Have you ever felt intimidated by the TRX bands in the gym? If you’ve never been shown how to set up and use them, it can be hard to know where to start and what to do. I’d like to use them but I give them a wide berth—when I see them I draw a blank.

Luckily, master trainer at The Gym Group, Jenni Tardiff talked me through using TRX bands—the best-known brand of suspension trainers—and gave me four simple exercises to try.

It’s quite natural to be wary of unfamiliar gym equipment. This is partly what “gymtimidation”—feeling nervous about working out in a gym environment—is about. It includes worries about being judged, not being fit enough, not knowing what to do, how to use the equipment or what to wear, and being afraid to ask questions.

“Not all gyms have TRX bands and it’s not a common piece of equipment compared with dumbbells, so it’s normal to feel unsure and they can seem scarier,” says Tardiff. “With the right guidance and practice, the TRX can be a useful and versatile addition to your fitness routine.

“TRX can provide a full-body workout, improve stability and core strength, and it’s adaptable for any fitness level.”

Four Simple Exercises Using TRX Bands

1 TRX row

Adjust the bands to mid-length—about waist height— and stand facing the anchor point with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold the handles and lean back—the further forward you position your feet the more challenging it will be. Lengthening the bands will also make the move more challenging.

Pull your body towards the handles, using your back muscles. Keep your elbows close to your sides and pause at the top before lowering yourself slowly with control. Keep your body in a straight line and your core engaged.

2 Pistol squat

Adjust the bands to mid-calf length or a little higher if you don’t have the range to squat low. Face the anchor point, hold the handles and extend one leg in front of you. Lower your body into a squat position, keeping your extended leg off the floor. Push through your heel to return to the starting position. When you’ve completed your reps, switch to the other side.  

3 Half-range pull-up

Adjust the bands to mid-length or slightly higher. Stand facing the anchor point with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold the handles and bend your knees so you are almost sitting on the floor. Lean back with your elbows slightly bent. Using your back muscles, pull your chest towards the handles. Pause at the top, then lower yourself back down slowly and with control.

4 Plank to pike

Adjust the bands to mid-calf length. Place your feet in the handles and adopt a high plank position with your arms extended, hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line. Engage your core and lift your hips towards the ceiling, forming an inverted V. Return to the high plank position under control.

Once you’ve mastered these moves, expand your repertoire by working your way through this list of the best TRX exercises, reaping the many benefits of this often-overlooked piece of equipment. Dig into our TRX coverage and you’ll find plenty of workout routines as well.

TRX bands are a great addition to a home gym too, because they don’t take up much space. “I love that you can use them pretty much anywhere,” says Tardiff. “So if the sun is shining and you feel like working out in the park, you just need to find a spot to hook it up,” like a sturdy tree branch or pull-up bar in a park gym. Our guide to the best suspension trainers will help you choose some bands to use outside of the gym.

A lot of people assume that the only way to build muscle is by lifting weights. Not true, you can build muscle with bodyweight training… up to a point. If you reach that point and are facing the cost of a gym membership or pair of adjustable dumbbells and can’t justify the expense, a suspension trainer like a TRX—one of the most well-known, if not necessarily the best suspension trainer—can dramatically increase the challenge of bodyweight exercises and help you to continue building muscle.

And even if you have access to a well-appointed weights room, it’s worth using a suspension trainer from time to time. Suspension trainers also improve your balance and core strength, because your body must compensate for the instability introduced into each move. 

For a great introduction to the TRX, try this four-move workout created by personal trainer Niko Algieri. “The TRX suspension trainer, for me, is the best training tool on the planet because one piece of equipment can train every muscle in your body, and exercises can be regressed and progressed depending on your fitness and strength level,” says Algieri. “Because one part of your body is constantly suspended on the straps, every movement develops core strength.”

Once you’ve tried the workout, you can discover more with the Coach guides Algieri has contributed to, including the best TRX exercises and an introduction to TRX training.

How To Do This Suspension Trainer Workout

This routine will raise your heart rate while challenging your strength and it only takes around 20 minutes. Complete four to six rounds of the workout, depending on how experienced you are, and switch sides for the unilateral leg exercises every round. Aim for the higher end of the rep range if you’re confident with TRX, or stick to the lower end if you’re a beginner. 

Algieri has also dictated the tempo, or speed, each exercise should be performed at. Our guide to tempo training with weights explains how to read the four-digit number, but in brief: the first number is the time in seconds taken to lower, while the third number is the time in seconds to complete the lift.

1 TRX lunge

Reps 10-15 Tempo 2020

With the straps set to the long length, place the top of your right foot in both cradles. Stand and raise your right knee to hip height and raise your left arm to help you balance. Move your right knee behind you and bend your left knee to 90° to lower, bringing your right arm up to help you balance. Think about traveling down and up rather than forward and backward. Drive through your left foot, bringing your right knee and left arm up to return to standing.

2 TRX chest press

Reps 10-15 Tempo 3030

Keeping the strap length long, hold a handle in each hand and face away from the anchor point.  Extend your arms and lean forward, walking your feet backward to create more resistance if you wish. Keep the straps just over your arms and keep your wrists straight. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes, then bend your elbows to lower your chest to your fists. Extend your arms to return to the start. 

3 TRX row

Reps 10-15 Tempo 2010

Shorten the straps by pulling the yellow tabs all the way to the top, face the anchor and hold the handles with your palms facing. Lean back,  straighten your arms and walk your feet toward the anchor to create more resistance. Bend your elbows to pull up so your chest goes between your hands, ending with your elbows tight to your sides. Squeeze your shoulder blades, then extend your arms to return to the start. Take one second for the first part of the movement—the lift—and two seconds to lower to the start.

4 TRX burpee

Reps 10-15 Tempo N/A

With the straps set to the long length, place the top of your right foot in both cradles and both hands on the floor in front of your feet. From there, jump your left foot back to get into a high plank position, then lower your chest to the floor. Push up and as you lift your hips, jump your left foot forward. Stand up and jump, driving your right knee through in front of you. Repeat at pace.

If you’re hitting the gym to work on your core strength and ignoring the TRX trainer, you’re missing a trick. Performing a variation of any exercise on a suspension trainer significantly ramps up the challenge to your core, because you’ll be working harder than normal to maintain good form and keep your body stable during the movement.

“For my money, TRX training gives the best core workout on the planet – unless you’re an elite gymnast,” says TRX Training Club coach Niko Algieri.

“It’s compound, it’s all about control and it’s always dynamic. The difficulty of exercises on a TRX can also be scaled up or down according to ability.”

To help show off the benefits of TRX training we asked Algieri for his favourite core exercises you can do with a suspension trainer, as well as the best upper-body and lower-body moves. If you try any of these upper-body moves you’ll instantly feel how – even though you might be primarily targeting your chest, shoulders or arms – you’re also working your core hard.

While mastering these moves will take some time and we have lots more TRX workouts, we can’t match the number of on-demand guided sessions on the TRX Training Club app (App Store and Google Play) and website. The real difference, however, is that the TRX Training Club runs a schedule of live classes with a two-way Zoom-esque video feed so the trainer can check your form. The trainer may even be Algieri (say hi from us!). There’s currently a 30-day free trial available – it’s £19.99 a month afterwards.

The Best Lower-Body TRX Exercises

Jump squat

Sets 3-4 Reps 10-15

“Using the mid-length straps, stand with your feet just wider than hip-width apart and your elbows level with your rib cage,” says Algieri. “Lower into a squat until your hip crease is just below knee level, then drive upwards jumping off the floor by extending through your ankles, knees and hips simultaneously. Land smoothly, go into the squat position and repeat.”

Single-leg glute bridge

Sets 3 each side Reps 10-15

“Either with the TRX in single-hand mode or using one long strap, lie on the floor with your head under the anchor point,” says Algieri. “Load one heel into the long strap’s foot cradle with your foot flexed. Bend that knee at 90° with your arms by your sides. Lift the free leg and keep it straight and vertical. Drive your heel into the cradle, maintaining the 90° bend in your knee, extending fully at the hips to rise. Lower back to the floor.”

Alternating hamstring curl

Sets 3-4 Reps 20 

“Use the long strap length,” says Algieri. “Lie on the floor facing the anchor point. Load both heels into the cradles. With your arms by your sides, lift your hips off the floor. Draw one knee towards your chest, keeping the other leg fully extended. At a controlled pace, exchange the leg positions, always making sure to flex and extend fully.”

Advanced hamstring curl

Sets 3 Reps 10-15 

“Use the long strap length and lie on the floor facing the anchor point,” says Algieri. “Load both heels into the cradles and lift your hips off the floor. Start the movement by drawing your heels towards your glutes without breaking at your hips. The movement is effectively a moving plank from the knees. Lower without your hips breaking and without touching the floor.”

Suspended lunge

Sets 3 each side Reps 10-15 

“Use the long strap length,” says Algieri. “Face away from your anchor point with your right foot in both foot cradles behind you. Hop your left foot forwards. Lower your rear knee to the floor, bending both knees at 90°and raising both arms to shoulder height. Drive through the left leg to stand up and return to the starting position, lowering both arms to your sides.”

Runner’s lunge

Sets 3 each side Reps 10-15

“Use the long strap length,” says Algieri. “Stand facing away from your anchor point with your right foot in both foot cradles behind you. Hop your left foot forwards. Bring your right knee up as well as your left arm to mimic a running position. Lower your right knee to the floor behind you, bending both knees at 90° while raising your right arm and lowering your left. Drive through your left foot to stand up and return to the starting position.”

Ski jump lunge

Sets 3 each side Reps 10-15 

“Use the long strap length,” says Algieri. “Stand facing away from your anchor point with your right foot in both foot cradles behind you. Hop your left foot forwards. Lower your rear knee to the floor, bending both knees at 90° and lifting your hands up towards your head. Drive through your left leg to explode off the floor, driving your arms backwards to mimic a ski jumper. Land and move smoothly into the next lunge.”

Jump lunge

Sets 3 each side Reps 10-15

“Using the long strap length, stand facing away from the anchor with your right foot in both foot cradles behind you,” says Algieri. “Hop your left foot forwards. Bring your right knee up as well as your left arm to mimic a running position. Lower your rear knee to the floor, bending both knees at 90°, raising your right arm and lowering your left. Drive powerfully through your left leg to jump upwards while simultaneously driving your right knee through and upwards to gain more height in the jump. As the right knee drives through, drive your left arm up to gain more power and height. Land softly and smoothly move into the next jump lunge.”

The Best Upper-Body TRX Exercises

The beauty of the TRX is that even when an exercise focuses on your upper body, it still recruits your core, glutes and legs to keep your body stable. Plus, the instability of the straps and handles increases the benefits to the muscles you’re targeting.

“If you’re doing a floor press-up things are fairly stable,” says Algieri. “On a TRX you have to stabilise your shoulder blades, shoulders, arms and wrists to safely lower your pecs in line with your chest. This leads to far more muscle fibre contraction in the chest.”

Algieri recommends using the TRX to supplement the work you do on your upper body, running through the following exercises twice a week.

“Try 12 reps and four sets per exercise with only 45 seconds rest in between,” says Algieri.

Press-up

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 45sec

“Facing away from the anchor point, hold the handles with your arms straight,” says Algieri. “Keeping the straps tight and touching your shoulders, move your feet backwards so you are leaning into the handles. Your feet should be hip-width apart. Straighten your wrists like a punch and maintain this throughout. Keep your body straight and engage your core, tuck your tailbone in, and stand on your tiptoes.

“Open your arms to just a little more than shoulder-width apart and bend your elbows to lower yourself slowly until your chest is in line with your fists. Push away from the handles until your arms are straight. Don’t hunch your shoulders.

“At Equilibrium we encourage the straps being in contact with your arms all the way down. It scrapes a little but it’s safe. Moving your feet backwards makes it harder and forwards makes it easier.”

Inverted row

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 45sec

“Face the anchor and hold the handles,” says Algieri. “Lean back, keeping your arms straight and your palms facing each other with your feet hip-width apart. Move your feet forwards to make it harder or backwards to make it easier.

“Keeping your body straight, pull your chest through your hands, moving your elbows backwards and squeezing your shoulder blades behind you. Keep your arms and hands close to your ribcage throughout. Then lower yourself slowly back to the start.”

Y-raise

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 45sec

“Face the anchor and hold the handles,” says Algieri. “Lean back, keeping your arms straight and your palms facing down with your feet hip-width apart. Moving your feet forwards makes it harder and backwards makes it easier.

“Keeping your body straight and core engaged, lift your arms to the sides to bring your body forwards until your trunk and arms form a Y shape. Keep your elbows and wrists straight throughout or you will lose the resistance on the shoulders. Then slowly lower back to the starting position. Keep your glutes engaged and avoid hunching your shoulders.”

Power pull

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 45sec

“Face the anchor and stand with your knees slightly bent and your feet wider than shoulder-width apart to provide a strong base,” says Algieri. “Hold one handle close to your chest with your right hand and rotate your trunk and head to the right. Extend your left arm in front of you so it’s parallel to the strap. You should look like an archer with a bow and arrow.

“Move your feet forwards to create resistance, then lower under control by slowly extending the right arm. As you do this, rotate your body to the left, finishing with your trunk and head facing left, and bend your left arm, keeping it close to the body. Then extend it at the end of the move so it reaches towards the floor and forms a straight line with your right arm. Reverse the move by pulling with your right arm, bending your left arm as it comes past the body. Do all the reps on one arm, then switch sides.”

Biceps curl

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 45sec

“Face the anchor and hold the handles,” says Algieri. “Lean back, keeping your arms straight with your palms facing up and your feet hip-width apart. Moving your feet forwards makes it harder and backwards makes it easier.

“Maintaining a straight body and with your core engaged, pull your hands to your temples to create the curl motion. Your elbows should never lower or lift, but stay in line with your shoulders. Extend your arms to lower back to the start position.”

Triceps extension

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 45sec

“Facing away from the anchor, hold the handles with straight arms and your palms facing down and stand on your tiptoes,” says Algieri. “Your feet should be hip-width apart and your hands should be level with your forehead. Don’t move where your hands are during the entire movement. Moving your feet backwards makes the exercise harder and forwards makes it easier.

“Keeping your body straight, bend your elbows until your fists are next to your temples. Then push away from the handles, using your triceps to extend your arm. Keep your glutes engaged throughout and don’t hunch your shoulders.”

The Best TRX Exercises For Your Core

“You can do either elbow or straight-arm versions of the exercises – the former will provide a little respite for the wrists if you feel pain there,” says Algieri. “Funnily enough, with some of the movements, the elbow version is actually more difficult because it reduces the shoulders’ range.”

Plank

Sets 3 Time 60sec Rest 45sec

“Basic and hugely underrated,” says Algieri. “Learning a correct elbow or straight-arm plank will transfer good form to all your movements.”

“At Equilibrium we don’t hold the neutral Pilates-style plank. We tuck our tailbones, push the floor away and spread the shoulder blades, giving an almost rounded back look. Make sure your hands or elbows are shoulder-width apart.”

Pike

Sets 3 Time 60sec Rest 45sec

“Starting from the plank position on either your elbows or hands, simultaneously move your shoulders, hips and legs to lift your bum over the top of your head, and then lower back to a neutral position,” says Algieri. “Breathe out as you lift and breathe in as you lower.”

Knee tuck

Sets 3-4 Reps 15 Rest 45sec

“Generally, most people get on a TRX and perform what looks like a shit squat thrust when they try this,” says Algieri. “It becomes less of a core movement and more of hip flexor contraction. We want more muscle engagement throughout the exercise.

“Mimic the pike movement and as your hips are lifting bend your knees in. Focus on not losing your back position. Only bring the knees in level with your hips – that’s enough for a strong core contraction while maintaining a dynamic plank.”

Side plank

Sets 3 Time 30sec each side Rest 0sec

“Balancing on your elbow makes this easier because it provides more of a stable base,” says Algieri. “The classic mistake here is not stacking the shoulders. If you look at our beautiful model, his shoulders are line.

“The control of the movement should be in the shoulders and core, with the focus on the obliques. Try to swap sides without dropping – point your toes to spin in the TRX straps.”

Press-up to pike or knee tuck

Sets 3-4 Reps 15 Rest 45sec

“This is the daddy of compound core movements,” says Algieri. “It works the entire body.

“Move your hands into a press-up position and engage a plank. Then lower into a chest-to-floor press-up without losing your core position. Then push back up and as you reach plank height go straight into a pike or knee tuck.”

Gymnastic swing

Sets 4 Reps 20-30 Rest 60sec

“These are fun and challenging as hell,” says Algieri. “It torches the abdominal wall with an Anchorman-esque deep burn.

“What’s key here is not breaking the hips and swinging your legs around like a fish flapping. The whole swing movement is controlled through your hands and shoulders. Once you’ve got this cracked you can then start turning your hips to the corresponding side and knee tucking. Watch the video for variations on the move.”

If you’ve visited a gym in the past couple of years you will almost certainly have come across a set of ropes with handles dangling from the ceiling. Most of us will have walked straight on by, unsure of what exactly to do with those ropes and fearful of making a fool of ourselves by attempting to use them.

However, once you do give suspension training a try you quickly realise that not only is it fairly simple to understand, it’s a very good option for improving your fitness in a variety of ways. It’s primarily a type of strength training, with the constant instability created by the ropes constantly challenging muscles all over the body, but you can also use a suspension trainer for yoga or Pilates, and even HIIT sessions.

Assuming you have a sturdy ceiling, door or bar to hang it from, a suspension trainer makes for a great home workout option too. If you’re looking to purchase your own you might immediately think of a TRX training system because TRX has become synonymous with suspension training. However, TRX is not the only option available and it’s certainly not the cheapest, though you do have to be wary of quality when putting your entire bodyweight in the hands of ropes suspended from your ceiling.

Here are some of the best suspension trainers to consider.

Best Suspension Trainers

TRX is the biggest name in suspension training and if you’ve used a set of ropes in the gym, the chances are it was one of TRX’s distinctive yellow-and-black sets. If you want to bring that experience home with you then this entry-level set is a great option. The Move System will cover pretty much all bases with a set of ropes, a door anchor, a general anchor and a mesh bag.

Buy from TRX | £79.95

This suspension trainer is such a bargain it immediately draws our suspicions, but Domyos tested it with a 234g load on every part of the system to ensure its durability for home use, which gives you more than 100kg of leeway above the suggested max user weight of 130kg. The simple kit consists of two straps, one with handles for you to exercise with and another to anchor it in a variety of ways. There is also a guide included with 15 exercises to try.

Buy from Decathlon | £14.99

The KO8 trainer has a few more tricks up its sleeve than other suspension systems, namely the resistance bands it comes with, which can be attached to the handles. These can be adjusted to add between 12kg and 72kg of resistance, and enable you to use the KO8 for more exercises than a standard suspension trainer allows. You can also use it as a standard trainer, of course, and the KO8 comes with extensive guidance on exercises and workouts, so you’re never short of training ideas.

Buy from BLX BOX | £162

See related 

• Suspension Training: Build Muscle And Functional Fitness With These Workouts
• The Beginner’s Guide To TRX Training
• The Best TRX Exercises

Auster allows you to customise your suspension training set, with parts like rings, straps, mounts and parallettes all sold separately. You can also buy pre-assembled kits like the Auster Everyday, which contains two anchors for indoor and outdoor use, and two heavy-duty straps, along with a carry bag. Auster’s suspension trainer comes in a variety of colours so you can match it up with your decor, just in case that’s the only thing stopping you from investing in a suspension trainer. And if you’re stuck for ideas on what to do with your kit, there are video exercise guides on the Auster website, along with videos showing you how to set up the straps.

Buy from Auster | £170

If you fancy yourself a pro on the ropes then you want the best kit possible for your home training, and that means shelling out the big bucks for this set from TRX. The componentry gets an upgrade – textured rubber handles with an anti-microbrial treatment over foam ones, for instance – and there are three anchors so that you can set up more or less anywhere. There’s also a seven-day trial of the TRX Training Club, which includes live classes where the trainer can check your form.

Buy from TRX | £199.95

There’s a lot to love about the TRX, the most well-known brand of suspension trainer. The first is that virtually any exercise you do on these straps can be made easier or harder simply by moving closer or further away from the anchor. The second is that you can set them up in both the most mundane of places, like your bedroom door, as well as more exotic places like the beach, so you can work out with a bracing sea breeze. The third is that the whole caboodle is fit-in-a-drawer small. The thing we love most, however, is that by adding instability to well-known moves, you’re always giving your core a good going-over.

That’s why we’ll be rifling through our drawers until we find the one we stored our TRX in, to run through these five full-body exercises, recommended by Charlotte Tooth, senior course instructor for TRX UK. To turn the moves into a workout, throw them together into a circuit. Split a minute between work and rest periods for each exercise, depending on your fitness level, doing as many rounds as you wish.

1 TRX Squat

Targets: thighs and glutes

Set the straps to hip height and stand facing your anchor point, feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, elbows bent and in line with your ribs. Sit back and down as if you are sitting on an invisible chair, bending at the ankles, knees and hips. Push your knees out to keep them over your toes and keep your back straight. Push back up to standing by straightening your legs and squeezing your glutes.

Tooth says: “Try not to lean away from the straps too much. Your weight should be in the front/middle of the foot so your legs do more work than your arms.”

2 TRX Arabesque

Targets: hamstrings and glutes

Set the straps to hip height and stand facing your anchor point, holding the handles, elbows bent in line with your ribs. Lift your left knee into your chest, then hinge forward from your hips and kick your left leg out behind you. As you tip forwards, reach your arms forwards and press down into the handles to activate your back and core muscles. Keep your standing knee slightly bent. Return to standing the way you came, pulling your left knee to your chest. Complete all the reps on one side, then switch.

Tooth says: “Slightly turn out your lifted leg for more activation in the sides of your glutes. You’re looking to feel a stretch in the back of your standing leg as you hinge forwards.”

3 TRX pike

Targets: core, shoulders and back

Set the straps to calf height and, facing away from the anchor point, place your toes in the foot cradles. Place your hands under your shoulders and lift up to a strong plank position. Make sure your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels, and that your feet are flexed and pushing into the straps. Begin to hinge at the hips, raising your bum as you look back at your ankles. Keep your arms straight the whole time. Slowly lower back to a plank position, gazing at your fingertips.

Tooth says: “Think of pushing your armpits back towards your thighs as you pike, so you don’t end up leaning too far forwards! Maintain an active plank so you don’t lose your form.”

See related 

• The Best TRX Exercises
• A Quick-Fire Full-Body TRX Circuit
• The Beginner’s Guide To TRX Training

4 TRX suspended lunge

Targets: thighs, glutes and core

Set the straps to calf height and stand facing away from the anchor point with your right foot hooked into both foot cradles. Hop forwards a little so there’s some tension in the straps. Keeping your weight over your left leg, begin to bend both knees and lightly tap your right knee on the floor behind you. Press hard into your left heel to bring yourself back up to standing, pulling your right knee forwards as you stand. Mirror the movement of your raised leg with your opposite arm to help you balance. Complete all the reps on one side, then switch.

Tooth says: “Keep your weight forwards by leaning slightly over the front leg, as if you were looking over a cliff. If you struggle with balance, have a chair nearby.”

5 TRX Y-raise

Targets: shoulders, back and core

Lengthen the straps as far as they go and, facing the anchor point, stand on the balls of your feet, holding the handles with your arms extended and overhead, forming a Y shape. Lower your arms slowly in front of you, directly in line with your shoulders, bringing your feet to flat. Keep tension in the straps the whole time. Return to the Y shape by pulling your arms back above your head, ensuring you keep your arms straight. Your body will move backwards and forwards, controlled by the movement of your arms.

Tooth says: “Keep those elbows straight! If you are tempted to bend them, you may have made the exercise too heavy. Move back an inch or two to make it easier. Straight arms keeps the work in the shoulders!”

Buy TRX Home 2 | £179.95

Suspension trainers are fantastic pieces of home fitness equipment. They can be used to achieve pretty much every fitness goal (bar the most sleeve-bursting muscle-building ones), and because of their inherent instability they’ll work your core even if you’re just knocking out set after set of biceps curls and triceps extensions.

The kit can also be set up virtually anywhere, with door anchors the most convenient option, and the straps can be wrapped up and everything stored in a drawer, so you don’t have to permanently give over a room or even a corner to your exercise habit.

The danger is, though, that because it fits in a drawer it’ll be left there and forgotten. Maybe you decided the format wasn’t for you – or perhaps you just ran out of workout inspiration when left to your own devices.

Good news, then: TRX, the brand synonymous with suspension trainers, offers a year’s subscription to its app with new purchases. This offers plenty of options itself – and it’s also recently launched TRX Live with PTs leading 50-minute sessions on Zoom.

The workouts are led by experienced trainers, some formerly of boutique London gym Equilibrium – including co-founder Niko Algieri, who shared this beginner’s TRX guide with Coach and recommended these top TRX exercises.

The class schedule runs Monday to Saturday, rotating through lower-body and core, upper-body and core, and total body every three days. Two morning sessions are held daily at 7am and 10am (UK time), with an evening 6pm session every Thursday. Classes cost £10 and you’ll be emailed the Zoom link once you’ve booked.

We took a Monday 10am class and it didn’t take long to see the advantage of having a trainer keeping an eye on you. While there’s a cap of 30 places, in our class there were fewer than 10. The trainer chatted with me beforehand about my level and, knowing I was new to the class, kept a close eye on my form, gave more detailed explanations than she would have needed to otherwise and offered easier alternatives at some points. She clearly knew her class and that kind of relationship can make all the difference if you want to improve your fitness and stay interested over the long winter ahead.

And there’s no doubt it will improve your fitness, especially if you take each type of class every week.

Book a TRX Live class | £10

If you invested in a suspension trainer during the COVID-19 lockdown then congratulations, you’ve picked up one of the most versatile bits of home fitness equipment you can get. Suspension trainers allow you to increase the difficulty of moves as your fitness improves and they can be incorporated into a variety of workouts, including HIIT and Pilates sessions.

This TRX workout will develop your strength and has been put together by Ria Gandhi, a personal trainer at Core Collective, a chain of three studios in London that offers group TRX classes.

Full-Body TRX Workout

Section 1

For this first part of the workout you’ll be using the short strap and performing exercises for a defined period of time. The section starts with three lower-body moves then goes into an upper-body superset. Complete two rounds of the following five moves, then take a one-minute rest before starting the second section.

1 Double pulse squat

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Stand facing the anchor point with your feet hip-width apart, holding the handles lightly with a slight bend in your elbows. Focus on a slow eccentric (downward) phase with the squat, with a slight pause and double pulse at the bottom to add time under tension, then drive up through your heels, squeezing your glutes at the top.

2 Pistol squat

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Stand facing the anchor point, ensuring there is no slack in the straps as you hold them. Lower on one leg while simultaneously extending the other leg straight out in front of you. Once again, focus on a slow eccentric phase and drive up through the heel. Alternate legs with each rep.

3 Jump squat

Time 30sec Rest 30sec

Stand facing the anchor point with your feet hip-width apart. Lower into a squat, then explode upwards so your feet leave the floor. Land softly and pause briefly, then go into another squat.

4A Supinated row

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

Hold the handles with your palms facing up and walk your feet underneath the TRX – the closer to horizontal you are, the more resistance you’ll add. Pull your torso up, keeping your core braced. Lower slowly back to the start position to add time under tension.

4B Hand release press-up

Time 30sec Rest 30sec

Leave the ropes be for this exercise, or extend the straps and put your feet into the handles if you want an extra challenge. Get into a high plank position with your shoulders over your wrists. Lower to the floor with control, ensuring your hips and shoulders are in line and your elbows are tucked in. Take your hands off the floor at the bottom, then push back up.

Section 2

The second part of the workout is made up of unilateral exercises where you challenge one side at a time. Work through four rounds of the following two exercises, alternating working your left side, then your right. Again, you’ll need to set up the TRX with a short strap.

1 Pistol squat

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

As above.

2 Jump split squat

Time 30sec Rest 30sec

Stand facing the anchor point, holding the handles with your palms facing. Tuck your elbows in to your sides and get into a split stance with your weight on the front foot and your back heel raised. Lower slowly, keeping tension in the quads of the front leg, and then drive up, exploding off your front heel and fully extending your back leg.

The inverted row is a great back exercise, working the lats as well as several stabiliser muscles, and acting as a natural complement to chest-focused moves like press-ups and the bench press. It’s also a great pulling exercise that will help you build the strength needed to rattle out a set of pull-ups, if that’s something you’re working towards.

If you choose to do your inverted rows on a suspension trainer like the TRX, then you get all of the above and more, because the instability involved in pulling your body up using ropes rather than a bar means that your core has to work harder throughout the exercise to maintain your body position.

How To Do The TRX Row

Set up your suspension trainer so the handles hang at chest height. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the handles with your palms facing each other. Lean back until your arms are extended, taking your weight. The position of your feet will determine how difficult the exercise is: moving them forwards towards or even past the anchor point increases how much you lean back and makes the move harder, and stepping backwards makes it easier.

Pull your chest up between your hands, keeping your elbows close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together behind you. Pause at the top of the move, then slowly lower until your arms are extended again.

See related

• The Best Suspension Trainers Of 2021: TRX, Decathlon And More
• The Beginner’s Guide To TRX Training
• The Best TRX Exercises

Throughout the exercise it’s imperative to maintain your body position. You should form a straight line from your head to your heels, and only your arms and shoulders should move as you pull yourself up and lower again. Given the unstable nature of the suspension trainer, staying in position will be particularly taxing for your core muscles.

There are three common mistakes to avoid with this move. The first is jabbing your chin out towards the handles rather than lifting your chest to it. The second is letting your hips sag, which is usually an indication that you need to make the move easier by bringing your feet back a little. Finally, thrusting your hips forwards as you row up. Swerve all these and you’ll get a brawnier back and stronger core in double-quick time.

You really don’t need a lot of time in the gym to fit in a great core workout, as long as you choose the right kit. This quick session from Jamie Ray, lead HIIT instructor at Another_Space, is evidence of that. You do just six moves, resting for a minute between them, with the first four exercises on the TRX suspension trainer. This piece of kit is great for working your core, because once you have a couple of limbs elevated your midsection has to work overtime to keep you balanced even when you’re performing fairly basic exercises. The session then moves on to a sandbag to hit your lower body before culminating in a tough cardio blast. The entire routine will take less than 15 minutes, though you can always go for another round or two if you’re feeling brave.

1 Mountain climber

Reps 10 each side Rest 1min

Set the TRX handles close to the floor. “Place both feet into the TRX cradles,” says Ray. “Lift your knees off the ground so you’re in a raised straight-arm plank position. Keep your hands directly under your shoulders and maintain a straight back and strong core throughout. Bring your right foot towards your right elbow, then return to the starting position. Next time bring your left foot to your left elbow.”

2 Inverted row

Reps 10 Rest 1min

“Set the TRX cradles to chest height,” says Ray. “Grip the handles and tilt back 45°, then drop back as far as you can, up to a further 40° and feel your bodyweight fall onto your heels – your arms will be fully extended in front of you. Pull your weight up to the first 45° position, then lower back to the start.”

3 Knee tuck

Reps 10 Rest 1min

Set the TRX handles close to the floor again. “Place both feet in the TRX cradles and bring yourself up into a raised plank position,” says Ray. “Bring both knees in to your chest at the same time, then extend your legs to the starting position.”

4 Press-up

Reps 10 Rest 1min

Set the handles to chest height and hold them, standing underneath the anchor point. With your hands shoulder-width apart, extend your arms in front of you, then lean forwards until your body is at a 45° angle. “Lower your chest towards your hands, keeping your back flat and your core engaged,” says Ray. “Then push up to the starting position.”

5 Romanian deadlift

Reps 10 Rest 1min

“Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the handles of a sandbag with your palms facing your body,” says Ray. “Keeping your back straight, hinge at the hips, pushing your glutes back, and lower the bag towards the floor. Then return to the start position.”

6 Burpee and snatch

Reps 10 Rest 1min

“Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and hold the sandbag’s handles,” says Ray. “Hinge at your hips to lower the bag to the floor, and then as you bend your knees, jump out to a high plank position. Jump your feet back towards your hands and drive through to a standing position, bringing the bag with you in one quick motion to take it above your shoulders. Lower the bag and repeat.”

Suspension training is a space- and time-efficient way to work your muscles harder using just your bodyweight, and this tests your heart and lungs to improve fitness levels because of minimal rest between moves.

Do the moves in order, without resting between exercises, to complete one round. Rest for two minutes between rounds. Do four rounds in total.

1 Press-up

Reps 10

Start in the press-up position with your feet on the floor and your hands in the TRX handles. Keeping your body straight, bend your elbows to lower your chest, then press back up to the top.

2 Inverted row

Reps 10

Hold the handles with your heels on the floor. Keeping your body straight, pull your chest up towards your hands. Pause at the top, then lower yourself slowly back to the start.

3 Glute bridge raise

Reps 10

Lie with your upper back on the floor and the backs of your lower legs supported in the handles. Tense your core and glutes, then raise your hips. Hold this top position for a second, then lower back to the start.

See related

• The Best Suspension Trainers Of 2021: TRX, Decathlon And More
• The Beginner’s Guide To TRX Training
• The Best TRX Exercises

4 Abs roll-out

Reps 10

Hold the handles with straight arms and feet on the floor. Keeping your core tight, slowly lower your hands so your torso goes from vertical to horizontal. Reverse back to the start.

If you’re on the lookout for a way to freshen up a stale exercise regime – and we all need a change from time to time – then TRX training is well worth a go. Once you get to grips with the suspension system, it can be used to pursue many different goals and, perhaps more importantly, it can be a lot of fun.

Yep, that’s as fun as it looks. (Also, hard.)

For the lowdown on all things TRX, we enlisted personal trainer Niko Algieri from Equilibrium studio in London, who offer group TRX classes.

What is TRX?

“Basically it’s suspension training,” says Algieri. “It’s a dual-strap rope that allows you to suspend different parts of your body off the floor, with the result being that you use your core in every movement that you do.”

The TRX (or Total Resistance exercise, as absolutely no-one calls it) system is a relative newcomer on the fitness scene, having only been created in the late 1990s.

“It was developed by an ex-SEAL called Randy Hetrick,” explains Algieri.

“He was away on tour and wanted to train. Hetrick made it out of a jiu jitsu belt and a little bit of webbing which he hung off the back of a toilet door to use for a couple of pulling exercises.”

The TRX system has come on a fair bit since then but it’s good to know you can make your own ersatz version of it, if you have some parachute webbing and a belt lying about.

Why should people try TRX training?

“There is really no training system that you can’t do on it,” says Algieri. “You can train for speed, power, strength, flexibility or mobility. You even can do Pilates on it, or yoga.”

“As a one-stop shop, I don't think there’s anything better. You can also use it anywhere. You can hang it off a tree, a goalpost, a door…”

What makes it different to doing normal bodyweight exercises?

You can incorporate the TRX system into almost any bodyweight exercise, suspending some part of your body from the ropes. The benefits differ depending on the exercise. Sometimes the suspension aspect will make the move harder and incorporate more muscles. For others it can make it easier or allow you to attempt a harder version of the exercise.

“A bodyweight squat is better than a TRX squat for you because you support yourself completely,” says Algieri. “But on the flipside, because you’re holding on to these handles, you can lift one of your legs and do a single-leg pistol squat with assistance.”

“You can mix it up as well, or try different angles. There’s a multitude of exercises that are available because you have a strap in your hand or attached to your foot – it’s basically unlimited. There’s nothing you can’t prepare for.”

“The only thing you can’t do is lift. If you wanted to get super-strong then you would have to move on to the free weights.”

What mistakes can beginners make with TRX training?

Assuming your interest in TRX training has been piqued by the above, here are a couple of common mistakes you should try to avoid if you give it a whirl.

“When beginners walk up to the TRX they don’t know how to adjust it, or what the correct lengths for the exercises they are doing are,” says Algieri.

“Say you’re doing a pull exercise, like a row or power pull, you need mid to short strap. Whereas if you’re doing a push motion you need it long strap. Or if you’re doing core exercises, where you suspend your feet to do pikes, swings or knee tucks, it needs to hang to mid-calf length.”

It’s also tempting to let your arms do too much of the work when using the TRX.

“When people grab the handles they instinctively lean back,” says Algieri, “but when you’re doing any leg exercises, like squats or lunges, you need to be upright so your core is engaged. If you lean back you’re relying on your arms and pressing too much into your knees.”

See related 

• The Ultimate TRX Workouts
• Suspension Training: Build Muscle And Functional Fitness With These Workouts

Doing the same moves every session will only lead to your progress stalling and your motivation evaporating. Basically you’ll get bored with the barbell. That’s why getting to grips with suspension training will get you back into the muscle-building groove. An hour-long session with a suspension trainer like a TRX significantly boosts levels of the muscle-building hormone testosterone, according to a study in the Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research. After subjects did suspension training for 23 exercises, blood samples showed total testosterone levels were 18.6% higher than those taken halfway through the session, while levels of the stress hormone cortisol were 25% lower two hours after training. Try these two suspension training supersets to start adding size and strength, then move onto the longer workouts below.

Chest and back session

Move 1A is TRX press-ups, where you do press-ups but with your feet elevated in the handles. Move 1B is TRX inverted rows, where you hold the handles in both hands with your heels on the floor and your body straight, then pull yourself up towards your hands. Do ten sets of ten reps, resting 60 seconds between each set.

Quads and hamstring session

Move 1A is TRX split squats, where your back foot is elevated in a handle, and you lower into a lunge and then come back up. Move 1B is TRX squats, where you hold both handles and, keeping your chest up, squat down as low as you can. Do ten sets of ten reps on each leg for move 1A, and 20 reps of move 1B, resting 60 seconds between each set.

The Travel TRX Workout

When you’re travelling, whether for work or leisure, you can find yourself surrounded by confusion. Home comforts are missed, your passport plays hide and seek, and exercise routines get trampled – which means your levels of lean muscle can suffer. But there is a solution to stay trim on the go: you can harness this chaos, using a TRX and a deck of cards. Whenever you have a spare 20 minutes, just hook the suspension trainer over your hotel door and let the cards shape your workout.

How it Works

Letting chance take over means no workout will ever be the same. “This method of muscle confusion, where you frequently vary the moves and rep ranges, makes sure this never becomes easy and your muscles get comfortable,” explains Bradley Simmonds, the PT and fitness model demonstrating this circuit. Staying out of your comfort zone will keep your heart rate high to churn through calories and keep your body fat levels low. And if nothing else, you’ll be able to pass the time with solitaire if your flight ever gets delayed.

Directions

Set a timer for 20 minutes. Shuffle the deck, then turn over the top card. Match the suit to the move here. The number is how many reps you need to do between one and 14 (ace can be high or low depending how hard you’ve been hitting the in-flight G&Ts). Keep going until you finish the deck or, more likely, run out of time. Rest as needed. The joker means you do all the moves to failure, then rest for 60 seconds.

Hearts: Jump squat

Hold the TRX handles with straight arms and lean back. Lower into a squat, keeping your knees wide apart, then drive up powerfully and jump.

Spades: Inverted row

Grasp the handles so your palms face down and lean back, arms and body straight. Pull your body up to your hands. Pause at the top, then lower.

Diamonds: Chest press

With straight arms, hold the handles with the straps over your shoulders. Bend your arms to bring your hands to your chest. Press back up.

Clubs: Pike

Put your feet through the handles and get into the top of a press-up position with straight arms. Contract your core to bring your feet towards you and raise your hips.

See related

• The Best Suspension Trainers Of 2021: TRX, Decathlon And More
• The Best TRX Exercises
• The Beginner’s Guide To TRX Training

The Ultimate TRX Workout

Strength and conditioning specialist Alexis Antonopoulos has designed this workout to target all the key muscles. To do the workout you should complete all nine exercises back to back, with a two-minute rest between each. Repeat this three times, or if you prefer, to failure. Each move should be done for 16-20 reps unless otherwise stated. Tailor the difficulty of each exercise to your needs by altering the length of the ropes to change the angle the exercise is performed at. The closer you are to the ground, the harder it is.

Chest press

Targets Chest, triceps

Assume an incline stance with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your chest towards your hands, keeping your entire body as straight as possible - similar to a press-up - then return to start position.
 
Beginner Start from kneeling position

Intermediate Start from a standing incline position

Advanced Add a weighted vest or raise your feet using a step

Squat

Targets Quads, hamstrings, glutes

Stand facing the TRX holding a neutral grip. Keep your arms straight and sit into a squat position with your legs parallel to the floor. Use your glutes to return to a standing position.

Beginner Arms straight, regular squat

Intermediate Do a small jump at the top of the squat

Advanced Do the same but only use one leg, alternate the leg you use between reps

Plank

Targets Core

From a kneeling position place your arms through the loopholes so the TRX is resting halfway down your forearms. Lift your knees off the ground so your feet are the only part of the body still in contact with the floor. Ensure your body is in a straight line and try to maintain a 90˚ angle at your elbow and shoulder joints. 
 
Beginner Hold the position for 20-60sec

Intermediate Slowly open the angle at your elbow and shoulder by just a few centimetres to increase the tension in your core, then return to the start position – 16-20 reps

Advanced Maintaining a strong core position, reach one arm forward several centimetres while lifting your opposite foot off the floor as high as you can. Return to the original position and repeat on the other side – 16-20 reps

Bodyweight row

Targets Biceps, back, shoulders

Take the handles, lean backwards with extended arms and walk forward three small steps. Keep your chest high and pull your body up until your chest touches the handles. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and slowly lower back to the start position.

Beginner Follow the form guide exactly

Intermediate Increase the decline by only walking forward two little steps

Advanced Add a weighted vest or alternate between each leg – or do both if you’re feeling brave

Hamstring drag

Targets Hamstrings, glutes, core

Adjust the TRX loops until they are about 30cm off the floor. Sit on the floor in front of the TRX, place both heels in the loops and lift your hips off the floor. Keep both feet flexed towards your shins and your legs hip-width apart. Press your heels into the foot cradles, elevate your hips and pull your heels towards your glutes before returning to the start position.
 
Beginner Follow the form guide exactly

Intermediate Lift your hips while bringing your heels towards your bottom

Advanced The same as intermediate but only using one leg at a time

Jackknife

Targets Core

Keep the TRX loops about 30cm off the floor. From a kneeling position put your feet in the loops and assume a full press-up position so your feet are suspended. Pull your knees in towards your chest and return to the start position, engaging your core to keep a straight back the whole time. 
 
Beginner Follow the form guide exactly

Intermediate Pull both knees diagonally across your body towards the opposite elbow, return to the start position and alternate

Advanced Use just one leg (the opposite leg remains above the floor in line with your body

Triceps press

Targets Triceps

Adjust the TRX so it is at mid-length. From a standing position take the handles and extend your arms overhead in front of your body and walk back for a couple of small steps. Keeping your upper arms rigid and your body aligned, bend your elbows and lower your body to make a 90˚ angle of flexion. Slowly return to the start position and repeat.
 
Beginner Follow the form guide exactly

Intermediate Extend the TRX until it’s longer than mid-length

Advanced The same as intermediate but only use one arm at a time

Bulgarian split squat

Targets Quads, glutes, hamstrings

Adjust the TRX until the loop is at knee height. Assume the same stance as a regular split squat (a forward lunge position), but place your rear foot through one of the loops. Maintain upright posture and lower your back knee until you feel a stretch in the hip flexors of the rear leg, then return to the start position.
 
Beginner Follow the form guide exactly

Intermediate Add a weighted vest

Advanced Hop at the top of the movement

Side Plank

Targets Obliques

Adjust the TRX so the loops are around 30cm off the floor. Then, lying on your side, put your feet into the loops and lift your hips off the floor so your weight is supported by the TRX and your forearm. Hold steady and raise the opposite arm to make a T shape.  
 
Beginner 20-60 seconds each side

Intermediate Do side plank dips: lower your hips 5cm from the floor, then lift them up as high as you can while maintaining form – 16-20 reps each side

Advanced Thread the needles: reach with your opposite arm underneath your body, rotating at the waist and slowly return to the start position – 16-20 reps each side

Crunches and sit-ups are all very well, but the simple fact is that they’re not what your abs are built for. Or, as trainer Tony Gentilcore puts it, ‘Our “core” is more of a cross-hatched web, and its main functions are actually resisting trunk extension, posterior pelvic tilt, and transmission of hoop stress.’ In other words, you should be training to stop movement with your core, not start it. 

How? With the mighty Pallof press. Named after its creator John Pallof, it comes in several flavours – including cable and band variations – but the TRX version is adaptable, simple and possible almost anywhere. Remember: stick, don’t twist. 

How to do it 

Sets 3 Reps 5 each side

Stand with your feet in a staggered stance to the side of the TRX anchor point. Hold the TRX handles in both hands against your chest, and lean against it so it’s taking your weight. Push your hands out slowly to increase the torque on your midsection. Bring your hands back in to complete one rep. Looking forward to the next four?

Many triathletes neglect their core, flexibility and mobility work when in the peak of training season, but these should be the last things to drop from a routine. Now, coming into the off-season it’s the perfect time to get these elements back into your training programme so that they become a staple aspect to your workouts all year round. 

Training on the TRX Suspension Trainer builds a solid foundation, more efficient movement patterns and an increased explosive power through a vast range of dynamic movements, with adaptable progressions to increase difficulty as you progress.

The versatility of the TRX means it can be adapted to movements and muscle groups that are essential for the swim, bike and run phases, also allowing a deep stretch into muscles.

Mobility focus

This block of TRX exercises are great to perform before heading out on a bike or run as they increase mobility and prep the body for activity. Triathletes benefit from mobility training as it makes their movements more efficient whilst decreasing stress and potential injury to the body.

TRX Leg Lifts: Hamstring mobility

• Suspend leg in line with the anchor and find a point of hamstring stretch.
• Lift other leg to parallel position with suspended leg.
• Lower leg back to the ground with control, whilst bracing the abdominal muscles.

TRX Leg Lowers: Core activation

• Lie facing away from anchor.
• Hold arms at 45 degrees with knees lifted over hips.
• Press hands down into foot cradles.
• Brace core and lower one leg at a time.

TRX Air Squats: Core activation and strength

• Lie facing away from anchor.
• Hold arms at 45 degrees with knees lifted over hips.
• Press hands down into foot cradles.
• Brace core and lower both legs and then raise again in a squat pattern.

TRX ½ Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch: Lower body mobility and posterior core

• Face away from anchor point
• In a ½ kneeling position, place arms level with chest and press down on handles.
• Brace core and shift hips forward and backward while pressing on handles.

TRX Overhead Squats: Lower body mobility and posterior core

• Face the anchor point with arms in straps
• Extend arms overhead with arms behind ears, anchor and shoulder blades
• Brace core then lower hips into a squat down while pressing hands back

TRX Lunge with Chest Fly: Full body mobility

• Stand facing away from anchor, extend arms at shoulder level and keep palms facing down
• Take a long step forward, and reach arms open in “T” position
• Drop back knee and drive back up by pushing down on front heel

 TRX Lunge with hip flexor stretch: Lower body mobility

• Face away from the anchor point with arms extended in straps.
• Lunge forwards and rotate to alternate sides reaching back with arms and keeping feet aligned forwards.
• Rotate until hip flexor stretch felt

Core focus

The core is the body’s centre of power, the point where movement originates and the source of stability. Core strength keeps triathletes streamlined in the swim, prevents pressure through the back in the cycle and maintains a tall, straight running technique.

 1.    TRX Plank:

• Kneel facing away from anchor with both feet in foot cradles, and align hands under shoulders
• Lift knees up off the ground
• Maintain body alignment from heads to toes

2.    TRX Body Saw:

• Kneel facing away from anchor with both feet in foot cradles, and forearms down, elbows under shoulders
• Lift knees up off ground
• Maintain body alignment from heads to toes
• Drift body forward and back in a controlled movement 

 3.    TRX Side Plank:

• Lie sideways to the anchor point, place both feet in front cradles with top leg forward and align elbow under shoulder
• Line up front heel with back toes and lift hips up off ground
• Maintain body alignment from head to toes

 4.    TRX Pike (with Mountain Climber option):

• Kneel facing away from anchor with both feet in foot cradles and align hands under shoulders
• Lift knees off ground, keeping legs straight, raise hips toward the ceiling
• Maintain alignment at fully extended start position

Mountain Climber option:

• Kneel facing away from anchor with both feet in foot cradles and align hands under shoulders
• Lift knees off ground, raising hips slightly, bring one knee into chest
• Extend leg back, bringing in other knee to chest, alternate

Flexibility focus

Working on flexibility often gets forgotten but there are major benefits. Flexibility will create a greater range of movement, reduced injury risk and a faster recovery from training and the physical toll that competition takes on the body.

 1.    TRX Lower Back Stretch (with rotation):

• Stand facing anchor, feet hip width apart, arms straight, palms down
• Lean back and drop hips away from TRX
• Bend one knee and rotate toward straight leg and drop hip; repeat other side

 2.    TRX Off-set hamstring stretch:

• Stand facing anchor, arms straight at chest height, take wide offset foot stance
• Keeping back straight, hinge forward from hip, pressing down on handles
• Bend back knee and lift hips slightly

 3.    TRX Long Torso stretch:

• Stand with side to anchor, cross front leg over other, maintaining straight arms and body
• Lean back and drop hips away from TRX
• Drop head in between arms and release tension in shoulders

 4.    TRX Single leg squat (*option heel down):

• Stand facing anchor, keep elbows under shoulders and palms facing each other
• Centre working leg to anchor point and extend
• opposite leg in front
• Drop tailbone towards the floor and drive up through heel

 5.    TRX Crossing balance lunge (*knee to outside of calf):

• Stand facing anchor, keep elbows under shoulders and palms facing each other
• Centre working leg to anchor point and move other leg back into lunge, crossing behind working leg
• Drive up through front heel, returning back leg to
• starting position

 6.    TRX Lunge:

• Stand facing anchor, keep elbows under shoulders and palms facing each other
• Centre working leg to anchor point and move other leg back into a lunge dropping back knee straight down without touching foot to ground
• Drive up through front heel, returning back leg to starting position

 7.    TRX Hamstring Curl or Hamstring Runner:

Hamstring Curl

• Lifting hips adds resistance, strengthens back extensors and increases strength and stability challenges to lower body and core
• Keep feet flexed toward shins to maximise movement
• Hamstring Runner
• Press heels evenly into foot cradles and simulate a marching movement to fully engage targeted muscles