TRX stands for Total Resistance eXercise. It is a form of suspension bodyweight training, meaning it uses your own bodyweight and gravity to build strength, increase balance and flexibility and deliver a full body, calorie-burning workout.
TRX was invented by Randy Hetrick, a former US Navy Seal while deployed to South East Asia in the 1990s. Hetrick’s used his first prototypes to keep himself in shape with limited equipment, but quickly realised the potential of what he had invented.
After leaving the military in 2001, Hetrick graduated from Stanford University. In 2005 TRX launched in San Francisco and has since rapidly spread across North America and the world. Both the equipment and the workouts are designed based on research compiled by sports specialists, the military, academic sources, professional athletes, and the TRX team.
Who uses TRX?
The US Marine Corp adopted a specially designed version of TRX branded TRX FORCE in 2008 and today all four branches of the US military use TRX in their regular training. In 2009 Drew Beers, an NFL quarterback and long-time TRX user became an official partner. Major League Baseball Teams, UFC fighters, and Olympic cyclists, swimmers, runners and representatives from all professional sports use TRX.
Functional training
TRX is often described as functional training because it focuses on bodyweight exercises, building core strength and stability rather than other workouts that focus more on bulky muscle mass. TRX is perfect for people who don’t want to sacrifice speed or endurance for strength.
Yoga, Pilates and TRX
If you are a fan of Yoga and Pilates then you will probably like TRX. At first it may be hard to see the similarities between yoga (based on a tradition dating back thousands of years) and military-based TRX, but the two have more in common than you might imagine. Like Pilates and yoga, TRX builds core strength. Every movement engages your core, even if you are primarily targeting other muscles.
What are the benefits of TRX?
TRX has many benefits for athletes of all levels, and for non-athletes that want to:
- Strengthen, tone and shape their body
- Increase core strength
- Build muscular strength and endurance
- Increase balance and flexibility
- Target stabiliser muscles often missed by less dynamic exercises
- TRX focusses on core strength, flexibility, and balance, all three of which are crucial to avoiding injuries, and increasing mobility.
Combine TRX with your normal routine
If you don’t currently have a workout routine, then TRX might be right for you. It is highly adjustable, you simply have to change the position or angle of your body to increase or decrease resistance. You can choose to take TRX classes (recommended for beginners) or to buy your own TRX Suspension Trainer which can be set up almost anywhere.
If you already have an exercise routine then adding TRX will kick it up to the next level. Add TRX to your yoga or Pilates routine to kick your core workout up a notch, add it to cardio training to build lean muscle and prevent injuries. If you are focused on weightlifting then TRX can give you the mobility, and cardio you need to burn fat, and build endurance and speed
