TRX exercises: 21 suspension trainer exercises
Suspension trainer exercises – I am a huge fan of the TRX suspension trainer. It’s a piece of equipment I use in my own training or with clients.
TRX stands for Total body Resistance eXercise and It is one of the most versatile pieces of fitness equipment available today.
It allows you to use your body weight to perform exercises to build your core strength, muscular strength, balance and anaerobic capacity in your home, outdoor or in the gym. Here are some 21 of my favourite suspension trainer exercises.
- Jack knife:
Have your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles in line in your start position. Bend your hips until your knees are close to your stomach. Keep your back straight and reverse the movement until your back to your start position.
- Jack knife and push up
Same starting postion as the previous suspension trainer exercises. Bring your knees towards your stomach and then reverse the movement. Perform a push up when back to your start postion by lowering your chest to the floor and then extending your arms returning to the start position.
- Push up with feet in
Start with your body In a straight line between your shoulders and ankle. Bend your arms and lower your chest to the floor. Once your chest touches the floor extend your arms and return to the start position.
- Push ups
You can vary the intensity of most suspension trainer exercises by varying your start position from being vertical to horizontal. In this demonstration I am upright at a slight angle. Start with your arms straight and bend your arms as much as you can and then extend your arms to return to the start postion.
- One arm push up
The same as in the previous suspension trainer exercises but with one arm instead of two. Lower your chest by bending your arms as much as you can. Extend your arms until you are back to the beginning.
- Chin up one arm
Start with your knees bent with your body leaning back. Bend your arm until your chin and body raises up. When your chin is above the TRX grips return to the start position by slowly lowering your body. Make sure your legs do not assist in the movement.
- Chin ups
Start with your knees bent and your body leaned back. Bend your arms to raise your bosy and then carefylly lower your body to the the start position.
- Body rows
Start with your body in a hyper extended position and arms straight. Pull your body upwards with your arms and then lower your body back down.
- Single arm body row
One of the best suspension trainer exercises for your back. Pull your body up as high as you can with one arm and then slowly lower yourself back to the start position.
- Single leg squat
Extend your non standing leg and lower yourself to the floor. Straighten your leg until you are standing upright again. Keep both hands on the trx at all times and squat as low as you can manage.
- Squat
Hold on to the TRX with both hands and lower your body by bending your legs and lowering your body as low as you can and then extend your legs to stand back up.
- Jump squats
Squat down as low as you can and jump as high as you can. When you land allow your knees to bend so that you absorb the impact of the landing and in one movement squat down low and repeat.
- Twist
Start with one arm on the TRX with your body square. Rotate your body until the shoulder of your free arm is under the TRX. Twist your body back until your hands are together.
- Twist and squat
For both the body Twist suspension trainer exercises twist your body until both hands are are on opposite sides of your trunk. Bend your knees as you twist in order to activate more muscles.
- Roll out
Your body should be upright and you want to extend your hands away from your hips by tilting forward on your knees. When your arms are fully extended pull your body back to an upright postion.
- Pike
You start in the same position as a push up but keep your arms still and move your legs by bending your hips till feet get as close to your hands as possible. Your bum will go up into the air.
- Single leg hamstring extension
Have one leg in both straps. /elevate your hips into the air and then bend your knee till you get your foot as close as your bum as possible. Keep your other leg extended at all times and your hips in the air at all times.
- Hamstring extension
Both your legs should be in both handles. Bend your knees as much as you can while maintaining a high hip postion.
- Bicep curl
This is one of the most intense of tje suspension trainer exercises for the arms. Lean your body back and extend your arm to start. Bend your arms but maintain your elbow position as high as you can in order to keep the work on your bicep muscles.
- Tricep extension
Start with your arms in a bent position. While maintaining high elbows extend your arms until straight to complete one rep.
- Lunge
Keep both your hands in the handles and lunge forward. Alternate legs and make sure that the TRX is tight when you have completed the movement.
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Topic: Suspension trainer exercises