A Military-Inspired TRX Ready to Serve Workout
For most of us, training is a means to staying healthy, mobile and confident (looking great for swimsuit season)—all valid motivators. But for our men and women in uniform, the fight to stay fit is a paramount component to protecting our lives and freedoms—perhaps a slightly more daunting goal than simply “looking and feeling good.”
TRX’s ties with the military run deep. Not only was the TRX Suspension Trainer conceived in the military, but TRX products, education and programming also have become ubiquitous tactical PT staples, something we are extremely proud of.
TRX master instructor Brandon Wagoner is a large part of this feat, as he has been leading TRX education courses for active duty personnel for nearly a decade. His work with the military has been profound, or as he puts it, “One of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career.”
Wagoner adds, “While I enjoy leading all TRX courses to both civilians and active duty personnel, there’s something unique about [working with the military] in that it gives me a sense of obligation that’s hard to put into words. In many cases, the individuals who are taking these courses are putting their lives at stake to protect our everyday freedoms. Needless to say, I take the job of helping them stay in peak condition very seriously. When I step onto that teaching platform, I’m highly cognizant of the fact that the lessons I’m sharing with them could contribute to saving the life or lives of others. I realize my part in that process is relatively small, yet it feels significant.”
In honor of our servicemen and servicewomen, Wagoner has created this military-inspired workout. These movements are designed to build the strength, durability, endurance and agility needed for military readiness.
TRX READY TO SERVE WORKOUT
How it works: Do eight to 10 reps of each movement. Repeat the entire series two to four times.
Total time: Up to 30 minutes
You will need: TRX Suspension Trainer
This movement is excellent for developing integrated core and upper- and lower-back strength.
- Begin under the TRX straps, holding the handles in extended arms directly over your chest and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, knees bent.
- Keep your spine long as you squeeze your shoulder blades together and use your lats to pull your body up until your hands are at the side of your rib cage.
- Slowly lower your body back down to the start position. Repeat.
This movement mimics crawling patterns as well and developing total-body strength.
- Put your toes of your left foot in the foot cradles. Come into a high plank, with your hands just outside your shoulders and the toes of your right foot on the ground. Think one long line from head to heels.
- Perform a push-up. At the bottom of the push-up movement, lift your hips up and pull your right knee to your right elbow.
- Send your right foot back as you come out of your push-up and repeat. Then switch sides.
Increase leg strength as well as improve explosive power and deceleration of load.
- Stand with your feet wider than your hips, holding the TRX straps in front of your chest.
- Sit your hips back and down to come into a low squat, weight in the heels and chest lifted.
- Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes to explode quickly out of the squat and jump straight up.
- Land softly in a squat and repeat.
This total-body move increases strength in pull mechanics and helps develop rotation and unilateral strength.
- Stand facing the anchor point, straps at midlength, in single-handle mode.
- Hold the handles in your right hand and shift your body to the left side of the anchor point. Your feet should be slightly wider than hip width.
- Begin in a single-arm row and bring your left hand up parallel to the straps. Straighten your right elbow as you open and rotate your left hand down and behind you, leaning back.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together to pull out of the rotation and finish with a single-arm row to return to start.
- TIP: Rotate in a plank and with a connected torso so your hips and shoulders move and work together for effective power transfer.
Increase single-leg strength, power, explosiveness and stability in all planes. This move simulates going from the crawl to standing and potentially to a run.
- Adjust the TRX Suspension Trainer so that the bottom of the foot cradles are at the middle of your calf.
- Stand facing away from the TRX and place one foot in both cradles.
- Lunge down and lower your hips while driving your suspended leg back, until your back knee is 2 inches from the ground.
- Place your hands on the ground under your shoulders and hop your grounded leg straight back to a plank position.
- Perform a push-up, then hop your grounded leg forward and explode up to a jump.
This exercise engages more than 200 muscles in the entire body, enhances strength in the posterior chain, and improves squat mechanics, mobility in the shoulders and hips, and stability in the core.
- Stand facing the TRX with your hands extended over your head in the foot cradles, pulling back so that there is tension on the straps.
- With your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands still overhead, squat down until your thighs are parallel with the ground.
- Drive through your heels to return to stand.
This post originally appeared on TRXTraining.com.
Photo credit: WavebreakMediaMicro, Adobe Stock