TRX and Some Favorite Core Training Exercises

The diversity of the TRX training device has continued to increase each year since it exploded in the fitness world a few years ago.  The TRX just keeps getting better as more creative users post videos and the company, TRX Training, strives to build state of the art programming for trainers, professional athletes, military, special operation personnel and many others throughout the fitness spectrum.

The latest TRX development now fits in the palm of your hand – The New TRX Force Super APP.    A twelve-​​week tactical fitness program used by all branches of the military, a huge video library to get ideas and gauge your form and technique, and an interactive timer to challenge your fitness levels are all combined in the new APP.  Looking at other publications and videos, there can be over 200 exercises from this one system!  You can see many of these in video format on the TRXtraining​.com website as well.

After researching the TRX when the National Strength and Conditioning Association endorsed the device and its programs, it was clear to see why professional athletes like Drew Brees of the Saints, many Mixed Martial Arts Champions like Bas Rutten, military special ops teams, military boot camp, and other law enforcement agencies are using the Suspension Training TRX. Statistics from military test sites on the device show increases in job performance (ie ruck marches, PT tests) and significant decreases in injury prevention compared to those not using the TRX in training.  Swim teams are reporting seconds off of their team times in all races.  But most importantly, the intensity of the TRX is totally scalable and by a simple positioning of the feet or hands it can be an exercise for a pro-​​athlete or an inactive senior citizen.

Some of the favorite exercises used by Stew Smith’s Military Preparation Group – Heroes of Tomorrow are the following upper body and core strengthening exercises:

TRX atomic pushups – Place feet into foot straps and get into the pushup position.  Bring your knees up toward your stomach, straighten your legs and do a pushup.  Repeat knee up /​ pushup cycle for multiple reps.

TRX knees to alternate elbows (in between pushups) – You can also mix in a pushup in between these twisting exercise or just bring your knees to your left elbow for a rep and to the right elbow for a rep.  Do at least 10 each side.

 

TRX Rollout – This is similar to a plank pose with some movement added in.  Place your arms into the foot straps of the TRX just below your elbows.  Lean forward in a plank pose so your TRX is vertical with the ground.  Then pull back with your abs /​ hips to a standing position.  I like to place the straps about knee high off the ground.  The lower you go the harder this exercise is. The higher, it will be easier.

 

NOTE from Author:  As an avid user of the TRX, I can honestly say that my back is stronger now at the age of 44 than it was when I was in the SEAL Teams at 24 – Stew Smith.

The TRX was invented by former Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick to help his teammates exercise when deployed.  His idea has now turned into a multi-​​million dollar business and created a revolutionary fitness device that is the future of functional training for everyone, including military special ops, law enforcement, fire fighters, athletic performance training, and general health and fitness as well.                              

NOTE:   Former Navy SEAL and fitness author Stew Smith does not work for TRX and only endorses products that he personally uses with his students and personal programs.  Stew Smith features the TRX in his Military Preparation EBOOKs as well as his new published book – Navy SEAL Weight Training – Adding Weights to Your Special Ops Prep.