Suspension training is one of the most useful and effective strategies when we go on vacation or want to train anywhere. The appearance of the TRX brand (for the acronym in English Total-body Resistance Exercise) triggered the trend of this type of training in gym rooms. From there, the suspension ropes have become in any weight room and in many houses. Use this strength training to stimulate all your muscles.
Training structure and guidelines
Our training for all levels consists of three blocks of work. In each block we have four exercises, all of them in suspension. Perform block I first, once you have finished all the series and repetitions, rest for a couple of minutes and go to block II. Do the same between block II and block III.
Run the four exercises from each block with no rest between them, or doing as little as possible. We are alternating muscle groups, so while we rest one muscle group we will train another. At the end of the four exercises of the block you can take a little more air for a minute and we will return to perform the four exercises in a row.
We will repeat each exercise three times, so we will go around each block three times before moving on to the next. The number of repetitions per exercise that we recommend is between 10 and 15 repetitions, but just use that as a reference. The objective is that we are close to muscular failure, that is, that the last repetitions of each exercise cost us a lot.
TRX exercise blocks
Block I: Do 10-15 reps of each exercise and move on to the next. At the end of the four exercises in a row, or with as little rest as possible, rest for a minute. When you complete three laps of the block rest two minutes and go to block II.
- squats
- Rowing
- triceps extensions
- front plank
Block II: Do 10-15 reps of each exercise and move on to the next. At the end of the four exercises in a row, or with as little rest as possible, rest for a minute. When you complete three laps of the block, rest for two minutes and go to block III.
- hamstring curl
- Letters T, Y, W and I
- push-ups
- Superman or roll out
Block III: Do 10-15 reps of each exercise and move on to the next. At the end of the four exercises in a row, or with as little rest as possible, rest for a minute. When you complete three laps of the block you will have finished the training.
- Back lunge or cursty squat
- rowing to the face
- bicep curls
- torso rotation
Block I of exercises with TRX or in suspension
squats
Suspension rope squats are a great way to gain mobility for air squats. If you already have a base of strength you can do this exercise with one leg instead of two, but it is much more demanding.
Rowing
One of the main advantages of suspension training is the traction possibilities it allows us. We can pull our body as in this oar, which without material is more complicated for us. Think about hitting a nudge an object behind you by bringing your elbows close to your side. If we open the elbows in the shape of a cross, we will emphasize more on another musculature, so it is important that you carry them close to the side.
triceps extensions
Hanging triceps extensions require our full attention as it is very easy to make mistakes in this exercise. You body must be fully aligned at all times, as you can see in the video. The moment our hips go backwards or forwards due to lack of strength or fear, the exercise will lose quality.
front plank
The front plank with elbows braced and feet inside the suspension ropes is the easiest level of this exercise. We can progress in difficulty supporting the hands instead of the elbows, or performing leg movements. If you are a beginner, it is better to start here and progress little by little. This time we will not work by repetitions, but we will try to hold the position for 20 seconds.
Block II of exercises with TRX or in suspension
hamstring curl
This exercise It will greatly activate the back muscles of your legs. If you find it very difficult, start doing it with your buttocks on the ground, without raising your hips as seen in the video. When you gain strength you can take off the buttocks and do it in this version.
Letters T, Y, W and I
The letters in TRX consist of forming letters with our own body. We will form the letter “T” with the arms in a cross, the letter “Y” with the arms forming that shape, in the same way as the “W” and the “I”. This sequence will work the entire back of our shoulder and muscles such as the trapezius. The total of 10 to 15 repetitions marked in the training structure is for the entire sequence, that is, you do not have to perform these repetitions in each letter, but it would be the sum of all of them.
push-ups
Push-ups could not be missing in our training. Choose one incline that is challenging for you, but allows you to perform the exercise correctly. If you are very parallel to the ground it will cost you much more than if you are more vertical.
Superman or roll out
The roll out or superman is one of the best exercises to activate your abs. The main advantage of suspension training is that it allows us to adapt the intensity quickly. The more parallel to the ground we get, the intensity of the exercise will be higher. Regulate this intensity by taking steps forward or backward until you achieve the position that best suits you.
Block III of exercises with TRX or in suspension
Cross lunge or cursty squat
The crossover lunge challenges your entire lower body as it requires strength and stabilization to perform. Is a mix between side stride and rear stride in which we take the leg back and to the side. If you have not tried it yet, you will include it in your list of strength exercises.
rowing to the face
In a previous block we have done the normal rowing. In this case it is an oar to the face where we emphasize more the posterior musculature of the shoulder and the trapezius. In this case you must bring your hands to your face, hence the name of the exercise, leaving these on the sides of the forehead.
bicep curls
The biceps curl is one of the main exercises for our arms. The main mistake that is usually made in this exercise is not to fix the elbows since there is no support for it. Assume the starting position and keep your elbows stationary throughout the exercise. Simply perform an elbow flexion and extension, while the rest of your body remains aligned.
torso rotation
Trunk rotation is one of the great forgotten of this muscular region. with this exercises we will attack all the muscle groups that give stability to our body. If it is the first time you do it, do not be in a hurry to do it and watch the video several times to execute it, since it is somewhat complex.
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