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TRX Training

I love following the Kardashians on Snapchat. It’s such a fun guilty pleasure. Kourtney’s workout Snapchats are also SUPER motivational for me. Granted, they have a private trainer coming to their house every day… but it really does make me want to go to the gym and work a little harder. Whenever I’m doing squats, I joke that I hope I get a little more Kardashian-y as far as my butt is concerned. They’re also always using TRX straps in their workouts. We use them in my training class, and I have a love/hate relationship with them. They look pretty simple, but there are SO many ways to torture yourself with them, and you better believe our trainer comes up with new ways to feel the burn.

There are a million ways to use the TRX straps, and I’m going to show you a few of my favorite moves. You could take an entire class or full workout that only uses TRX, or you could incorporate some TRX moves throughout your regular workout. The great part is that you’re using your body weight for the exercise so you can tweak the move as you need to just by changing the angle of your body.

(While I’m showing you a few here, try looking at TRX’s official Youtube channel for inspiration and instruction… and #TRXTraining on Instagram for more ideas.)

TRX-Rows

ROWS | These are a great place to start if you’ve never done any TRX before. You can go for a deeper angle if you want to go a little harder or a slighter angle if you’re just starting out. Simply start with your legs out and lean back with your arms extended, pulling your chest into your hands.

One Arm Row

SINGLE ARM ROW | These aren’t easy, but the hardest part is just getting the handles correct. Put one handle through the top triangle of the other and then put it back through the triangle. (I’m having the hardest time explaining it, but this video shows it well.) Give it a tug before you lower your weight to make sure you have done it correctly– trust me, I’ve ended up on my butt for not doing it right haha! The trick for the single arm row is to think of it like turning a doorknob. Start with your arm extended, fist out parallel to the ground. As you pull yourself up, twist your fist perpendicular to the ground into your side.

TRX Squat Jumps

SQUAT JUMPS | There are a ton of different squats you can do with the TRX. On the one hand, it helps you stabilize a bit, but on the other hand, it does allow you to go for deeper squats too. Aka, you will feel the burn. For a jump squat, you hold the TRX handles, squat, and launch into a jump, landing back down (softly) into a squat.

Curtsy Squat TRX

CURTSY SQUAT | These are great! Hold the handles and squat with one leg as the other outstretches to the side, just like a curtsy. Kick it up a notch by bringing the leg back up, bent, to the other side as you stand up. After one set, repeat on the other leg.

Single Leg Squats on the TRX

SINGLE LEG SQUAT | I’m not the best at these squats, and my form is not great so don’t judge me for the photos! They’re hard! With one leg extended, squat and press back up. Do your best to keep that extended leg straight.

TRX

PIKE LIFTS | For these, you’ll lower the straps down and slip your feet into the handles. You can keep it simple by doing a plank (you can even go down onto your forearms for it). The plank alone is a challenge. For the lift, use your core to pull your feet in and butt up.

TRX Alligator Pull

ALLIGATOR PULLS | There are a few different “pulls” you can do. Like “Y” or “T” pulls. The alligator pulls are a challenge, but for the Florida Gators fans out there it should be a breeze 😉 Start with your arms out, one on top of the other, and as you pull yourself up extend the bottom arm down and the top arm up, just like a Gator “chomp.” Repeat with the other arm on top.

TRX Leg Curl

CRUNCH | Slip your heels into the handles with your legs extended and hips up. Pull your knees into your chest and then extend your feet back out. Repeat, keeping your hips up.

TRX Crunch

SIDE CRUNCHES | You can do these two different ways: on your back with your hips up (as shown below) or in a plank with your hands on the ground (as shown above). Instead of pulling your knees straight into your chest, pull your knees into one side, extend your legs back to the center, and then pull them into the other side.

TRX-Side-Crunch TRX Mountain Climber

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS | I normally don’t love the way mountain climbers feels on their own. I have to do something else to engage more muscle groups. Like putting my hands on an upside down Bosu ball or with my feet in the TRX. Keep both legs extended out in a plank and pull your feet in one at a time.

REVERSE MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS | You can also do a reverse mountain climber by flipping over onto your back. With your hips up, pull one knee into your chest, extend back out, and repeat with the other leg.

TRX Single Leg Curl

TRX Push Up

Photos by Courtney Ann Photography

PUSHUPS | This is just like a regular pushup, but instead of your hands being on the ground, they’re in the handles.

There are SO many ways you can use the TRX straps. Give it a try the next time you’re at the gym!

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22 Comments

Karen

I really appreciate how many moves you included for this! I’m going to save all the pictures and gifs and try them with my friend next time at the gym 🙂

Reply
carly

It LOOKS intimidating but it’s actually way more approachable than weights (in my opinion! You can make it as difficult or easy as you need!

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Samantha

I’m already on a fitness kick, but can’t get started until post-baby. I’ll definitely be bookmarking these workouts!

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Doloros

Carly,
I have nötiges that you look so much happier when you work out. Keep going on with this habit.
Lots of love from Germany
DVB

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Erin

Hey Carly!

I don’t use TRX often but I love to use them after a run! I’ll do lunges with them – one foot in the strap, the other on the ground, and lunge! If I’m feeling extra ambitious, I like to add some dumbbells 🙂

Def. going to incorporate some of these into my workouts!

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Hannah

One of the trainers at my Y convinced me to try these and he got me hooked! I don’t often strength train but I’m excited to add some new moves to my TRX file!

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Becky

My first-ever trainer was a TRX instructor, so she always had me doing about half of our sessions using the straps. I loved it! Thanks for the reminder to get back into the habit, I’ll have to start incorporating these moves back into my workouts.

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ELS

the KEY to proper maintaining proper form on TRX is to engage your core while you’re performing each move. if you’re not engaging your core, your form will falter and you will be more susceptible to injury. you want to set up for each exercise in a perfect plank position (even the arm exercises, obviously the squat is a different story), making sure to keep your back straight. proper form on TRX should NOT be ignored. it’s easy to modify the intensity of exercises on TRX once you’ve mastered form -moving closer to where the TRX is anchored will make the exercises more challenging.

TRX exercises can be very basic and easy to understand, but i would suggest newbies to suspension training try a class/session with a trainer to get used to the equipment rather than read this post.

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Ariana

The Kardashians’ snap stories always motivate me too, lol! And loved the gifs– so helpful in this post!

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Rachel P

I have also just started using TRX straps at my gym, but this post gave me some great new workout ideas! And the gifs were SUPER helpful!

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Ariana

This is so inspiring! I love the Gator chomp inclusion! To be completely honest, I really did not see the straps on the pike lifts and thought you were lifting your whole body with just your arms like that and I was like “HOW is she doing that?!” Haha!

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Allie D

I love TRX! I took a couple months off from my gym and TRX bootcamp, but this post made me excited to go back!

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