If you’ve ever heard your trainer talking about TRX and wondered what it meant, you’re in the right place! TRX stands for Total Body Resistance Exercise (why it’s not TBRE I don’t know – probably because TRX sounds cooler). Still, confusing acronyms aside, there’s a reason why your every fitness enthusiast swears by it; it’s dynamite for your wellness. Yes, the suspension training fitness craze is now in full swing, offering you hundreds of exercise options, and the freedom of portable gear – meaning that you can do it anywhere. The question remains, however, how exactly do you put your TRX to use in a way that actually enhances your wellbeing?
Luckily, we’ve got some amazing exercises for you to do using your TRX that will work your upper and lower body from multiple angles, target every muscle and replicate how you move in real life. Combined, these effects will help you to perform better and be less prone to injury, as well as helping you to become slimmer and stronger all over. Plus, the TRX helps you to improve your balance, work your core and even give your smaller stabilising muscles a good going over – is it any wonder why everyone’s obsessed? Try doing the following workout three times a week. If you’re a beginner to the TRX, you should move at a slow, controlled pace, doing two sets of each move for 30 seconds in order. However, if you’re familiar with the device you’ve got no excuses; perform three sets.
1. The TRX Push-Up: With your feet shoulder-width apart, stand facing away from the TRX, holding the handles at chest height in front of you – your arms should be extended and your palms facing the floor. With your body aligned from your head to your heels, shift your weight to the balls of your feet and bend your elbows. After this, push up to return to starting position.
2. The TRX High Curl: Again, stand facing away from the TRX, but this time with your feet hip-width apart. Leaning forward, grasp the handles in front of your face with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and your palms facing away from you. Extend your arms, and then you’re your elbows to return to starting position.
3. The TRX Lunge: With your left foot on both foot cradles (legs extended) and hands on your hips, you should be stood facing away from the TRX. Bend your knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor, rise up to the starting position and switch legs to complete the set.
4. The TRX Knee Drive: Facing the TRX, hold the handles high in front of you with your palms facing each other. Bending your left knee 90 degrees, shift your weight to the right leg, and then bend your right knee. As you lift left knee to hip height in front of you and bend your elbows, rise up onto ball of your right foot, pulling the handles towards your chest. Return to the starting position and switch sides to complete the set.
5. The TRX Hamstring Pull-In: For this one, you need to lie face up with your heels in the TRX’s foot cradles, your legs extended and your arms straight out to sides – palms down – in a “T.” Lift your hips to align your body from shoulders to heels, then bend your knees while pulling the handles toward you. Extend your legs to return to the starting position.
6. The TRX Inverted Row: Lying face up under the TRX with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, hold the handles over your chest and extend your arms with your palms facing each other. Bend your elbows and pull your torso up until your body is aligned from shoulders to knees. Extend your arms to return to the starting position.