If you’re struggling to build lean muscle and strength with a TRX suspension trainer, you’re not alone….
Most people mindlessly jump around, pushing and pulling from this position to that…
The results? A bit of sweating. Basically cardio.
The outcome? Believing you can’t transform your body with a TRX and throwing it in the cupboard.
Thankfully, back in 2016, I began using a TRX with ‘Muscle-Centric Technique’ and teaching it to clients.
8,000+ clients later, the results have been incredible…
So in this post, I’ve pulled together the 16 best beginner exercises…
And I’ll walk you through how to do each one correctly, so you skip the year of trial and error most people waste.
Then, once you’ve mastered them, I’ll show you 34 progressions to keep building muscle, plus a free workout plan that puts it all together.
To start, let me show you how to build a defined and strong chest…
The 16 Best Beginner TRX Exercises
In this post, you’ll learn this effective ‘Muscle-Centric Technique’ at a beginner level for the 16 best TRX exercises to start with…
And exactly how to do them step-by-step for safe and maximum results.
Let me show you…
The Best TRX Chest Exercises
Your chest isn’t one muscle. It’s two, with three distinct areas to build: an upper section, a lower section (pec major), and a smaller muscle hidden underneath called the pec minor.
The time under tension and stretch you can achieve with TRX chest exercises works the muscle fibres through a full and natural range of motion for mobility and strength…
Let’s start with the most common:
1. TRX Chest Press
The TRX chest press is main exercise for building the middle section of your chest. And incorporating many secondary and stabilising muscles.
Think of your middle chest like the engine block of a powerful car. It’s the main source of mass and strength that drives everything else.
Build it up and your whole chest looks thick:
- Start with the straps long and at the sides of your shoulders, arms straight.
- Slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds.
- At the bottom, pull your shoulder blades back to stretch your chest.
- As you push back up, focus on bringing your elbows together to squeeze your chest muscles hard.
- Hold that focus and squeeze at the top.
More stretch at the bottom and a powerful squeeze at the top means more muscle fibres recruited.
2. TRX Chest Flys
I don’t think there’s an exercise that stretches the pectoral muscles as much as TRX Flys. More stretch means more growth and better functional fitness.
They also target your inner chest, the centreline of a superhero costume. Build that up and your chest pops forward with real separation.
- Set your straps to a long length and bring the handles in front of you, arms straight with a slight bend in the elbow.
- Slowly lower yourself over 2 seconds by opening your arms wide.
- At the bottom, contract your shoulder blades back to feel a deep chest stretch, and pause there.
- Then focus on bringing your elbows back together to rise up, and squeeze your chest extra hard at the top.
Don’t create the stretch by straightening your arms and pushing your hands behind your body…
It could cause injury. Bend at the elbows and pull your shoulder blades back instead.
Want more? See my 5 TRX exercises to build chest muscle.
By the way, I know a lot of exercises can feel overwhelming:
“Where do I start? How many reps and sets? In what order?…“
So to help you get started, I’ve put the 8 most essential TRX exercises into a free 4-week strength plan that you can download below:
Free Reclaim Your Strength in 4-Weeks (Suspension Trainer Plan)
Gain better movement, confidence, and mobility in 8 neglected and essential strength areas. Just tell me where to send it…
The Best TRX Shoulder & Back Exercises
The constant stabilising needed when doing TRX back training develops multiple areas. I’ve noticed breadth and thickness within the muscles.
Another huge secondary muscle in most TRX exercises is the shoulders. Since I ditched the weights for the TRX, my rotator cuffs don’t click any more, and my stability and shoulder girdle strength is the best it’s been.
Your shoulders aren’t one muscle either. They’re three: the front delt that builds the shelf at the top of your chest, the side delt that creates the cap and your width, and the rear delt at the back that adds the depth most people are missing.
And your back is a web of muscles, but two stand out. The lats, which run from your armpits down to your lower back, create the V-taper. The traps, which run from the base of your skull to the middle of your back, build thickness.
3. TRX High Row (Back Pull)
Fantastic to fix rounded shoulders and develop a solid shoulder girdle. TRX High Rows target your upper back (upper traps, rhomboids) and rear shoulder muscles.
- Begin the movement by contracting your shoulder blades first.
- The elbows lead. Drive them up and out as you pull up
- Squeeze your upper back as hard as possible at the top
- Then lower slowly
4. TRX Y’s (Shoulder & Back)
The technique for TRX Y’s is a little tricky to get down correctly, but once it’s nailed they bring in a huge amount of secondary muscles along with the primary middle and rear deltoids. Back muscles and core stabilisers also take a blasting.
They build your upper traps too, for that powerful neckline. Now give me a Y!
- Grab the handles and lift your arms into a Y shape with a slight bend in the elbows.
- Pull your shoulders right back by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Slowly lower your arms over 2 seconds, stopping before your arms straighten.
- Drive your hands towards the ceiling to pull back up into the Y.
- At the top, pull your shoulder blades back and squeeze even harder for 2 seconds.
Want more focus on your shoulders than your traps? Think zombie. Round your shoulders forward to take your upper back out of it, and focus on slapping your hands to the roof.
5. TRX T’s (Shoulder & Back)
Watch from 01:45 – Second behind the TRX Y’s, these really target the middle shoulder muscle and traps, which is what makes your shoulders look broad in any t-shirt. A great variation to work into a shoulder routine, or go back to back with the Y’s for a serious deltoid burn.
- Grab the handles and lift your arms into a T shape with a slight bend in the elbows, shoulders centred.
- Slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds.
- Stop before your hands come together. Go too far and you’ll hang through the joint, losing all tension on the shoulder muscle.
- Drive your hands out to the walls to pull back up over 2 seconds.
- Squeeze the shoulder muscles extra hard at the top.
Gripping the handles tight helps you keep a constant squeeze on the shoulders.
For more shoulder work, see how to build muscular shoulders with a TRX.
For more back work, see my 5 TRX exercises to bulletproof your back.
The Best TRX Leg Exercises
Not only have my little chicken legs developed more than when I used weights, but my hip flexors are stronger, my flexibility is greater and my cardio output is higher.
Your legs have three main players: the quads at the front that build the size and shape of your thighs, the hamstrings down the back that add thickness and curve, and the glutes that drive the power and round out the whole leg.
6. TRX Pistol Squat
I’ve added more growth to my legs doing these than any other leg exercise.
Most people train both legs together and stay unknowingly weak on one side. Build single-leg strength and you create real balance and athleticism.
- Grab the straps, stand on one leg, and fully straighten your leg to squeeze your quad hard.
- Lower yourself slowly over 2 seconds by imagining you’re sitting on a seat.
- Pause just before your glutes touch your calf.
- Drive back up through your heel over 2 seconds, squeezing hard at the top.
If you’re a beginner, only go down until your knee is bent to 90 degrees. Advanced? Get that ass to grass and go all the way down. Lean forward slightly to keep your bodyweight over your quads.
7. TRX Front Lunge
It’s easy to lean forward and put the load onto your quads with these. But I believe it’s more beneficial to target your hamstrings, and leave the quads for the reverse lunges below.
- Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes to pull yourself down. Don’t drop. Pull.
- Pause at the bottom, then squeeze your hamstrings super hard to rise back up.
- Stop just before your leg straightens. Straighten it and your quad takes the tension away from the hamstrings.
Some guys can squat 400lbs but can’t do 10 of these with the correct form. It’s a different muscle adaptation, so they’re great for mixing things up and working your legs anywhere.
8. TRX Hamstring Curls
Watch from 05:46 – I often get asked, “How the hell can I train my hamstrings with a TRX?” Well, it’s simple: with TRX Hamstring Curls. They burn and bring in a ton of secondary muscle, so more bang for your buck.
Most people’s legs are strong at the front but weak at the back. That tug-of-war imbalance creates major knee and hip problems, and these fix it.
- Start with your feet in the straps and lift your bum off the ground.
- Squeeze your hamstrings and drive your heels toward your bum over 2 seconds.
- Hold that powerful squeeze at the top.
- Slowly lower your feet back, but stop just before your legs straighten. Fully straightening and resting kills all the tension and growth.
9. TRX Jump Squat
Explosive power is fundamental in all sports. With 50% of our muscle mass in the lower half of our bodies, there’s no better area to develop this power. Couple that with the cardiovascular element of TRX jump squats and you’ve got an exercise that’s pretty hard to beat.
It’s not about duration, it’s about intensity.
- Lower with control.
- Explode upward as powerfully as you can, using the straps for balance.
- Land softly, resisting gravity into a deep seat.
- Do maximum-effort reps, as many as you can.
10. TRX Reverse Lunge
I find these are best for targeting your outer quad. Your inner and middle quad get plenty of work from front lunges and squats.
- Lean slightly forward throughout to keep the load on your quads.
- Tap your knee gently to the floor. Don’t rest it. Then rise.
- Don’t lock out at the top. The inner quad joins in to straighten the leg and takes tension away from the outer quad.
- Try twisting your front foot inwards very slightly. I find it helps put the load onto the outer quad.
Want more? See my 15 most effective TRX leg exercises.
The Best TRX Triceps Exercises
Your triceps are three muscles: the long head that builds most of the size, the lateral head that creates the horseshoe shape, and the medial head tucked underneath that fills the arm out.
11. TRX Tricep Skull Crushers (Extensions)
I love the secondary muscle and core stability these bring in. Again, a ton of bang for your buck.
Two-thirds of your arm mass is hidden around the back in your triceps, and they grow best from a deep stretch.
- Get a long length on the straps and get them above your head.
- Bend your elbows to slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds.
- As you reach the bottom, actively pull your arms behind your head to get a deep stretch on the triceps.
- Pause, then push back up over 2 seconds, and straighten your arms to squeeze your triceps at the top.
12. TRX Triceps Extension Hammer Grip
If the TRX Skull Crusher focuses on the pop of the upper tricep muscle, these focus on the length. Pair the two together and you’ll get some serious under-arm armour.
The same principles as above apply. Make sure to stretch right back behind your head. You don’t need a big angle stance. Focus on slow and controlled from with the suspension trainer.
The different wrist angle targets a different head of the triceps. Like your biceps, they need hitting from different angles for full development. For the advanced version, watch from 02:41.
The Best TRX Biceps Exercises
Your biceps are made up of three muscles too: the long head on the outside that builds the peak, the short head on the inside that adds width, and the brachialis hidden underneath that pushes the whole bicep up and makes it look bigger.
13. TRX Bicep Curl
The time under tension I feel when doing these bicep curls is greater than anything I’ve felt from dumbbells.
But most people either hang at the bottom or mindlessly swing up and down. Both lose tension and prevent bicep growth.
- Lower slowly over 2 seconds, and at the bottom, stop just before your arms fully straighten.
- Keep a slight bend to hold tension on the bicep.
- Squeeze your biceps to curl up with control over 2 seconds.
- Squeeze them even harder at the top for a pause.
14. TRX Biceps Hammer Curl
Mix them in with TRX Bicep Curls to target the secondary head of the bicep. Same technique as above.
Always target your biceps with at least two exercises that use different wrist positions. The hammer grip hits the long head for full bicep development. At the top, rotate your pinky up for that extra squeeze and pop.
That’s width and shape ticked.
Want more? See my 9 best TRX arm exercises.
The Best TRX Abs Exercises
Abs are constantly worked in 90% of all TRX exercises through stabilisation. But it’s good to target them directly too.
Three core muscles stand out: the rectus abdominis that creates the six-pack, the obliques on your sides that carve out the V-cut and tighten your waist, and the transverse abdominis underneath that pulls your whole stomach in flat.
These two are the best to focus on…
15. TRX Abs Bicycle Kicks / Mountain Climbers
Whenever I want to get those abs popping, I get on my TRX bike.
16. TRX Abs Crunch
Watch from 02:43 – Whenever I want to build some insane stability and strength in my core, I crunch.
Most people do endless crunches in a tiny range, which is like doing bicep curls only halfway. Your abs are built to move from a full stretch to a full contraction. That’s how they grow.
- Place both feet in the straps and get into a push-up position.
- Gently lower your hips toward the floor to stretch your abs.
- Squeeze your abs hard and bring your knees toward your chest over 2 seconds, curling your spine.
- Hold that squeeze at the top, then slowly lower back down over 2 seconds.
Want more? See my 7 TRX exercises for deep core strength.
Or if you want a quick reference for all exercises? See my TRX exercise chart post.
Mastered These 16? Progress Onto These 34…
If you take the time to slow down with each TRX exercise, connect with your muscle (the squeeze) and use a full range of motion…
You will build lean muscle.
But your body adapts. So once the 16 above feel easy, it’s time to progress.
These 34 exercises target the muscles the basics don’t reach, so you keep building, keep challenging yourself and keep transforming.
If you’d prefer to see all these TRX exercises in one concise video, watch it below (40 TRX Exercises That Replace an Entire Gym):
Chest Progressions
17. Lower Chest Definition: TRX Chest Press Alternative
Once the TRX Chest Press feels easy, progress to this.
Think of your lower chest like the edge of a cliff. It’s that dramatic drop-off that makes everything above it look more defined.
Without it, your chest and abs blend into one flat board. But build it up, and suddenly your chest pops!
- Set your straps to a long length and place them under your arms.
- Slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds.
- At the bottom, contract your shoulder blades back to stretch your chest deeply.
- Pause there for a second.
- Push back up over 2 seconds, and as you do, focus on bringing your elbows together at the top to squeeze your chest hard.
This can be more effective than the normal chest press. You get a deeper stretch, more emphasis on the chest and less on the front shoulders.
18. Total Upper Body Strength: TRX Single Arm Push Up
Once you’ve got the TRX Chest Press nailed, this is the next big test.
It’s a single-arm press that humbles anyone who thinks they’re strong. It builds your chest, front shoulders and triceps, plus the deep core stabilising muscles that stop your body twisting.
- Get into a push-up position with one arm in the strap.
- Lower slowly over 2 seconds, bracing your core throughout to stop yourself sagging or twisting. That’s what builds the anti-rotation strength.
- Pause, then press back up over 2 seconds, holding the top position before lowering again.
19. Upper Athletic Frame: TRX High Feet Push Ups
Think of your upper chest like the chest plate of medieval armour. It’s what gives you that commanding silhouette from the side.
- Get your feet up high in the straps and into a push-up position.
- Here’s the key: instead of mindlessly pressing up and down, push your hands together against the floor like you’re trying to fold it. That’s what shifts the load onto your upper chest.
- Keep pushing your hands together as you lower slowly over 2 seconds.
- Push back up right into the top squeeze.
Shoulder & Back Progressions
20. Chest Out Posture: TRX Facepull
Years of sitting cause your shoulders to round forward into poor posture.
Strengthening your rear shoulder muscles is the fix. They pull your shoulders back so you stand tall.
- Grab the handles with an overhand grip and lean back at a slight angle.
- Pull the handles toward your face, aiming at nose level, over 2 seconds.
- As you reach the top, rotate your knuckles upward and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Hold that squeeze, then slowly lower back down over 2 seconds.
- BUT don’t fully relax or hang at the bottom, or you’ll lose the muscular tension that gets the results.
21. Athletic Mobility: TRX Serratus Slides
There’s one muscle wrapping around your ribcage that most people never train: the serratus anterior.
When it’s weak, your shoulder blades wing out from your back, which causes shoulder pain and limited mobility.
- Set the straps mid-length and slide your forearms in, palms up.
- Create a slight angle and lean forward into the straps, keeping your core braced.
- Push away into the handles and reach upward, letting your shoulder blades slide apart as you reach.
- Pause at the top for 4 seconds, then lower slowly down.
22. Body Pillars: TRX Low Row
If you want to build your back and strengthen your body’s foundation, you need to do TRX Low Rows.
They target your lats, the big muscles at your sides. Think of them as your body’s pillars. Build them and your upper body movement and mobility improve.
- Drive your elbows down and back, tight alongside your body. The hands are just hooks. The elbows lead.
- Stretch right out at the bottom for a bigger range of motion, but stretch, don’t just hang on the shoulder joint. Hanging loses the tension on your back muscles.
- Hold a super hard SQUEEEEZE at the top. Close your eyes and visualise your lats powerfully pulling your arms back.
- Keep a slow, controlled tempo. Technique mastery precedes hard work.
23. V-Shape Torso: TRX Reverse Grip Rows
Once the TRX Low Row feels easy, progress to this. Your lats are the largest muscles in your back, and they’re the secret to that powerful V-shaped torso everyone notices.
When your lats flare out beneath your shoulders, your waist instantly looks narrower and your upper body looks stronger.
- Grab the straps with your palms facing upward, elbows pulled back, chest out and lats tight.
- Create a slight angle, then slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds.
- As you reach the bottom, actively push your arms forward to stretch your lats.
- Once you feel that deep stretch, drive your elbows back and down alongside your body to pull up over 2 seconds.
- Squeeze the lats extra hard at the top.
24. Pain Free Shoulders: TRX YTL Shoulder Raises
Once the TRX Y’s and T’s feel easy, combine them into this.
Desk life slowly freezes your shoulders, stealing your range of motion until everyday reaches feel stiff and restricted. But it only takes one move to unfreeze them.
- Grab the handles, keep your shoulders pulled back and your arms slightly bent.
- Raise your arms into a Y shape.
- Then flow smoothly into a T shape.
- And finally into an L.
- Move slowly and with control the whole way through. No swinging or yanking.
25. Wider Shoulders: TRX Side & Front Raises
Once the TRX T’s feel easy, progress to these.
Side raises build your middle shoulder muscle, which gives your physique a wider shape. Front raises hit your front shoulders. With both, the burn builds, and so does the pump.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows.
- Keep a short range of motion. Think ‘pumping action’. It holds the tension and you’ll feel the burn build.
- Don’t hang and rest at the bottom. It takes the tension off the shoulder muscle.
26. Boulder Shoulders: TRX Shoulder Press
You need to let go of your beliefs with this one. We’re not challenging the muscle through weight. We’re challenging it through tension.
- Get into an athletic stance: knees bent and core tensed.
- Don’t pull your shoulder blades back too much, or your back muscles join in. We want all the tension on your shoulders.
- Keep your arms slightly out to the side, so the load goes onto the shoulder muscle and not the joint.
- Squeeze your shoulders as hard as possible through the full range, pushing out to the side nonstop, up and down. Don’t lock out.
27. Mobile Back: TRX Thoracic Extensions
Spend all day hunched over a phone and you develop what’s called tech neck.
It locks up your spine, builds tension across your upper back and even restricts your breathing.
- Set your straps at knee height and kneel facing away from the anchor, arms extended forward.
- Gently sit back toward your heels, then slowly drive your chest downward, creating a gentle arch.
- Hold for around 20 seconds, breathing deeply.
- To free up your mid-back even more, add a gentle rotation from side to side.
Leg Progressions
28. Athletic Leg Shape: TRX Narrow Squats
There’s one leg muscle most people overlook. It’s called the “quad sweep”, and it runs along the outside of your leg.
Developing it gives your legs an impressive shape from the front and side.
- Stand with your feet close together in a narrow stance.
- Slowly squat down over 2 seconds, and as you lower yourself, actively press your feet outward against the floor. Imagine you’re trying to spread the ground apart beneath you.
- This shifts the tension directly onto your outer quads, exactly where we want it.
- Pause briefly at the bottom, keeping that outward tension strong, then squat back up, still pressing outward as you rise.
Why does this work?
Without this mindful technique, you’re just moving up and down, and your body shares the load across all your leg muscles. That gives a weak muscle-building stimulus everywhere. Isolate the outer quad and put all the load onto it, and you get a much bigger stimulus. Your legs grow noticeably.
Narrow squats also significantly reduce the stress on your knee joints, helping you build leg muscle safely.
29. Leg Thickness: TRX Wide Squats
Your hamstrings and glutes add the thickness and curve to your legs. A wide stance lets you sit back deep into the squat to load them.
- Imagine a stability ball between your bum and your heels, and squeeze it powerfully.
- Don’t drop down. Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes to pull yourself down.
- Pause at the bottom, then keep squeezing your glutes and hamstrings hard to rise. Slow and controlled.
- Don’t straighten your legs at the top. It brings your quads in and takes the tension off your hamstrings.
30. Reclaimed Mobility: TRX Primal Squat
Modern life keeps you stuck at desk height, but our ancestors thrived squatting low to rest and hunt.
This simple move isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about reclaiming mobility in your ankles, knees and hips that you didn’t know you’d lost.
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width.
- Instead of dropping down, squeeze your hamstrings and glutes to lower with control.
- Squat deep and stay there for 30 seconds, keeping your knees pushed outward.
- Progress by gently rocking from side to side to challenge your mobility further.
31. Bulletproof Lower Back: TRX Single Leg Hinge
Your hamstrings don’t just move your legs. They control your hips like a hinge controls a gate.
When they’re weak, your lower back takes over every time you bend or lift. And when they’re tight, you can’t even train them properly in the first place.
- Stand on one leg, using the straps for support.
- Slowly hinge forward at your hips by pushing them back, keeping just a slight bend in the knee.
- Lower until you feel a deep stretch in the hamstring, and pause there for 2 seconds.
- Drive your hips forward by squeezing your hamstrings and glutes hard.
- Hold that squeeze at the top for 2 seconds.
32. Powerhouse Glutes: TRX Hip Raises (Glute Bridges)
Your glutes are the V6 engine of your lower body. They should power you up hikes and through your sport.
But for most people, that engine’s switched off, so your lower back takes all the strain instead.
- Set the straps to mid-calf height and get both feet in the straps.
- Before you move, lift your bum an inch off the ground and squeeze your glutes hard to activate them.
- Drive your feet down into the straps and squeeze your glutes even harder to drive your hips high over 2 controlled seconds.
- Pause at the top, keeping the powerful squeeze.
- Lower slowly over 2 seconds.
If you want to hit your pelvic floor at the same time, imagine stopping the flow of urine mid-stream and hold that throughout.
33. Powerful Hips: TRX Glute Medius Bridge
Once the TRX Hip Raises feel easy, progress to this.
Most people only train the big glute muscle, but it’s the smaller glute medius, on your hip, that does the real stabilising work.
When it’s weak, your pelvis drops and your knees cave inward.
- Set the straps to mid-shin height and lie on your back with both heels in the handles.
- Press your heels down and lift your hips off the floor.
- Slowly press your feet apart as wide as you can, without dropping your hips or bending your knees.
- Hold there for 2 seconds.
- Bring them back together over 2 seconds with control.
34. Stronger Ankles: TRX Calf Raises
Most people overlook their calves because they’re small and out of sight. But they’re like the shock absorbers on your car.
When they’re tight and weak, every step sends impact straight through your joints, and you lose the ankle mobility that lets you squat deep.
- Stand on a step with the balls of your feet on the edge.
- Slowly lower your heel toward the ground until you feel a deep stretch, and hold that bottom stretch for 2 seconds.
- Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heel as high as possible over 2 seconds.
- Hold that peak squeeze at the top.
Your calves are mostly slow-twitch fibres. They’re very resilient and respond best to constant tension over long periods. So go very slowly, lean back slightly into the straps, and progress by going single-leg or adding a weighted backpack.
35. Rock-Solid Legs: TRX Split Squat
Once the TRX Front Lunge feels easy, progress to this.
This one move rebuilds almost every weakness in your legs. It hits your quads, glutes, hamstrings and the small stabilisers around your hips all at once.
- Get your rear foot in the straps and hop right out.
- Lower yourself down over 2 seconds, and pause at the bottom when you feel a deep hamstring stretch.
- Drive up through your front heel over 2 seconds.
- Fully straighten your leg at the top to squeeze your quad muscles.
36. Thigh Power: TRX Reverse Lunges Leg Behind
Once the TRX Reverse Lunge feels easy, progress to this.
This move builds quad power and strengthens your hip stabilisers together, so you can handle mountains without feeling stiff or fragile.
- Start on one foot and slowly step the other leg back into a reverse lunge.
- As you do, rotate your torso so that leg reaches around and behind you. That rotation is the key hip stabiliser.
- Go down as far as you can.
- Drive through your front heel to stand, and rotate back to centre.
- Straighten your leg at the top to really squeeze your quads hard.
37. Knee Stability: TRX Side Squats
The quads are made up of four muscles, but one is responsible for stabilising your kneecap: the vastus medialis.
When it’s weak, your knee feels fragile and wobbly when walking, squatting and running.
- Set the straps to mid-shin height, with one foot in.
- Hop out sideways until you feel a slight inner leg stretch.
- Lower yourself down over 2 seconds.
- Pause at the bottom, keeping your knee over your toes.
- Drive up through your heel over 2 seconds.
- Straighten your leg fully at the top to squeeze your quad muscles hard.
38. Athletic Coordination: TRX Overhead Squat
Most squats train your legs, but this one trains your whole body to move as a coordinated unit.
While your legs drive the squat, your shoulders work overhead to build endurance and the full-body coordination that keeps you moving like an athlete.
- Set your stance just outside shoulder width and lift your arms into a Y shape, with your shoulder blades pulled back.
- Lower yourself slowly over 2 seconds by squeezing your hamstrings.
- Imagine crushing a stability ball between your heels and glutes. That loads the muscle instead of cheating with gravity.
- Go as deep as you can, pause, then drive your heels into the floor to squat back up over 2 seconds.
Arm Progressions
39. Iron Grip: TRX Reverse Curls
There’s a hidden weapon in your arms that most people ignore: the brachioradialis.
When you build it up, your forearms look thicker, your grip gets stronger, and you get a real edge in any sport that needs pulling, gripping or elbow strength.
- Grab the handles with an overhand grip, and start with your arms curled and tension in the straps.
- Slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds.
- Stop just before your arms fully straighten. Go too far and you lose the tension that drives growth.
- Squeeze your forearms and biceps hard to curl back up over 2 seconds.
- At the top, squeeze them extra hard for a pause.
40. Resting Defined Arms: TRX Close Press Triceps
Once the TRX Skull Crushers feel easy, progress to this.
Your triceps are made of three heads, but only one creates that horseshoe-shaped definition: the lateral head. Build it and your arms look sculpted even when they’re relaxed.
- Adjust your straps to a long length and position them over your shoulders.
- Lean slightly forward, hands close together at chest level.
- Squeeze your triceps to push your hands forward and down, taking 2 seconds to reach the bottom.
- Fully straighten your arms and actively push down against the straps to squeeze your triceps.
- Hold that squeeze for 2 full seconds.
- Slowly return to the starting position, taking 2 seconds to move back up.
41. Ultimate Arm Strength: TRX Tricep Dips
A lot of people see dips as impossible. But they’re the king move for arm strength and better elbow stability.
And the suspension trainer is what makes them doable, even as a beginner.
- Set the handles to about knee height, grab them, and tuck your feet underneath you, like you’re about to squat against the wall.
- Pull your shoulders back and straighten your arms to squeeze your triceps.
- Slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds, and pause at the bottom.
- Push back up with your triceps as hard as you can, BUT use your legs to squat up and give as much help as you need.
- Squeeze the triceps extra hard at the top and hold it.
42. Bicep Peak: TRX Drag Curls
Once the TRX Hammer Curl feels easy, progress to this.
If you struggle to feel a contraction with normal curls, try this. It puts more emphasis on the peak of your bicep, for round, popping biceps.
- Pull your elbows behind your body.
- Don’t focus on curling. Focus on dragging your elbows back by squeezing your biceps.
- Squeeze as hard as possible at the top and hold it for 2–3 seconds.
43. Thicker Arms: TRX Bicep Curl 21s
Once the TRX Bicep Curl feels easy, progress to this.
There’s a small but powerful muscle beneath your biceps called the brachialis. When it grows, it pushes your biceps up and out, giving your arms a thicker, more three-dimensional look.
This muscle is resilient, so 21s really challenge it:
- Start at the top, squeezing your biceps hard.
- Slowly lower yourself down over 2 seconds, stopping just before your arms straighten.
- Squeeze back up over 2 seconds, with an extra hard squeeze at the top. That’s one full-range rep. Do seven.
- Then go straight into seven upper partials: stop halfway down and drive back up, squeezing for 2 seconds each time.
- Finish with seven lower partials: start at the bottom and contract up to halfway, pause, squeeze and go back down.
Don’t rest between them. Seven full, seven upper, seven lower. That’s 21 reps total, and your arms will be on fire.
Core Progressions
44. Deep Core Strength: TRX Plank Core Variation
It’s not the six-pack on the surface that’s the real powerhouse. It’s the deep stabiliser underneath, your transverse abdominis.
That’s the muscle that protects your back and creates true core strength.
- Get into a plank with your bum just above parallel, and squeeze your entire core to hold the position.
- Once you’re holding, draw your belly button back toward your spine.
- Hold that draw-in for as long as you can.
It feels strange at first, but stick with it.
45. Unbreakable Posture: TRX Side Planks
Picture your spine as a stack of Jenga blocks. Each one needs its own tiny shock absorber to stay stable. That’s your multifidus.
When it’s weak, every block wobbles instead of stacking solid, leading to back pain.
- Lie on your side and get both feet in the straps.
- Tense your core and slowly lift your hips until your body is in one straight line, including your neck and head.
- Hold that position for as long as you can.
46. Dynamic Full-Body Movement: TRX Plank to Pike
Once the TRX Abs Crunch feels easy, progress to this.
Most exercises isolate one muscle at a time. But this move is like a Swiss Army knife for your body. It trains multiple muscles in your deep core and movement patterns, so your body learns to work as one strong unit.
- Set the straps to ankle height, place both feet inside and get into a stable plank.
- Slowly lift your hips a few inches toward the ceiling, pause for 2 seconds, then lower back down.
- Over time, progress by lifting your hips higher and higher.
- Once you can hold the very top comfortably, you’ve mastered the full plank-to-pike.
47. Effortless Rotation: TRX Core Twists
Every time you swing a club, throw a ball or lift a child to one side, you’re relying on deep rotational core muscles.
When they’re weak, your spine absorbs the stress instead.
- Set the straps to mid-length and lift your arms overhead.
- Create a slight angle and squeeze your core to hold the position.
- Gently twist your upper body from left to right over 2 seconds, driving the movement by squeezing your core.
- Pause for a second at the top of each rotation.
48. Agile Rotational Movement: TRX Side Bends
Your obliques are like your body’s power steering. They control how smoothly you twist and bend to the side.
When they’re strong, every rotation is effortless. When they’re weak, every twist or bend feels difficult.
- Get a long length on the straps and lift them above your head.
- Squeeze your whole core, then gently push your hips outward.
- Keep going until you feel a deep stretch down your side, then stop and hold that stretched position.
- Squeeze your core to drive your hips back up. You’ll feel the other side of your core pull you vertical. That’s the obliques working.
49. Spine of Steel: TRX Superman
Think of your spine like a sailing mast, with ropes keeping it upright and stable.
Those ropes are your erector spinae, deep muscles that run from your lower back all the way up to your neck. When they’re weak, you slouch forward.
- Get the straps over your shoulders, and squeeze your core to bend at the waist.
- Slowly extend out over 2 seconds, keeping your core tensed the whole way.
- As you reach full extension, hold that position for 2 seconds. That’s where the erector spinae are working hardest.
- Squeeze your core extra hard to fold your body back in.
It’s also my favourite abs exercise. If I could only do one for the rest of my life, it would be this. There’s a huge stretch at the top and a powerful squeeze as you fold down, so your abs work through their full range.
50. Gymnast Balance: TRX Core Balance Challenge
Remember balancing on kerbs as a kid? That wasn’t just play. It was your body building a crucial foundation, one you’ve probably lost.
- Stand on one leg, using the straps for support, and hold the position.
- Too easy? Cross your arms.
- Still too easy? Move your head side to side.
- Still too easy? Close your eyes.
- And if you get all the way there, jump on the spot.
Each progression builds on the last, so you improve no matter where you start.
Your Free TRX Workout Plan
50 TRX exercises can feel overwhelming, I know.
So I’ve pulled the 8 most essential into a simple 4-week plan, for building muscle, feeling stronger and getting your confidence back in the areas that matter most…
Free Reclaim Your Strength in 4-Weeks (Suspension Trainer Plan)
Gain better movement, confidence, and mobility in 8 neglected and essential strength areas. Just tell me where to send it…
More TRX Guides by Body Part
- TRX Chest Exercises
- TRX Arm Exercises
- TRX Core Exercises
- TRX Back Exercises
- TRX Leg Exercises
- TRX Shoulder Exercises
TRX Exercises FAQ
Can you build muscle with TRX exercises?
Yes, but only if you use the right technique. Your muscles don’t know what you’re holding. They only know the tension you place on them. Mindlessly pushing and pulling gives you a sweaty cardio session, but muscle-centric technique (isolating the muscle, slow tempo, full range of motion and a hard squeeze) builds real muscle. I break down exactly why in Does TRX Actually Build Muscle?
How often should you do TRX exercises?
3–4 sessions per week is the sweet spot for most people. That’s what I did while travelling 32 countries with just a TRX, and it built the best physique of my life. Consistency beats intensity, so pick a schedule you can actually stick to week after week.
Are TRX exercises good for people over 40?
Absolutely. Most of the 8,000+ people I’ve coached are busy adults, many over 40. The straps support you, so you control how much bodyweight you lift just by changing your angle. That makes it easier on your joints than heavy weights, while still building muscle, mobility and balance, all of which fade with age if you don’t train them.
Are TRX exercises good for beginners?
Yes, they’re one of the best places to start. You can make every exercise easier or harder just by stepping forward or back, so it grows with you. Start with the 16 exercises above, focus on technique before intensity, and only move onto the progressions once they feel easy.
Can TRX replace the gym?
For most people’s goals (building lean muscle, burning fat, moving better and feeling stronger), yes. I ditched the gym in 2016 and built more muscle with a TRX than I ever did with weights. Legs are the hardest area to progress with bodyweight alone, so you’ll rely more on single-leg exercises and slower tempos there. That’s what the leg progressions above are for.
Here’s to your Fitness Freedom!
Coach Adam, aka TRX Traveller
Founder, Fitness Freedom Athletes
How often do you recommend working out with TRX and for how many sets. 12-15 reps at super slow speed are going to be killers, would one set be enough of each exercise?
It entirely depends on your goals. I love to workout 6 times a week at the moment (but I am an obsessive) with a PUSH/PULL/LEG split. However, sometimes I love 4 times a week with an UPPER/LOWER split, I would say that 4 times UPPER/LOWER split is the best overall for rest and recovery and a busy life schedule. This allows you to train a muscle group twice a week which studies have shown as optimal. It’s what I incorporate into the TRX Total Transformation Program and people have reported great results.
The intensity of the exercise is all dependant on the placement of you feet, they would certainly be very hard if you moved your feet closer to the TRX point of hanging. But, if you stand further out the intensity is much less so you can focus on perfect technique with slow form and good muscle contraction across large rep volume. 1 set is fine to begin with then progress up to 2-3 over time.
Adam,these short videos are very helpful.when I use the Trx I like to do the Y,T,W and an M.from top to bottom,then reverse.also I rotate grips.one grip seem more natural.then I turn my hands over,let me know your thoughts,thanks, Eddie
Hey Eddie, I’m glad they were useful. That’s the beauty of suspension training with regards to your comments on different positions, it fits each and every individual’s biomechanics for varied ranges of motion. Have you experimented with protracted Y’s etc versus re-tracted?