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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. 

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." TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ 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? 

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.

  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.  TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ 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. 

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. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ   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. TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® HOME2 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® TACTICAL GYM BUY NOW   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.”

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. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ 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:   TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® HOME2 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® TACTICAL GYM BUY NOW

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. 

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. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ 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!

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.