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The chest muscles. One of the most popular body areas to target for men and women. But often the trickiest to activate correctly with effective technique.
Using a TRX suspension trainer is no exception. You’ve probably seen many people mindlessly pressing up and down with a TRX, trying to build their chest muscles. Maybe you’ve experienced this for yourself…
You struggle to feel the chest activating, never see any gains, and feel it more in your shoulders or triceps. It’s common. You’re doing a weak form of cardio instead of isolating the chest area with the correct technique to strengthen it.
Let’s change that…
Table Of Contents
TRX Chest Exercises
When used with ‘muscle-centric technique’, a TRX suspension trainer helps you develop a strong, functional, and well-defined chest.
It also engages your total core area helping you to improve your stability and mobility. It’s a total-body solution for gaining chest strength without the need for using a gym or heavy weights and large equipment.
Here are 3 main TRX chest exercises and how to do them with effective technique to build lean muscle and transform your body…
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1. TRX Chest Press
The classic and most popular TRX chest exercise. And the #1 exercise that I receive the most questions about in the Fitness Freedom Athletes Community. Along the lines of:
“I have a question on TRX chest press. When doing it, I don’t feel my chest engaged. Instead my triceps are the one engaging to push. Not sure what I’m doing wrong here”
There are a couple of simple technique tweaks, combined with one mindful focus. That transforms this exercise from a mindless pushing activity to a full-on chest activator and strength developer.
The 2 TRX Chest Press Exercise Basics for Maximum Results
1. The Stretch
At the bottom of the exercise, get your elbows back and stretch your chest muscles out.
Stay here for a second and feel that stretch, no bouncing. Close your eyes and visualise your chest muscles stretching. Then squeeze your chest muscles to press up.
2. Elbow to elbow
As you press up, don’t aim to bring your hands together. Instead, focus on trying to push your elbows together.
This will help isolate your chest muscles and allow you to initiate a powerful squeeze of the chest muscles better.
Imagine trying to nip a pen between your chest muscles. Don’t push the hands together, push the elbows together.
Stay here at the top and SQUEEEZE super hard to contract your chest muscles powerfully for at least 2 seconds.
Why Is This Effective?
When you focus on just pressing forward, your triceps and front shoulder muscles help out and take the load away from your chest muscles.
Depending on how bad your technique is, will mean those two muscles do more of the work.
Trying to make your elbows touch mimics the main action of the chest muscle which is to bring your arms across your chest. That’s why it is so effective.
Keep your shoulders pulled back and down throughout the entire exercise.
2. TRX Chest Flys
The TRX chest fly exercise develops your chest width and flexibility. It creates a stronger shoulder girdle area which means you get more stability and movement in your arms.
Don’t assume you need to stand at a big angle for these to work. Again it comes down to isolating your chest muscle. A muscle is much weaker when isolated on its own so you can place less load (the angle) onto it and still get great development.
The 2 TRX Chest Fly Exercise Basics for Maximum Results
1. Straighten your arms
At the top of the exercise straighten your arms and focus on squeezing your chest muscles by pushing your elbows together. Same as the TRX Chest Press. Like nipping a pen between them.
You will feel 10x more muscle activation. When your arms are bent at the top, the tension is also on the front shoulder muscle. Taking the load away from the chest. By straightening your arms as you reach the top of the motion, you isolate the chest placing all the load onto it.
2. Pull shoulders back to stretch
Bend your elbows as you go back down on the negative phase and pull your shoulder blades back in a controlled manner. To create as much stretch as possible, that you can comfortably/safely hold at the bottom).
Don’t create the stretch by straightening your arms and pushing your hands behind your body. This can cause injury. Bend the arms and pull the shoulder blades back. Try it in a standing position first, to feel the difference.
3. TRX Chest Dips
If you still struggle to activate your chest with the normal TRX Chest Press. Try this chest dip variation. I’ve found it more effective for #3 reasons:
1. Stretching of the chest
At the bottom of the movement it’s possible to get the shoulders and elbows right back behind your body. To open up and stretch your chest muscles.
2. More emphasis on the chest muscles
Pushing down and away to press back up places more emphasis on the chest muscles and less on the front shoulder muscles.
3. Squeezing of the chest muscles
Towards the top press phase, you can focus on pushing the elbows together across your body better. Because the straps don’t get in the way and rub on your arms. This leads to an awesome squeeze on your chest muscles.
More squeeze, more growth.
The 4 Technique Basics For a TRX Chest Dip
- Place the straps underneath your arms and hold them in a hammer grip
- Push down and away when squeezing your chest to push back up
- Focus on bringing your elbows together across your body to help squeeze the chest muscle powerfully.
- Don’t straighten your arms at the top, keep a slight bend to keep tension on your chest and away from your triceps and front shoulder muscles.
If you want a more detailed step-by-step technique teaching for these dips and the chest press, take a look at this video…
What’s That I’m Standing On?
It’s called a Tyger Mat and it’s designed specifically for TRX suspension training.
It’s a fantastic invention by a lovely chap named James. It’s got mega grip with numbers at standing point lines to record the same spot each time you perform an exercise.
For a nerd like me who records load, intensity, volume… everything! It’s a huge help. And has helped me use more accurate data to transform my body better.
He’s also given me a 10% off coupon code to share with you if you want one. Just visit the Tyger Mat website and use: TRXTRAVELLER1 at checkout to redeem it.
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The 6 Benefits Of Using a TRX For Chest Exercises
Now that we’ve covered the best 3 TRX exercises for your chest. There are 6 benefits I’ve discovered when using a TRX suspension trainer for chest exercises.
Overall, it offers a unique way to build strength, stability, and muscle definition. And leads to better functional strength and movement than conventional gym machines or weights. Here’s why it’s so effective:
1. Engages More Secondary Muscle Groups
With a TRX, you’re using your entire body to stabilise and perform the movement. This recruits your total core area, shoulder girdle, and back muscles. To maintain balance and control throughout each rep.
Which means you gain a more efficient full-body workout that delivers functional strength and muscle engagement.
2. Adjustable Resistance
The TRX allows you to adjust the difficulty by changing your body angle. If you want to increase resistance and make it harder, just step back. And position yourself more parallel to the floor.
If you’re looking for a lighter load to make it easier, stand more upright. This flexibility makes TRX chest exercises adaptable for any fitness level, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced fitness enthusiast.
3. Core Activation
This is one area that you need to maintain strong as you age. By using a TRX, you’re unstable. Which means your core is constantly engaged automatically during chest exercises.
This helps build a stronger, more stable core without needing to perform separate core exercises. It also mimics your real-life movement patterns, which again leads to better all-round functional fitness.
4. Reduced Joint Strain
As you age, it becomes more important to ensure you load your muscles, and not your joints when performing exercise movements.
Loading your joints causes injury and irritation and can limit your movement later in life. Unlike traditional weightlifting, which can put pressure on your joints, the TRX suspension trainer allows for more natural, fluid movement.
This reduces the risk of injury and makes chest exercises easier on your shoulders and wrists. Especially if you’re currently dealing with joint pain or recovering from an injury.
5. Increase Your Range of Motion
With a TRX, you can perform a full range of motion that is specific to your biomechanics.
We’re all built differently. The problem with gym machines and weights is that you mould to them, they don’t mould to you. This can make movements feel awkward and unnatural.
A TRX works with your body movements to stretch and strengthen your muscles in a way that’s hard to replicate with fixed machines or weights.
This greater range of motion leads to better muscle activation and overall mobility, contributing to long-term strength and flexibility.
6. Perfect for Home Workouts
The obvious one but worth mentioning. There’s no need for a gym full of equipment. The TRX suspension trainer is portable, lightweight, and requires minimal space.
You can perform chest exercises anywhere, which is perfect when you have a busy schedule. Plus, with the right Program, you can easily integrate it into a home workout plan that builds muscle and burns fat efficiently.
If you want a deeper dive into the benefits of suspension training to know whether it is right for you, checkout my post here on what you can expect and the benefits of suspension training as a whole.
And if you’re wondering “can you build muscle with a TRX?” then you might find this post useful – How to ACTUALLY Build Muscle With a TRX (Based on Science)
Your Body Transformation With a TRX
And look… if you know you need to make a change for your health and confidence and you want to build lean muscle and transform your body… AND you’ve got a suspension trainer lying around or you’re going to buy one, I can help you achieve your goals…
If you’re just starting out with your fitness journey, checkout my Beginner Level 8-week Total Body Transformation Program.
If you’ve got some experience but want to take your results to the next level, checkout the Intermediate Level Programs…
- The 8-week Beach Body Program for a lean and sculpt goal.
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If you’re experienced, with a good fitness level but feel like you’ve plateaued, checkout the Advanced Level Programs…
- The 12-16 week Ultimate Physique Sculptor Program for a lean and sculpt goal.
- Or the 12-16 week Full Body Athlete Program for a muscle and size goal.
If you’re unsure, I created a ‘Which Program Quiz’ to help you discover the right Program for you.
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View all the TRX Suspension Training Body Transformation Programs here.
Your TRX Suspension Training Coach,
Coach Adam
Body Transformation Coach
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