Have you been cranking out TRX exercises but still not seeing any real muscle definition? 

That’s because you’re missing the muscle-centric technique that actually triggers growth…

So in this post, I’m going to show you:

1. The 8 best TRX moves for total body lean muscle…
2. How to use this technique on each one…
3. And a simple 3-day weekly plan that’s helped over 8,000 people finally see results.

To start, let me show you how to build athletic legs without ever needing a squat rack…

Don’t have time to read the post in full? Then watch the video below to learn 8 TRX exercises that will TRANSFORM your physique forever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJcxEhO_C08

Exercise 1 – Athletic Legs

This exercise builds the quad muscles at the front of your legs…

Especially this outer quad muscle here that gives you that athletic shape.

Most people squat wide because that’s what they learned in the gym…

But we’re actually going narrow, and I’ll show you exactly why in a second…

https://youtube.com/shorts/Qe0DT_uYdEo

• Start with feet close together, pointing straight.
• Before you move, press your feet outward against the floor and squeeze your quads hard.
• Slowly squat down over 2 seconds, keeping that outward pressure the whole way, this is what shifts the tension onto your quads.
• Pause at the bottom, then drive back up over 2 seconds, still pressing out.
• At the top, finish with an extra hard quad squeeze for 2 seconds.

This narrow squat technique also reduces stress on your knee because it loads the muscles instead of the joint

Helping you build leg strength safely.

Next up – chest…

Exercise 2 – Popping Chest

Now you might expect me to show you a chest press here…

But I’m actually going to show you a chest dip variation instead.

And here’s why this matters…

The dip lets you get a deeper stretch on your chest muscles.

Which means bigger range of motion.

And a bigger range of motion means better muscle development…

https://youtube.com/shorts/Wc1kuGZMRuI

• Set straps to a long length, place them under your arms, and straighten your arms out.
• Before you move, squeeze your chest by trying to bring your elbows together, that’s the key to activating chest tension.
• Slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds, and at the bottom, squeeze your shoulder blades back to open your chest and feel a deep stretch.
• Pause there for a second, then push back up over 2 seconds.
• At the top, focus on driving your elbows together again for a hard chest squeeze.

If you’ve downloaded my free guide ‘The Seven Skills to Build Muscle with a Suspension Trainer,’ below…

You’ll recognise this as the mind-muscle skill in action.

Next let me show how to build arms that look defined at rest…

Exercise 3 – Resting Defined Arms

Most people only focus on their biceps,

But if you want arms that look defined even when you’re relaxed, you need to build your tricep muscles…

Because they make up 2/3rds of your upper arm mass.

So, get the straps over your shoulders with an overhand grip…

https://youtube.com/shorts/7F6-4Hc5ctM

• Straighten your arms out in front of you and push down and away, you should feel your triceps fire up immediately.
• Slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself down over 2 seconds.
• Then squeeze your triceps to push back up and fully straighten your arms over 2 seconds.
• At the top, hold and squeeze your triceps extra hard for 2 seconds.

You should feel the triceps popping.

That’s what creates the horseshoe definition.

Next, let me show you how to build broad shoulders without ever doing a dumbbell press…

Exercise 4 – Broad Shoulders

This exercise targets your middle shoulder muscle.

Which is the muscle that creates those broad, athletic shoulders…

And it’s also a main stabiliser to protect your shoulder joint from injury

So grab the handles and lift your arms into a T shape.

https://youtube.com/shorts/9q-_YwkATqE

• Keep a slight bend in your elbows, and walk your feet forward to create tension.
• Slowly lower down over 2 seconds, but stop before your hands come together…
• Go too far, and you lose tension on the middle shoulder muscle. Lose tension, lose growth.
• Pull back up into a T-shape over 2 seconds by driving the backs of your hands toward the outer walls.
• At the top, keep driving outward to squeeze your shoulders and hold for 2 seconds.

Keep your shoulders centered, not retracted back.

That’s what maintains middle shoulder muscle tension.

Now let’s move on to the back of your legs to fix knee and hip pain…  

Exercise 5 – Strong Hamstrings

We’ve worked your quads at the front of your legs.

But here’s the problem…

If you’ve only been training quads and ignoring hamstrings, you’re setting yourself up for knee problems down the line.

Because your knee joint needs balanced strength front and back to stay healthy.

So start with your feet in the straps and lift your bum off the ground…

https://youtube.com/shorts/Afyx1-yM0zo

• Squeeze your hamstrings and drive your heels toward your bum over 2 seconds (imagine crushing a ball between your heels and your glutes).
• Hold that squeeze at the top for 2 seconds.
• Then slowly lower back down, resisting gravity…
• But stop just before your legs straighten. Straighten and you lose tension, lose tension, lose growth.
• Squeeze your hamstrings hard to curl back up.

This next one is arguably the single best bicep builder with a suspension trainer.

But here’s the problem…

Exercise 6 – Bigger Biceps

Most people either hang at the bottom with straight arms,

Which completely loses tension on the bicep muscle…

Or they swing up and down without any control.

Neither of these build your biceps effectively.

So if you’re just starting out, here’s what you need to focus on to build them…

First, let’s talk about the bottom position…

• The key thing is to keep tension on the bicep muscle at all times, which is what drives muscle growth.
• So at the bottom, stop just before your arms fully straighten.
• Keep a slight bend just before you come back up to maintain the tension on the bicep muscle. 

Now let’s talk about the top position as you curl up.

• Focus on squeezing the bicep muscle hard at the top and hold that position.
• Really Contract and squeeze it hard.
• That squeeze focus is your mind muscle connection and the isometric tension it creates builds bicep muscles.

Now if you’ve spent years at a desk, your upper back is probably weak and rounded forward.

This next exercise reverses that damage…

Exercise 7 – Thicker Back

It strengthens your upper back and rear shoulder muscles…

To pull your shoulders back into proper alignment.

So you get a strong athletic frame with good posture.

Start at the top, elbows, pull back and chest out…

https://youtube.com/shorts/dmdK79vlyiI

• Create a slight angle and slowly lower over 2 seconds, resist gravity, don’t just fall into it or you’ll lose tension.
• At the bottom, actively push your arms forward to stretch the upper back.
• Drive your elbows up and out to pull back up over 2 seconds.
• Hold the squeeze at the top for 2 more seconds.

Now none of this matters if your core can’t support the movements.

So this next exercise is crucial for maximising every other exercise we’ve just went through…

Exercise 8 – Deep Core Strength

But here’s what most people don’t realise…

It’s not the surface abs – the six-pack muscles – that are the real powerhouse…

It’s the deep core stabilisers underneath.

These are the muscles that protect your back and create true core strength.

That’s why when most people plank, their core remains weak.

Here’s what they miss…

https://youtube.com/shorts/f2FpcYoCbX0

• Get into a plank with your bum just above parallel and squeeze your entire core to hold the position.
• Now the key part, draw your bellybutton back towards your spine to activate your deep transverse abdominals, your core’s most powerful stabilising muscles.
• It feels a little strange at first, but stick with it.
• Hold for as long as you can.

Here’s the thing, knowing these 8 exercises is only half the battle

Now let’s put them together into a weekly workout plan with the right exercise tempo….

Your 3x/Week Workout Routine

Do this routine 3x a week…

1. Legs Narrow Squats, 2 sets of 8 – 12 reps
2. Chest Dips, 2 sets of 6-8 reps
3. Tricep Closepress 2 sets of 8 – 10 reps
4. Shoulders – T shape 2 sets of 8 – 10 reps
5. Legs Hamstring Curls – 2 sets of 4 – 6 reps
6. Biceps – Bicep curls 2 sets of 8 – 10 reps
7. Back – High Row 2 sets of 6 – 8 reps

Core – Plank hold 2 sets and hold for as long as possible.

After 3 weeks, increase the sets to 3 for each exercise…

Now here’s the tempo to use…

For every exercise, except the plank, use a 222 tempo, that means:

• Take 2 seconds of the upward squeezing the target muscle to cause the movement
• 2 seconds hold at the top focusing on squeezing the target muscle extra hard
• Then 2 seconds on the downward negative phase, maintaining tension on the target muscle. 

But remember this..

These 8 exercises build a complete athletic body.

But most people struggle with one specific area: core strength.

If you’ve got a weak core from years of desk work, those planks alone won’t be enough.

Your deep core muscles need more targeted attention to protect your back and support every movement you make.

So checkout this post next and I’ll show you 7 TRX Moves for DEEP Core Strength.

Pick the 2-3 that target your specific weak points and add them to your weekly plan.

Here’s to your Fitness Freedom!

Coach Adam, aka TRX Traveller