Last Updated: 9/22/24
TRX Suspension Trainers are an effective tool for a wide variety of populations. It combines body-weight resistance training with multi-planar movement patterns to stimulate improvements in core stability, strength, flexibility, and balance.
Whether you are an active aging adult or youth athlete, read on to learn more about how the TRX can support your fitness goals.
The TRX is unparalleled when it comes to the following three training concepts:
- Core training. Your center of gravity is located just above your hips along the midline of your body. TRX training is designed to intentionally displace your center of gravity, activating your core musculature during every exercise to help stabilize and balance the body.
- Pulling exercises. TRX pulling exercises allow you to train all of the muscles involved with pulling (back, biceps, shoulders, traps, forearms, glutes and hamstrings) at once, so you’re working your entire posterior chain. For example, while a standard seated row engages the muscles in your back, a TRX row engages your entire body to maintain form during the row.
- Unilateral training. Many injuries are due to muscular imbalances. Unilateral training (single arm or leg) is important to help identify and strengthen muscular imbalances and/or weakness. In addition to intelligent corrective exercise, a simple way to avoid muscular imbalance is to perform unilateral training.
The TRX is also a great tool for movement prep, recovery and regeneration, and flexibility training. The structural freedom of the TRX allows us to train whether at home, on vacation or traveling for work.
All populations can use the TRX because it is simple to scale the intensity of any exercise appropriately. When training with the TRX, remember the following pointers:
- Modify your body angle: By changing your body angle, you can increase or decrease the intensity of an exercise. Creating a steeper body angle will increase the challenge and vice versa.
- Change your base of support: Widen or offset your stance to decrease the difficulty. A single leg or narrow stance will increase the difficulty.
- Maintain tension: Keep the TRX straps tight at each endpoint of the exercise to ensure the exercise is performed safely and effectively.
Have fun with the TRX and explore new ways to incorporate it into your fitness routine. Talk with our trainers about how the TRX is currently being used in your program and how you can benefit from it.
