If you’re more inspired by the bodies of soldiers than celebrities, then TRX, or total-body resistance exercise, might be a good fit for you. TRX, a suspension based body weight exercise developed by the Navy SEALs, is all about shifting your own body weight to increase or decrease the intensity of a workout. TRX is extremely versatile and popular in some fitness circles, especially in places where gym access is scarce.
Here are four simple tips to use the apparatus properly, and help you make sure you’re getting the most out of your TRX workout:
1. Test the TRX.
Before even working out on the TRX, make sure it is set up properly and can support your full body weight. This may seem obvious, but the last thing you want to do is seriously hurt yourself because you didn’t set up properly. You don’t want to end up looking like a YouTube doofus.
2. Even Adjustment Lines.
Always make sure that the two yellow adjustment lines on your TRX are even with one another. These can be adjusted to change up workouts but making sure they’re aligned will keep you from slipping and possible injuries.
3. Increase Incline to Increase Intensity.
Just by adjusting your foot placement, you can radically change an entire workout. This is important to note for beginners because keeping your feet close to your body is a good way to start out. If that’s too easy, gradually move your feet away from your body to increase your incline.
4. Train Simple or Creative
The best part about a TRX system is that it caters to your workout. Almost any resistance based workout can be done on a TRX using the straps and your own body weight. Squats and pushups are great workouts to start with as they give you an idea of how the TRX works and how to adjust your weight.
