Using suspension straps and gravity for maximum efficiency, TRX exercises are designed to build strength and to tone your entire body.
Signup & Get Early Bird Access To Our Personal Training App
While TRX often engages more than one muscle group (and can therefore be considered a full-body workout) you can nonetheless choose to target specific muscles. Try these eight TRX exercises for a complete workout that will target your abs and sculpt your core.
1. The Upside-Down V
- Place your feet in the suspension straps about a foot above the ground and face the floor.
- Firmly place your hands, palms down, about a foot from where your feet are.
- Keeping your feet in place, slowly raise your butt in the air until your body forms an upside down V-shape.
- Hold the position for five seconds and then slowly lower yourself.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then repeat.
- Pay special attention to working your core muscles to really make this an exercise for abs.
2. Suspended Knee Tucks
- Get into a standard pushup position with your feet securely in the suspension straps about a foot above the ground.
- Without moving your arms or your torso, tuck your knees up to your chest.
- When you have tucked your knees up as far as you can, hold the position for five seconds.
- Slowly extend your legs back until they are straight and rigid.
- Repeat motion five to 10 times, always resting in between.
3. Decline Pushup
- With the suspension straps near waist height, anchor your feet in the loops.
- Place both palms on the floor at shoulder-width apart.
- Straighten your legs and perform a pushup, holding yourself in the lowered position for five seconds.
- Slowly raise yourself back to your starting position and repeat at least 20 times to perform a full set.
4. Hanging Lunge
- Secure your right foot in a suspension strap that is lowered to about waist height.
- Step forward with your left foot and your arms above your head.
- Lean into a lunge, keeping your right foot in place in the strap.
- As you lean forward, bring your arms down and your torso forward, reaching as far out in front of you as you can.
- Hold the position for 10 seconds and then slowly return to a standing position.
- Repeat five times, then switch legs and begin again.
5. Donkey Kicks
- Place your feet in suspension straps about a foot above the ground.
- Plant your palms at shoulder-width apart, about two feet from where the suspension straps hang.
- Keeping your arms and torso stationery and straight, push both feet back until they are straight behind your body.
- Bring your legs back into their starting position and repeat 10 times.
6. Upside-Down Crunch
- Get into a pushup position, placing your feet in suspension straps approximately one foot off the ground.
- Place your palms on the floor so that your body is almost fully extended.
- Keep your arms and feet in position, curl your torso to perform a crunch.
- Hold the crunch position for enhanced effect for at least five seconds before resting.
- Perform at least 10 crunches in a row.
7. Standing Crunch Pull-Up
- Secure your hands on hanging suspension straps.
- Pull yourself up, keeping the straps straight so that you aren’t swinging.
- As you pull yourself up, draw your knees up toward your chest, performing a crunch.
- If possible try to move slowly to get the most out of the stretch.
- Repeat, performing at least 10 crunch pull-ups.
8. TRX Pendulum
- Get into a standard pushup position with your feet in the lower suspension straps.
- With your palms firmly planted on the floor, extend your arms until straightened.
- Holding this position, twist your legs to the side slowly until they are at least a foot from your starting position.
- Be sure to keep your torso straight as you return your legs back to their original place.
- Repeat, twisting your legs in the opposite direction.
- Count each twist to the side as one repetition and perform at least 20 repetitions per set.
Helpful Tips To Make The Most of Your TRX Abs Training:
- Pay careful attention to your technique as you perform these exercises. TRX is less effective when you perform the motions incorrectly, so make sure you have proper form, keeping your core engaged.
- Pair these exercises with standard abs training exercises, like traditional crunches, to diversify your routine.
- Always take care to stretch your whole body, including your core, before performing intense TRX exercises.