From hard core athletes to traveling executives to the busy stay at home mom, the portability and versatility make the TRX one of the best fitness gadgets invented for a time-effective workout.
Exercising with a TRX provides a more comprehensive and beneficial strength workout than you can get using dumbbells or machines by utilizing gravity and the user's body weight when exercising for a total body workout.
Here is a sampling of some of the many exercises that can be done utilizing the TRX.
TRX Squat
Face the system, stand with the handles at mid chest, arms are tight to your sides and elbows are bent. Position feet approximately shoulder width apart. Contract your abs and keep them tight as you bend the knees and slowly squat. Sit back and down like you're sitting into an imaginary chair, keeping your back straight and knees pointed in the same direction and in line with your toes. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are over your ankles. Keep your body tight and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position.
TRX Standing Low Back Extension
Lengthen the straps all the way. Face the system. Straighten your arms so they are directly over your head. Make sure you are reaching high and keeping your body in perfect alignment. Bow forward from your hips and drop hips back, bending at the hips to 90 degrees and keep arms next to ears. Keep your back straight. The bend comes from the hips and the hips go as low as they can go. Using your low back and glutes, press your hips forward and lift hands back overhead to return to the start position.
TRX Crunch
Kneel with your back to the system, and place toes into the foot cradles. Get into a pushup position with your hands on the floor directly under your shoulders. Keeping your abdomen tight, lift your hips and bring your knees as close to your chest as possible. You should be in straight line from shoulders to heels. Don't allow your back to sag. To make this exercise easier, this can also be done from your elbows like a forearm plank.
TRX Hamstring Curl
Sit down and face the system, put your heels in the straps. Lie down, and keep your head, shoulders and arms on the ground. Engage your core and glutes to lift hips off of the ground so your body is straight and completely aligned. Keep your feet flexed. Pull your heels under your body toward your glutes in a leg curl motion. Return to start with control keeping hips lifted. To make it more difficult, lift hands from floor.
Maria Faires, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist and freelance writer based out of Sammamish, WA. Maria is considered to be one of Western Washington's premier fitness and nutrition experts. As the owner of Active Nutrition Fitness & Consulting, Maria provides highly personalized nutrition services, personal training and preventative and post-rehabilitative fitness programming in her private training studio. She also provides Skype, phone and online nutrition counseling and training for remote clients. Maria leads the industry in the development of cutting edge fitness and nutrition techniques as well as innovative and unique fitness programming. Maria expertly designs every workout, nutrition plan and provides the personal attention, extra motivation, support and accountability that helps her clients achieve optimal performance and health. Contact or read more about Maria at www.myactivenutrition.com.
