You won't find a runner, cyclist or bodybuilder that will deny that the TRX is one of the fitness industry's most handy inventions. With a suspension system, all you need is a door and a few feet of space to get a total-body at-home workout that'll leave even the strongest athletes a little shaky.
If you don't want to invest in a bunch of dumbbells or lack the space for a barbell and plates, the TRX is the way to go. It's never too late to buy a suspension system and give this 20-minute full-body workout, designed by K. Aleisha Fetters, CSCS, author of Fitness Hacks Over 50, a try.
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Buy Your Own TRX
- TRX Suspension Training: Home Gym in a Box ($169.95, Amazon.com)
Move 1: Single-Leg Squat with Row
- Begin holding each handle of the TRX, adjusting so that the handles are at about shoulder or chest height.
- Place your weight in your right leg and raise the left leg up and straight out in front of your body.
- Push the hips back and begin to bend the right leg, lowering your body toward the ground. As you lower, use the handles to stabilize your body as needed.
- Lower your squat until your glutes nearly touch the ground, maintaining a flat back, chest up.
- Push into your heel and reverse the motion, using handles to help r0w your body back to standing.
Reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
Tip
To make this full-body TRX exercise more difficult, use your legs as little as possible to bring your body back to standing, relying on the upper-body row, Fetters says. Or, if you want to modify, use more of your legs to return to standing. "A huge focus here should be lowering with control," she says.
Move 2: TRX Push-Up
- Lower the TRX handles until they're about a foot off the ground.
- Kneeling on your knees and facing away from the TRX, place the top of your feet across the handles.
- Then, come into a high plank, raising your knees off the ground, balancing with your feet in the TRX.
- Brace the core to keep your balance and bend your elbows at 45 degrees from the ribs, lowering your chest toward the ground.
- Once your chest hovers just above the floor, exhale and press into your palms, returning to the high plank.
Reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
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Move 3: TRX Glute Bridge to Hamstring Curl
- Start lying on the ground with the suspension handles hovering about a foot off the ground.
- Place your feet in the handles right across the bottom middle of your foot.
- With your upper body on the ground and arms at your sides, press your feet into the TRX and bridge your hips up toward the ceiling.
- Holding this bridge throughout the set, extend your legs out as far as possible.
- Then, use your hamstrings to bring the legs back toward the body.
Reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
Tip
If the hamstring curl feels too difficult, first strengthen your glutes by getting comfortable holding the bridge position. Then, extend the curl little by little until you get comfortable fully straightening your legs.
Move 4: TRX Pike to Plank
- Adjust the TRX handles until they're about a foot off the ground.
- Face away from the suspension system and place your feet in the handles, aligning the top of your mid-foot across the strap.
- Balancing your feet in the handles, come into a high plank, core braced and hands in line with your shoulders.
- On an exhale, press into your palms and raise your hips up toward the ceiling into a pike position.
- Pause for a moment and lower back to the plank with control.
Reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps