The Best TRX Workout to Maximize Mobility, Stability, and Strength
Machines and free weights like dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells are typically the first choice in the gym when working through the best arms, legs, chest, back, and abs exercises. But not every gym session has to comprised heavy lifting. In fact, there's a good chance you're neglecting the best TRX workout that can seriously improve your lifts.
"The TRX Suspension Trainer improves functionality for power lifts (e.g. squat, deadlift, hang clean, and overhead press)," by challenging your stability, overall strength, and mobility—elements that are absolutely crucial for complex, multi-joint strength training moves and power production, says TRX master instructor Neil Mallinson, C.S.C.S.
This TRX workout emphasizes hip, knee, and shoulder mobility, designed to improve function for lifting and also significantly improve your strength," says Mallinson, noting you'll also be required to use small stabilizer muscles to keep your body balanced while elevated off the ground or in the air. You'll need to be able to hold a strong, solid plank as a foundation for these TRX workout movements. If you're a beginner, work on strengthening your core before progressing to the more difficult exercises.
If you want to improve your PR in all the major lifts and difficult power moves, take a few minutes to perform a dynamic warmup of mobility drills, put down the weights for a day or two, and try these 10 TRX exercises. You'll see those numbers skyrocket in no time.
Best TRX Workout to Build Muscle With Just Your Bodyweight
1. TRX Bottom-Up Squat
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
Fix the straps to mid-length and face the anchor point, to start.
Start with your body at an angle where your core is engaged and the handles are next to your rib cage.
Extend your arms back and sit down between your knees as deep as possible.
If you experience any pain, don’t go lower than your knees allow.
Shift forward into a deep squat with your feet shoulder-width or wider apart.
Sit in this bottom phase long enough to feel mobile and pain-free, then drive both arms directly over your shoulders.
Maintain a strong, straight spine and stand straight up, powering through the heels.
Repeat as many times as necessary to feel the movement has become efficient and your body feels fired up.
Common Mistakes
Putting your weight on your toes at the bottom of the squat
Leaning forward at the bottom of the squat
Leaning your head forward or looking down on the ascent from the bottom of the squat
Not breathing
Benefits
“The move improves hip mobility and range of motion at the knee joint, encourages proper engagement and position of the rotator cuff and shoulder girdle as well as proper spinal alignment,” Mallinson says.
2. TRX Wide-Stance Hip Hinge to Cossack Stretch
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
Fix the straps at mid-length and face the anchor point, to start.
Grasp the handles or the straps right above them.
Start in a wide stance, then hinge back from your hips, maintaining a flat back and straight spine, as your arms stretch in front of you.
Return to standing, shift to one side, and sit deep into that hip and glute.
Keep a light grip on the TRX handles so you challenge your mobility as you settle deeper into the stretch and raise the opposite foot’s toes off the floor.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Complete 5 total rounds, including 1 hip hinge and cossack stretch both left and right.
Each round should take about 30 to 45 seconds and transitions should take about 10 seconds, but don't rush through the exercises if it takes you longer to get in and out of the movements.
Common Mistakes
Rounded shoulders
Extending the arms forward prior to hinging the hips back
Extending the arms too far during the Cossack stretch
Not breathing
Benefits
“These stretches will improve hip, groin, and ankle mobility, range of motion, and proper hip hinging,” Mallinson says.
Related: 14 Best Lat Exercises to Widen and Strengthen Your Back
3. TRX Figure-4 Stretch
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
To start, fix the straps to mid-length or shoulder-height and face the anchor point.
Cross your foot on top of your opposite leg, so the outside of your ankle is resting just above the knee.
Grab hold of the handles at sternum height, keeping your arms bent, and come down as if you were sitting in a chair.
From here, extend your arms and tuck your chin to your chest.
Complete 2 rounds total, per side, holding each side stretch for 30 seconds.
Common Mistakes
Extending your arms prior to sitting back into the stretch
Pointing the toe of your raised foot
Rounding your spine
Not breathing
Benefits
“You’ll improve range of motion and mobility through your knees, hips, and glutes, and overall balance,” Mallinson says.
4. TRX Forward Lunge With Hip Flexor Stretch
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
Fix the straps to mid-length, face away from the anchor point, and hold the handles at shoulder-height, to start.
Take a large step forward, allowing your arms to line up over your shoulders and fall in line with your ears.
Bend both knees to 90 degrees and drive your back leg’s hip forward as your arms reach across your body.
If you feel you need to, drop your back knee for added stability and range of motion.
Complete 5 reps total per side and on rep 5, hold the stretch to let your hips fully sink into the movement and benefit.
Common Mistakes
Failing to maintain a plank
Using momentum to push your body off the floor
Sagging through your hips
Not breathing
Benefits
Tight hips are generally one of the greatest weaknesses for men. This stretch will relieve immobility and prime you for the exercises to come.
5. TRX Body Saw to Push Press
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
Fix the straps at mid-calf length, face away from the anchor point, and drop down to your hands and knees, to start.
Come into an active elbow plank with your shoulders stacked over your elbows and place a foot in each handle.
Now, using your shoulders, pull your body back and forth over your hands (resembling the motion of a saw).
Your elbows will stay planted the entire time, but your arms will straighten out as you pull back so your head is in line with your elbows.
Saw back and forth for 3 sets of 5 to 10 reps then press your hands into the floor and drive your body into the top portion of a pushup, using your shoulder and elbow joints.
Common Mistakes
Failing to maintain a plank
Using momentum to push your body off the floor
Sagging through your hips
Not breathing
Benefits
Not only does this move let you hone in on proper plank form, but it helps guide you into proper elbow and shoulder position for overhead press movements, Mallinson says. You'll also exponentially improve core strength.
Related: 8 Tough Ab Exercises That Won't Kill Your Back
6. TRX Overhead Back Extension
Courtesy Images
How to Do It
Fix the straps to mid-length and stand facing the anchor point, to start.
With your arms extended straight up over your ears, engage your posterior chain (back, core, and glutes), and create tension on the straps.
Hinge back at your hips and bring your arms toward the ground in front of your face, allowing your toes to come off the floor so your weight is sinking into your heels.
Drop your chin to your chest, then powerfully extend your hips while simultaneously extending your arms back overhead to stand.
Complete 4 sets of 10 reps, resting as needed between sets.
Common Mistakes
Incorrect starting position: standing too close or too far from the anchor point
Slack in the straps
Shortened range of motion on both the end and start position
Bending the knees
Not breathing
Benefits
“If the movements are done with correct form and with complete range of motion, you’ll benefit not only in strength but, more importantly, body awareness, balance, and overall stability in all joints and planes of motion,” Mallinson says.
7. TRX Atomic Pushup
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
Fix the straps to mid-calf length and place either foot in the cradles so your toes are touching the handles, to start.
Begin in an active plank, keeping your core tight.
Descend down to the floor, then push your body back up.
Tuck your knees into your chest, then return to the active plank by extending your knees back.
Complete 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Common Mistakes
Not coming into an active plank
Sagging your hips
Driving your knees to the floor
Descending halfway to the floor
Not breathing
Benefits
You’re primarily working your abdominals and obliques, but your whole core as well as upper and lower body needs to be engaged to maintain stability throughout the exercise. You’ll eliminate muscle weaknesses and shred fat in the process.
8. TRX Standing Roll Out
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
Fix the straps so they’re fully lengthened and stand facing away from the anchor point, to start.
Align your body directly under the anchor with your hands on both handles.
Because the straps are low, your body should make a 45-degree angle with the ground as you extend your arms straight out in front of you.
The straps should be in contact with your shoulders and your hands pointed toward the floor.
Drive forward with your hips as you begin to extend your arms up from the shoulders until they’re fully extended.
Flex your shoulders back until the straps make contact with them again.
Perform 4 sets of 5 reps, resting as needed between each set.
Common Mistakes
Diving forward with the arms rather than using the hips as the main driver
Sagging the hips
Bending the elbows
Not breathing
Benefits
You'll maximize strength, stability, and awareness through your entire body, Mallinson says.
9. Single-Leg TRX Spider-Man Pushup
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
Fix the straps to mid-calf length and stand facing away from the anchor point, to start.
Place one foot in both handles.
Assume an active plank so your arms and core are solid, and you float one leg so it’s parallel to the one suspended and fixed in the TRX handles.
Descend to the floor as you would a normal pushup.
Drive your floating leg toward the same side shoulder (think Spider-Man).
Then, push off the floor and extend your floating leg back to the starting position.
Perform 4 sets of 5 reps.
Common Mistakes
Failing to hold an active plank
Limiting your range of motion through the push and knee drive toward your shoulder
Not breathing
Benefits
This move will torch your core in a matter of seconds and challenge the major and minor stabilizing muscles in your upper and lower body.
10. TRX Incline Press
Courtesy Image
How to Do It
To start, fix the straps so they're hanging down to mid-calf length and stand facing the anchor point.
Place one foot through both handles (doesn't matter which one) and align your body directly under the anchor point as you bring both hands to the floor.
Drive your foot into the air as you walk your hands away from the anchor point.
Align your hands directly under your shoulders, flex your raised foot, and tuck your chin into your chest.
You'll have a slight bend in your raised leg, but your hips and shoulders should make a straight line as if you're holding a plank.
From here, descend toward the floor until the top of your head touches the ground before you drive your body straight up.
To switch sides: Walk your hands toward the anchor point until your elevated foot makes contact with the floor.
Drop that knee so you're in a bottom-up lunge position.
Complete 3 sets of 5 reps.
Common Mistakes
Incorrect starting position
Failing to maintain a plank
Allowing your body to drop sideways while in a handstand
Not breathing
Benefits
Inversion training builds serious shoulder strength and stability.
Related: 50 Best Leg Exercises for 2024
What Are TRX Exercises?
Whether you go to a big-box gym, a CrossFit box, or a gymnastics studio, you've probably seen a suspension training system. In general-purpose gyms, it's usually a TRX training system, recognizable from a mile away as the yellow-and-black strappy getup. No matter what your goals are, you should add it to your routine.
“[The TRX] can be used to strengthen arms and shoulders, work your core, improve stability, and add variations to lots of other standard movements,” says Jeff Richter, a strength and conditioning coach at Zeal in Indianapolis.
Solve the daily Crossword
