You have seen those black and yellow straps hanging up in gyms, parks, boxes, doors and not sure what to really do with it. What you are looking at is portable, small yet highly effective tool called TRX. Built by a Navy Seal who wanted to stay in top shape even while in close quarters and only using his own body weight this was developed. What makes Suspension Training unique as a modern system of bodyweight exercise us the systematic match up of old and new that has been brought together and formalized into a single cutting edge training methodology. This is the first performance product designed to facilitate an enormous range of body weight training movements for your entire body. This beats the odds through countless years of improvements and testing of exercise techniques that can be done anywhere, anytime and by anyone.

These training movements are built off of traditional exercises yet different in that either the user’s hands or feet are generally supported by a single anchor while the opposite end is usually in contact with the ground. With TRX the desired percentage of body weight is loaded onto the targeted muscle groups and brought to life as an exercise movement. TRX’s single point attachment allows the ideal mix of support and freedom to train strength, endurance, balance, coordination, flexibility, and power and core stability all at once and across a wide range of intensity. Exercises on the TRX utilizes gravity and movement to generate neuromuscular responses to changes in body position and mechanical advantage (Vector Principle). Movements using the TRX integrate strength and balance into a single dynamic format that taxes the nervous system at a high level and maxims the benefits of bodyweight exercises for faster results. Here is a breakdown of my top 10 exercises.

I’ve broken these down into a flow type pattern of warm-up, full body workout focusing on fat loss, core strength, and athletic performance.

1. TRX Hip Hinge (Wide Stance)

Adjustment: Mid Length, Position : Stand Facing Anchor

Start: Extend arms, legs wider than shoulder width apart.
Movement: Press down with even pressure on the handles, hinge forward from the hips, keeping your back straight.
Return: Press on handles, return to standing with tall torso.

2. TRX Golf Rotation (Single Arm)

Adjustment: Mid Length, Position: Stand Facing Anchor

Start: Extend arms, hands at hip level, hips and knees bent, eyes focused on ground or top of hands.
Movement: Press down on both handles, rotate shoulder, reach up and back with one arm, eyes stay focused on bottom hand.
Return: Lower top arm back to center, lift chest, keep tension on TRX

3. TRX Squat

Adjustment: Mid Length, Position: Stand Facing

Start: Stack elbows under shoulders, feet hip width apart
Movement: Lower hips down and back, weight in heels, keep eyes on anchor
Return: Drive through heels, squeeze glutes, lift chest

4. TRX Single Arm Row

Adjustment: Length Short, Position: Stand Facing, Single Handle Mode.

Start: Pull shoulders down and back, bend elbow, hand beside chest, walk feet toward anchor point until there is a squeeze (tension) in the back.
Movement: Lower body down until arm fully extended, maintain plank
Return: Pull body toward anchor point by driving elbow back beside body

5. TRX Chest Press

Adjustment: Fully Lengthened, Position: Stand Facing Away

Start: Extend arms in front of shoulders, choose appropriate foot position ( Strength/wide, Stability/close).
Movement: Maintain plank, lower body by bending almost to 90 degrees, squeeze glutes.
Return: Drive through palms while squeezing chest, maintain plank.

6. TRX Standing Roll-out

Adjustment: Mid Length, Position: Stand Facing Away

Start: Extend arms in front of shoulders, choose appropriate foot stance (wide/more stable), (narrow/less stable).
Movement: Maintain plank, lean forward and let arms move upward to appropriate level. This is gaged off of your shoulder stability and mobility.
Return: Drive through palms, shoulders away from ears, maintain plank.

7. Suspended Lunge

Adjustment: Length Mid Calf, Position : Stand Facing Away, Single Handle Mode.

Start: Place one foot in the foot cradles, center your body with the anchor point, shoulders over hips.
Movement: Drive suspended knee back, lower hips until back knee is two inches from the ground, front knee at 90 degree angle.
Return: Drive through heel of grounded leg, squeeze glutes, lift chest, keeping eyes forward.

8. TRX Plank

Adjustment: Length Mid Calf, Position: Ground Facing Away

Start: On hands and knees, engage core.
Movement: Lift body to plank position (either on hands or forearm) stack elbows under shoulders. Keep back flat.
Return: Lower knees to ground.

9. TRX Hamstring Curl

Adjustment: Length Mid Calf, Position: Ground Facing Up.

Start: Feet under anchor point, lift hips, engage core
Movement: Pull toes toward body, drive heels down, pull knees over hips.
Return: Extend legs back toward anchor point, knees slightly bent at full extension.

10. TRX Atomic Oblique Push-up

Adjustment: Length Mid Calf, Position: Ground Facing Away

Start: On hands and knees, engage core, lift body into a hand plank position
Movement: Lower body down, bend elbows to 90 degrees.
Return: Drive through palms, lift hips slightly, and bring knees toward one elbow. Return back to the plank base position and repeat on opposite side.

Endurance: Complete each exercise for 1 minute work, 30 seconds rest.
Metabolic: Complete each exercise for 30 seconds work, 15-30 seconds rest.
Shoot for 4-5 rounds.