A few weeks ago, I mentioned to Victoria that I had briefly tried TRX, kind of liked it, and wanted to try it further. Well, as you can imagine, a girl with a Motivation Wall is someone who is going to make things happen, and the next thing I knew we had a session set up with Todd Shuler of BlakSteel Fitness.
The first thing I love about TRX is how it is adjustable for all fitness levels. So for me, it was nice to have something that I could adapt to make harder for my strong spots, and make easier to build strength in my weaker areas.
We did a series of workouts and Todd was kind of enough to list for me exactly what we did – so here you go!
- Squats (works quads) – Lean back holding bands, keep heels down. 3 sets, 15 reps.
- Squat jumps (works quads) – Same position as squats, but when you stand up use enough force to leave the ground. Beginners start with small jumps, more experienced athletes can jump higher. 3 sets, 15 reps.
- Figure skater (works hamstrings, glutes) – Lean forward holding the bands. Stretch out arms and squeeze the chosen leg back. Same leg 15 reps then switch. 3 sets.
- Rows (works back) – Lean back against the bands. Extend arms then pull back towards the torso. 3 sets, 15 reps. (Note – adjust tension by moving forward or backwards on the floor)
- Step lunges (works quads, hamstrings, glutes) – Step forward into a lunge. Push back up and alternate legs. Hands should be holding the bands. As you lunge allow the hands to rise and fall with the bands. (Note – keep your knee behind your toes on the down portion of the lunge.)
- Band chest press (works chest) – Leaning into the bands, lower your body into pushup position, then extend arms back out. 3 sets, 15 reps. (Note – adjust tension by moving your feet forward or backwards)
- Hanging plank (works abs) – While in extended pushup position, allow your arms to move up towards your head and let your body extend straight out. Next pull your arms back down towards the floor while focusing on your abdominal cavity. (Note – keep knees soft and tug your belly button in 1/2 inch. Adjust tension by moving your feet forward or backward.)
Todd says “This is just a simple workout to get your body moving. If done correctly it can be somewhat challenging…keep rest times between 30 seconds and 1 minute. Also be sure to place the handles of the bands at hip height. Good luck and add a Pinch!”
Clearly, Victoria and I did this properly (we had a great coach) as we were both SO sore (that good, I worked out really really hard soreness that only comes with a great workout) for several days after our session. Stay tuned in the next couple of months as we do TRX part II!
-Michelle
@michellernewman
You can follow Todd on twitter @BlakSteel
You can follow Victoria on twitter @vikkivixenaz
#FITJ