TRX

TRX is a brand of suspension trainer: two adjustable straps with handles, anchored to a point above you, with which you work against your own body weight. The same kind of training on other straps is simply called suspension training. You make each exercise harder or easier by changing the angle of your body.

What it is for

• Strength of the whole body without weights: rows, push-ups, squats, lunges.
• A strong core — the straps move, so your trunk has to keep you steady in every exercise.
• Balance, coordination and stable joints.
• Training at every level in one group, because each person sets their own load.

Equipment

• The studio provides the straps and the anchor points, one set per person.
• Sports clothes you can move freely in, training shoes, water and a towel.
• Gloves are optional; the handles are padded.
• The straps can also be hung over a door or a bar, so many people carry on at home or outdoors.

How a class goes

• 30–60 minutes, often in small groups because each person needs an anchor point.
• A warm-up, then the basics: how to set the length of the straps and how the angle of your body changes the load.
• The main part is a series of exercises or a circuit — pulling, pushing, squatting, lunging and core work, some with your feet in the foot loops.
• The trainer shows easier and harder versions; often a small step forward or back is enough to change the load.
• It ends with stretching, often holding the straps for support.

Who it suits best

• Beginners: the load is easy to reduce, and the straps support you in squats and lunges.
• People who want strength and a strong core without heavy weights.
• Runners and other athletes, as extra work on stability.
• Anybody who wants a workout they can also do at home or on holiday. See also Functional training.
• It is less suited to anybody with a shoulder, elbow or wrist injury, since many exercises load those joints — ask your doctor or physiotherapist first and tell the trainer.

Find your studio