Total body TRX circuit
Hi! What are you up to this morning? Hope you’re enjoying the day so far!
Thank you so much for your eclectic music suggestions to diversify my spin playlist. I added this swing song, this old one I forgot about, and finished it off with the Zac Brown Band live version of “Devil Went Down to Georgia.” It was so fun to change things up a bit, and I think class enjoyed it, too.
Today, I’m excited to share a new workout featuring one of my very favorite tools: the TRX. It’s extremely versatile and travels well. I’ll often see people working out with them near the bay, simple strapped over a sturdy tree branch. The TRX is a great investment if you want to add in a strength component to your home gym and don’t want to purchase multiple weights. While it is bodyweight only, there are a lot of options to make it more challenging. I’ve been utilizing the TRX is my training sessions and personal workouts more frequently over the past couple of years; I’ve become a huge fan.
Here’s a circuit I put together for ya. It’s meant to be completed 2-3 times total with little to no rest in between each exercise. Complete all of the reps for one exercise before moving to the next. Please let me know if you give it a whirl!
Form cues/tips:
1) Single arm squat (optional row): step away from your anchor point and extend your arms completely. Lean back slightly, and place your weight into your heels. Lift your chest and tighten your core. Now, drop one handle of the TRX and sink down into a squat. As you rise, you have the option to “row” the handle in towards your torso to work your back (this portion of the movement is not pictured).
2) Reverse biceps curl: instead of an underhand grip, overhand grip the handles. Step away from the anchor point (facing it), and fully extend your arms as you lean back slightly. Contract your biceps to bring your arms to a 90 degree angle biceps curl. Remember to keep your hips in line with your torso.
3) Triceps extension: for this one, you’ll set it up almost exactly as your reverse biceps curl (as far as stance and hand position go). Now, bend your elbows to bring them in towards your torso. Extend your arms (squeezing your triceps) as you push your body into a full upright position. Carefully lower back down to repeat.
4) Single lunge: place one foot into the strap and walk (or hop) forward. As you sink down into your lunge, keep your chest lifted, shoulders dropped and a tight core. You may notice that your knee shoots forward as you try to maintain balance, but be careful to avoid extending your front knee past your front toes as you lunge.
5) Push-ups: come onto the floor and place one foot at a time into the TRX straps. Make your way into a plank position, as keep a straight spine (hips down) as you bend your elbows out into a pushup. If this is too much, try it with one foot in the strap for a while until you get the hang of it.
6) Hamstring curl: start supine (on your back) and place both feet into the straps. Ground into your shoulders and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the floor. Bend your knees in, then extend back out. That is one rep.
7) Plank with knee to elbow: start in a plank position with both feet in the straps and hands stacked under your shoulders. Press down through your knuckles to ground your hands into the floor. Contract your oblique and exhale as you bent one knee to bring it towards the elbow on the same side. Come back to plank, and repeat on the other side.
*As always, check with a doc before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed.
If you could only have ONE fitness tool to use, what would it be? Please let me know if you have any video requests for this week, too.
Hope you have a great day! See ya later this afternoon with spring capsule wardrobe fashion-y fun.
xoxo
Gina
All photos by Danny Chan
More TRX:
58 Comments
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Thanks for sharing! This is definitely a fitness tool I’ve been going back and forth one whether I should buy for my home gym. I feel like it would make a huge difference and I would get my money’s worth during the long winter months.
They just added this to our gym and have wanted to use it but wasn’t sure how. I can’t wait to try this! Hopefully I won’t embarrass myself!!
let me know how it goes! i was intimidated at first, too
Damn girl, look at those muscles! When my friends tell me that strength training will bulk them up, I’ll send them a link to your blog, because you look great!
Looks like a fun workout, I don’t think my gym has TRX, but maybe I’ll put in a request! I’m sure other people would want to try it too.
blushing over here. thanks, girl!
great idea to put in a request; i’m sure others will want to try it, too
I’d love to try TRX, it looks like a great workout. I really enjoy watching all of your videos but I’d love to see more kettlebell strength training routines.
This makes me want to try TRX training so bad! I’ve never done it but it looks like a great challenge!
A treadmill! …Does that count?!?! 🙂
totally!
Hi,
I’m so glad i came across your website and this workout. Trx has always been a piece of equipment in the gym that I have wanted to try out and include in my routines. Just to jazz them up a bit to do something different and keep my routines exciting but I have never known what to do.
I will definitely be trying this out in the gym.
Thanks for posting this work out
Nichola
thank you so much, nichola! let me know if you give it a try 🙂
Hey Gina, do you find that your day is more productive when you start it off with a hardcore workout?
no, but i feel happier 🙂
Happier the more hardcore the workout, or just happier if you do anything active in general?
just happier to be up and moving!
I love the TRX! Thanks for sharing these moves. I have seen You Tube videos where people hook them up to the doors in their houses…I really want to give that a shot but I am scared they will fly off! My Mon-Fri gym doesn’t have them 🙁
Jill
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This looks awesome (and hard)! Thanks!
These photos are stunning!
Just did some TRX circuits yesterday morning…might have to give this a go today! I love the suspension training feels like such a change from traditional weights or bodyweight training – definitely a good change of pace. 🙂
thank you- danny is amazing!
let me know if you give it a try! i agree; it’s such a nice way to change it up
I love my TRX straps! It’s brought strength workouts to a whole new level for me. I like taking classes here & there too, so I can learn new moves…
i totally agree. it changed how i strength train!
My gym it rid of their TRX straps. Makes me sad cuz I was just getting into using them. Maybe I’ll buy my own. If I could have one thing, it would be a set of dumbbells.
This workout looks great! My current gym doesn’t have TRX straps, but I am hoping they will soon! Cant wait to give it a try.
let me know if you do! hopefully they’ll get them soon!
I used to love doing TRX when I worked in the gym! I miss it…and I want Danny Chan to come take pictures for me 🙂
haha! i’m sure he would love to shoot for you! he takes awesome pics 🙂 miss you, friend!
Thanks for posting! I just moved and my new gym has a room dedicated to TRX training. The gym doesn’t offer a “TRX” class, so I am always looking for ways to use the TRX.
awesome! 🙂
This looks great. I have never tried TRX and want to give it a shot as soon as I have the opportunity!
Thanks so much for this post; it is really so timely for me! I recently had a chance to take a TRX class and I loved it! I actually wrote a review of it on my blog (http://jackedbanana.com/2015/02/11/class-review-trx/) in case anyone is interested. When I belonged to a gym I had always wanted to try the contraption but had always been intimidated. I would love to get a TRX for home but I am not sure my doorframes are sturdy enough. For now I will continue with the class and will be trying this circuit, too, as I have a one-month trial at a gym with a TRX. I read your other 2 TRX posts just now so now I think I know what I am doing on my own :).
I would love a video or tips about the Bosu if possible. I bought it thinking it would help me SUP…not that I have ever done that but I want to try! I could use some ideas on what to do with it…besides standing on it with an oar and paddling in my living room, of course ;).
sure i could definitely post some ideas! sup is surprisingly easy. i think you would really love it
Awesome photos! I love the push-up shot.
I am not a TRX’er, but it look like a very effective piece of equipment.
I can imagine that hamstring curl being quite tricky and a great move to target some many different muscles.
thank you! danny is awesome 🙂
and yes, it’s a great way to change things up!
I LOVE the way I feel after a TRX resistance workout like this. Good one, Gina! 🙂
me tooooo. thanks, friend!
You look SO strong! So inspiring.
I’ve been considering adding TRX straps to our home gym, and this is definitely further encouragement!
Always, Anita
thank you, anita! it’s a great tool to have!
you’re rockin’ that lulu outfit!
thanks girl!
I think if I could only have one fitness tool, it would probably be a pair of 10 or 12 pound dumbbells. (If the DVD player/computer doesn’t count, because that is also a necessary tool)
dumbbells are so versatile! and totally agree about dvds
Soooo, I’ve really only been doing assisted push ups lately (easing back into a fitness routine and trying to rebuild strength). This looks like it’d be even harder than a “regular” push up. Is that true? Is there a modification to make it any easier?
yep! i think i included it in the form cues above. keep one knee on the floor and just put one foot in the strap. tilt your hips forward and do your pushup this way. you’ll just have one leg suspended so you can get the feel of it, but the support of having a knee on the floor
Thanks!!! I ended up doing this workout at the gym yesterday! I almost never see people at the TRX equipment unless they’re with a personal trainer coaching them, so I felt like a bit of a badass to be doing it all on my own (with my phone and this post pulled up by my side, lol). Great workout and so sore today!!!
Ahh I needed this! I’ve been eyeing the TRX at my gym and thinking I need to use it more and this is SUPER helpful. I’ll just take you to the gym with me in my pocket! Love that about technology. 🙂
I love using the TRX and I’ve been wanting to add some new moves in. Thanks for sharing this! I can’t wait to try it out!
Great post! I love how you broke down each exercise, and pictures are always very helpful! It definitely looks like a great workout. Thanks for sharing!
I am in love with resistance bands, definitely one workout tool I can’t live without!
http://lifestylefinesse.com/
I’ve never tried TRX but I would like to ASAP!
I LOVE the TRX! I am chronically stiff and tight, and incorporating the TRX into my routine has done wonders for my mobility. In terms of favorite equipment – I’m a huge kettlebell fan too!
yes, it is fantastic for mobility! love kettlebells too 🙂
Gave this a whirl tonight at the gym! I can already tell I’m going to have trouble lifting my arms tomorrow, I’m going to be a t-rex all day 🙂
I couldn’t quite do the last move, is there a modified move? I don’t have much upper body strength (yet), so I did two each round and my arms were done.
so happy you liked it!! haha loved the tex rex comment too 🙂
try doing it in a regular plank position. once you get the hang of that, try to progress to the trx version. if the regular plank version is too much, no worries, just modify your plank by bringing your knees to the ground and booty down
Great article, iv been looking for different way to use the TRX all morning. Going to give this circuit a whirl tomorrow. I read this article earlier – http://goo.gl/l7am9n and they talked about the Jumping squat which sounds intense!!
I just started doing TRX at the local yoga studio and wasn’t sure about it after the first class but enjoyed it more the the 2nd time. Amazing what a workout it is! At some point I may purchase one for home but until then I’ll continue to support the local yoga studio. Small town so I want to support the local businesses.
I couldn’t live without a stability ball. Is that lame? Haha. I’ve only done TRX a couple of times- thanks for sharing this circuit.
Hi. I came across this workout yesterday, and did it last night. Loved it. I made some changes for the 2nd and 3rd time around, progressing to power pulls and single-arm rows for the first exercise, and then oblique crunches for the last. I LOVE the tricep extension exercise! Thanks for a good circuit – I’ll definitely do this one again.
Hi Gina, thanks for this post! I have been doing most of these workouts already at the gym, I wanted to know if these were safe to do while pregnant also. I’ve done some obliques with TRX as well as mountain climbers, single leg squat and Bulgarians (with assistance for balancing) which is basically a reverse single leg lunge. I’ve been debating which gym strength training exercises are good during pregnancy (obvs nothing lying on my back since i’m into my second trimester) but I find it difficult to find ab and chest exercises that I could do. I figured TRX would be the easiest since it’s body weight. Did you do TRX while pregnant?