The 5 Best Starting TRX Suspension Trainer Exercises Guide

Coach Adam Fitness Freedom AthletesI hope you enjoy this post. If you want my help to transform your body using just a suspension trainer, click here to start.

Author: Coach Adam | Founder of Fitness Freedom Athletes

If you’re struggling to build lean muscle and transform your body with a suspension trainer (like a TRX), you’re not alone. Most people mindlessly jump around, pushing-pulling-hanging.

The results? A bit of sweat. Then eventually you throw the TRX in the cupboard, bored and demotivated.

Back in 2016, I began coaching clients at a beginner level on how to use a suspension trainer with ‘Muscle- Centric Technique.’ The results were fantastic.

It opened up a whole new way to train with a suspension trainer to build lean muscle and transform your body…

Transforming Your Body

If you use this technique with a suspension trainer correctly, you’ll build lean muscle and increase your functional strength. So you can start seeing changes in the mirror, fast.

In this post, I’ll teach you this effective ‘Muscle-Centric Technique’ at a beginner level for the 5 best suspension trainer exercises to start with.

And how to perform them properly for maximum results. Let’s get to it…

1. Chest Exercise – TRX Suspension Trainer Chest Press

You can achieve a deep stretch and powerful top contraction squeeze with the suspension trainer chest press. Working your chest muscles through a full range of motion for effective muscle growth stimulus .

Technique Points

  • At the top: Focus on bringing your elbows together, not hands. Try and make the your elbows touch and squeeze your chest muscles.
  • At the bottom: Contract your shoulder blades back to stretch the chest. Pause here for a second.

2. Back Exercise – TRX Suspension Trainer Back Pull / Row

A great exercise to fix rounded shoulders and improve your shoulder girdle srength. Use slow and controlled technique and squeeze your back muscles powerfully at the top motion.

Technique Points

  • Try not to pull with the hands, focus on using them as hooks
  • The elbows lead, drive them up and out ⁣⁣
  • Begin the movement by contracting your shoulder blades first⁣⁣
  • Squeeze your upper back as hard as possible at the top

3. Shoulder Exercise – TRX Suspension Trainer Y’s

If you’re looking to build your rear and middle shoulder muscles for strength and stability. These Suspension Trainer Ys are you go-to exercise

Think zombie. Keep a loose grip and allow the hands to lead with a slow pumping action.

Technique points

  • Shoulder Position: Keep shoulders slightly pulled forward. This is to help isolate the middle shoulder muscle and not allow the upper back muscles to help out.
  • Mindful Focus: Focus on slapping the backs of the hands to walls and ceiling whilst holding the straps.
  • Squeeze at the top: Lock in and focus at this point. Pull the straps hard to help with the squeeze.
  • Elbows: Keep them slightly bent. Straightening them brings in your back muscles. Taking tension away from the rear shoulder muscles.

4. Leg Exercise – TRX Suspension Trainer Pistol Squats

If like me, captain chicken legs. You want to build bigger leg muscles and strength? Then these TRX Pistol Squats are your exercise.

Start off only squatting halfway down. Then as you get more confident and you technique becomes become. Try going all the way to the floor.

When done correctly, TRX Pistol Squats primarily target the quad muscles at the front of your leg above the knee cap.

Technique Points

  • Top squeeze: Begin and end every rep with a powerful squeeze on your quad muscles.
  • Don’t rest and lose tension at the bottom: It’s easy to take a break and then pull yourself back up. Resist doing this. Keep slow and controlled movement.
  • Range of motion: At a beginner level, go down halfway and rise back up. This range of motion is great to get started and build up your strength. Gradually progress deeper as you get stronger

5. Core Exercise – TRX Suspension Trainer Abs Crunch

These are the foundational TRX suspension trainer exercise for your core. Very good to target the upper region of your ab muscles.

If you find it to hard to put all your bodyweight onto your shoulders, go onto your forearms. Focus on squeezing your ab muscles the entire time.

Technique Points

  1. As with all TRX core exercises, the results come from keeping a powerful squeeze at the top of the exercise.
  2. Then focus on a slight stretch at the bottom.

Slow Down

If you take the time to slow down with each TRX Suspension Trainer exercise, connect with your muscle (the squeeze), and use a full range of motion. You will build lean muscle.

And more muscle means you burn more fat at rest. It also means you’ll be able to move better and enjoy life more.

Your TRX Suspension Trainer Body Transformation

If you have a suspension trainer there are 3 ways I can help:

1. Suspension Trainer Total Body Transformation Program (Beginner Level)
If you’re new to training or lack functional strength, this Program will teach you the ‘Muscle-Centric Technique’ to build lean muscle & transform your body in 8-weeks. (#1 Most Popular!)

Start Your Transformation Here »

2. Suspension Trainer Beach Body Program (Intermediate Level)
If you’re quite active but unhappy with your body shape, this 8-week Program gets you lean, fit, and beach-body ready!

Get Beach-Body Ready Here »

3. Suspension Trainer Ultimate Physique Sculptor Program (Advanced Level)
If you’re a fitness enthusiast but you’ve plateaued, this 12-week Program re-sculpts your body for an aesthetic physique.

Level Up Your Physique Here »

Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 100s of Reviews on Trust Pilot!

Unsure? Take the Body Transformation Quiz here and in less than 60 seconds, I’ll recommend the best fit for you!

Your Suspension Trainer Lean Strength Guide,
Coach Adam
Body Transformation Coach

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About The Author

About The Author

Coach Adam, Body Transformation Coach

Founder of Fitness Freedom Athletes

Hello, my friend… I help busy professionals build lean muscle & transform their bodies using just a suspension trainer & simple nutrition optimisation…

I call it Fitness Freedom!

I spent 8+ years as a personal trainer hating the ego-driven gym culture. Every day I saw busy professionals struggle to make sessions, feel intimidated by the environment, and regard the gym as a chore NOT enjoyment. Because of this, their results were limited. But they believed there was no other way.

So in 2016, I setup Fitness Freedom Athletes. To date, Fitness Freedom Athletes has helped over 8000+ busy professionals transform their bodies (and lives!).

Start here to transform yours too!

2 Comments

  1. Miguel Pereira

    Many thanks from Portugal
    Your advice are great!

    Reply

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Coach Adam aka TRX Traveller with fitness freedom athletes

About Coach Adam

Hello, my friend... I help busy professionals build lean muscle & transform their bodies using just a suspension trainer & simple nutrition optimisation...

I call it Fitness Freedom!

I spent 8+ years as a personal trainer hating the ego-driven gym culture. Every day I saw busy professionals struggle to make sessions, feel intimidated by the environment, and regard the gym as a chore NOT enjoyment. Because of this, their results were limited. But they believed there was no other way.

So in 2016, I setup Fitness Freedom Athletes. To date, Fitness Freedom Athletes has helped over 8000+ busy professionals transform their bodies (and lives!).

Start here to transform yours too!

The 7 skills to TRX better handbook

Get Your FREE Copy Of The '7 Skills To Build Lean Muscle With A Suspension Trainer Handbook!'

Turn basic straps into your most powerful lean muscle-building tool! Just tell me where to send it...

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FAQs

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I'm new to Suspension Training, where shall I start?

First up, welcome! Out of all the millions of websites out there thank you for visiting this one. Secondly, your interest and motivation will change your life. It did for me and thousands of fitness freedom athletes in our community of all ages. If you have a suspension trainer (like a TRX)...

The best place to start would be with the Beginner Suspension Trainer Total Body Transformation Program. It’s the most popular Program and will teach you the effective muscle-centric technique to transform your body and begin your life-changing journey.

If you’re seeking a resistance band Program, get stuck into the Band Muscle Pump Program which is for beginners/intermediates to learn the band muscle-centric technique and transform their body with just one resistance band.

What makes this different from other suspension training Programs?

Maybe you’ve tried suspension training before and it didn’t work, so you wonder how is this different?

Here’s the truth: You didn’t fail. The technique failed you.

Richard is 50 years old. He’d tried everything for his knee mobility problems. When he started my program, he told me: “I was skeptical because I’d tried suspension trainers before with no results.”

But here’s what changed everything… Richard learned Muscle-Centric Technique instead of the mindless “movement-centric” stuff he’d been doing from YouTube videos.

The difference – Instead of multiple muscles sharing the load (which creates zero growth stimulus), he learned to isolate individual muscles.

The result? In his own words: “I have dropped 12 lbs and gained 90% of my mobility back. The strength I have gained has helped significantly.”

Yes, you may have tried suspension training before. But you’ve never tried my suspension training technique. The one that actually builds lean muscle and transforms bodies.

  • What you tried before: Movement-centric technique (multiple muscles sharing load)
  •  What these Programs teach: Muscle-centric technique (isolated muscle overload)
  • Why it matters: Only isolated muscles get the stimulus needed for real growth

The reframe: Your previous “failure” actually proves you need the RIGHT technique, not the RIGHT equipment.

Do you have any training courses or Workout Programs?

Yes absolutely, I have The Fitness Freedom Suspension Trainer & Resistance Band Programs for all levels and fitness goals. They will teach you the effective 'Muscle-Centric Technique' that will transform your body! And cover everything from nutrition to mindset and performance execution.

PLUS, once you become a Fitness Freedom Athlete, you'll get access to a tun of member only resources and bonuses within the Fitness Freedom Athletes platform.

I got you covered for every challenge and every goal.

What if I'm too out of shape?

Plot twist: Being out of shape is your biggest advantage.

Joe said it perfectly: “Outstanding program. It is perfectly paced for true beginners who are looking for a way to start getting fit with a program that pushes you, but doesn’t ask too much too soon.”

The Programs have two phases specifically designed for this:

Phase 1 (4 weeks): Technique mastery and building your foundation Phase 2 (4 weeks): Transformation and strength building

Matt started overweight and out of shape. Result? “Lost 40+Lbs, getting lean, and showing great definition!”

Ben, another beginner, said: “I’ve been delighted with the Program…. thoughtful and well-rounded!”

  • Beginner advantage #1: No bad habits to unlearn
  • Beginner advantage #2: Fastest initial gains
  • Beginner advantage #3: Most dramatic visible changes

The reframe: Starting “out of shape” means you’ll see the most dramatic transformation.

There are so many 'scammers' online, how can I trust you?

I guess at first, you shouldn’t. Trust is built and earned over time. Check out my reviews and success stories so you can get a better understanding of what I am about and who I help.

Or stalk me on social so you can see that this is my passion and mission in life:

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Where are you based?

I am mainly based in London, UK. But I love travelling, specifically backpacking our beautiful world and experiencing other cultures... So most likely I may be based on the side of a mountain or little beach hut. Perhaps I’ll even meet you in person at some point… That would be just awesome!

Adam Atkinson TRX Traveller Fitness Freedom AthletesAdam Atkinson TRX Traveller Fitness Freedom Athletes

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