like Wall Slides, Step Forward (lunge regression) with T-Flys or Hip Flexor Stretch, and Snow Angles will prevent grip/forearm fatigue and provide some much needed anterior chain/sling stretching and opening. For Cygul and his fellow coaches at St. Augustine Fitness, what happens in the gym is only one component of helping elderly members achieve total lifestyle change. As this age group can tend to be less active outside of a training environment, it’s crucial that you urge them to avoid optional sitting and move regularly throughout the day. Mastering basic exercises can be the catalyst that enables someone to regain their vigor. “When an older client improves their movement quality and sticks with a program, this translates into better quality of life, makes it easier for them to travel to see friends and family, and enables them to rediscover activities that they gave up years ago,” Cygul said. One of his recent success stories is Josie. Cygul began by coaching her individually in the TRX Foundational Movements. Once she’d mastered these, he then scaled her up to advanced variations that challenged her balance and core strength, and began upping the volume and intensity gradually. Now she has more stamina in her group sessions than any of Cygul’s other athletes, and is proving to be an inspiration to people of all different ages. “I had a 40 year old client come up to me after a group class that Josie was in and say, ‘I want to be able to move that well when I’m in my 70s,’” Cygul said. “Older members can think that they’re looking to younger people for motivation, when in reality they’re the ones setting a great example. We also find that they pass a lot of valuable life lessons on to younger clients and the coaching staff. Plus they’re often the most loyal and reliable members you’ll ever have.” When it comes to moving well and sustainably, it seems that age really can be just a number. To learn more about coaching movement - to any age and skill level - check out TRX Academy.

In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series on high intensity interval training (HIIT), world-renowned strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle explains the "why" and "how" behind interval training. Ready to find the perfect HIIT workout for your fitness level? Take our quick assessment quiz to get personalized interval training recommendations tailored to your goals. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Here, he provides his recommendations for work to rest ratios when performing interval training and then he looks at various interval training modes, including the one he finds most effective (the image below is a clue). The Problem with Formulas At least 70 percent of the population does not fit into our age-old theoretical formulas for measuring heart rate. The 220 minus age formula is flawed on two key points: 1) it doesn't fit a significant portion of the population, and 2) it is not based on research. Even the developer of the now-famous formula admits that his thoughts were taken out of context. The more accurate method is called the Heart Rate Reserve Method or Karvonen formula, which looks like this: (Max HR- Resting HR) x % + RHR = THR For example: (200-60) x .8 + 60 = 172 The key to the Karvonen formula is that it looks at larger measures of fitness by incorporating the resting heart rate and is therefore less arbitrary. However, the 220 minus age formula will suffice for establishing recovery heart rates. Interval Training Basics The longer the interval, the shorter the rest period as a percentage of the interval. In other words, short intervals have a high muscular demand and will require longer rests when viewed as a percentage of the interval. Fifteen second intervals will need at least a 2:1 rest to work ration. Three to one will work better for beginners. I recommend the following work to rest ratios for intervals: 15 seconds work : 45 seconds rest for beginners (3:1); for more advanced athletes, 30 seconds rest (2:1) 30 seconds work: 1:00 to 1:30 rest (3:1 or 2:1) 1:00 work: 1:00 to 2:00 rest (2:1 or 1:1) Just remember, as the intervals get longer, the recovery time (as it relates to the interval) may not need to be as long. In other words, a 15 second sprint may require 30 to 45 seconds rest, but a two minute interval may only need to be followed by a two minute rest. Aerobic Intervals? The biggest benefit of interval training is that you can get a tremendous aerobic workout without the boredom of long steady state bouts of exercises. In fact, you can get superior benefits for both fitness and fat loss by incorporating interval training. If the heart rate is maintained above the theoretical 60 percent threshold proposed for aerobic training, then the entire session is both aerobic and anaerobic. This is why my athletes do almost no "conventional" aerobic training. All of our aerobic work is a by-product of our anaerobic work. My athletes or clients can get their heart rate in the recommended aerobic range for 15 to 20 minutes, yet in some cases, they do only three to minutes of actual work. Modes of Interval Training Although most people visualize interval training as a track and field concept, our preferred method of interval training is the stationary bike. Although I think running is the theoretical "best" mode of training, the facts are clear. Most Americans are not fit enough to run. In fact, statistics estimate that 60 percent of those who begin a running program will be injured. In a fitness or personal training setting, that is entirely unacceptable. Females, based on the genetics of the female body (wider hips, narrower knees) are at potentially even greater risk. Physical therapist Diane Lee says it best in her statement, "You can't run to get fit. You need to be fit to run." Interval training can be done on any piece of equipment including the TRX Suspension Trainer. One of the most expeditious choices, in my opinion, is a dual action bike like the Schwinn AirDyne. The bike allows, in the words of performance expert Alwyn Cosgrove, "maximum metabolic disturbance with minimal muscular disruption." In other words, you can work really hard and not injure yourself on a stationary bike. Fit individuals can choose any mode they like. In my mind, the worst choice might be the elliptical trainers. Charles Staley, another noted training expert, has a concept I believe he calls the 180 Principle. Staley advocates doing exactly the opposite of what you see everyone else in the gym doing. I'm in agreement. Walking on a treadmill and using an elliptical trainer seem to be the two most popular modes of training in a gym. My conclusion, supported by Staley's 180 Principle, is that neither is of much use. Research continues to mount that interval training may improve fitness better than steady state work. The big key is not what to do any more but, how to do it. For maximum effect, get a heart rate monitor and go to work. One warning. Deconditioned clients may need three weeks to a month of steady work to get ready to do intervals. This is OK. Don't kill a beginner with interval training. Begin with a quality strength program and some steady state cardiovascular work. The only good use for steady state work in my mind is preparing an athlete or client for the intervals to come. Mike Boyle is co-owner and content editor for strengthcoach.com, one of the world’s leading resources for performance enhancement information. He is Strength and Conditioning Coach with the US Gold Medal Olympic Teams in Women’s Soccer and Women’s Hockey and also for the Ice Hockey team at Boston University. The author of Functional Training for Sports and Designing Strength Training Programs and Facilities, Mike has appeared in well as over 20 instructional DVDs. He currently owns and operates Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, one of the nation’s first and most successful private strength and conditioning companies.