TRX

If you were hoping for an article on a giant dinosaur, you are out of luck. If you were looking for something about a new piece of equipment that will make you feel as strong as one, keep reading...

When I first saw TRX, I was intrigued by the new piece of equipment and after my first class I was hooked on the possibilities this could bring to our community. Soon after, I had a few in my office and it became a regular part of my client’s routines. We now have ten at the gym and there are TRX classes offered weekly in Fernie. I am happy to report that all who use it have nothing but good things to say. (Well, after they are done their exercises.)

What is TRX?
Created by US Navy SEAL Rick Hetrick, TRX is a piece of body weight based equipment that accommodates a workout in a limited training space (I actually have one in my kitchen!). It weighs 1.79 lb and is basically made up of two handles attached to a rope. It can be anchored overhead or to a door. TRX stands for Total body Resistance eXercise.

Why is TRX suspension training awesome?
Never mind how awesome it is to challenge your body in new ways, TRX helps build functional strength, balance and core stability all at once. As well, it can be used for improving flexibility and balance. The small size of the equipment also makes it awesome if you travel often; it packs up smaller than a pair of jeans and can be set up in almost any space.

Who can use TRX?
I use this equipment with all of my clients, young and old, injured and/or super-fit. You can change your body position to increase or decrease your leverage and make the exercises as easy or hard as you want. In rehabilitation, I find them particularly good for shoulder stability and flexibility. With elite athletes, I find them to be excellent for incorporating core into exercises as well as making exercises harder.

What can you do with a TRX?
You can do just about every traditional exercise with TRX. (See attached photos of a row, push up, plank and roll-in, hamstring roll-in.) TRX is more power based than cardio based, but you can mix in cardio intervals (skipping, jumping jacks, sprints) between exercises if you are searching for more cardio. As well as traditional exercises, it offers a variety of challenging exercises that make your core work along with many muscle groups during one exercise.

TRX is a bit tricky when it comes to initial set up and learning about it so I definitely recommend attending a class or booking a session with a trainer to learn the ins and outs of set up and use. And if you need to, you can brag after about feeling as strong as a T-Rex!