Stay outdoors and enjoy the beach with this one! Nothing needed but your body and a suspension trainer.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Download the Hottest TRX Workouts Instantly
Already have your TRX suspension trainer but you want a fresh workout you can get immediately? Download a sport specific workout from the choices below. Each one walks the viewer through a unique approach to incorporating suspension training into their current routine, with tips and ideas you probably wouldn't have thought of on your own.
Being able to simulate the movements of a specific sport is one of the most innovative features of the TRX. Certain exercises like the Sprinter's Start, Reach-Under Plank, and the Scorpion have great crossover value in tennis, running, and MMA, just to name a few. These exercises target the muscles of the core while increasing isometric strength, but they are only a glimpse into a whole new world of training these instructional videos open you up to.
Check out my favorite, the Performance MMA workout featuring Brandon Vera and Randy Hetrick; or follow triathlete Jessi Stensland through the Multi-Sport Strength workout. Either way, you are sure to get an education, and a heart-pumping workout! Click on the picture below to get started!
Click here to learn about and compare all three training bundles
Being able to simulate the movements of a specific sport is one of the most innovative features of the TRX. Certain exercises like the Sprinter's Start, Reach-Under Plank, and the Scorpion have great crossover value in tennis, running, and MMA, just to name a few. These exercises target the muscles of the core while increasing isometric strength, but they are only a glimpse into a whole new world of training these instructional videos open you up to.
Check out my favorite, the Performance MMA workout featuring Brandon Vera and Randy Hetrick; or follow triathlete Jessi Stensland through the Multi-Sport Strength workout. Either way, you are sure to get an education, and a heart-pumping workout! Click on the picture below to get started!
Click here to see all the latest TRX workouts!
Click here to learn about and compare all three training bundles
Monday, June 7, 2010
Basic Strength Exercises with a Cheap Suspension Tool
Suspension training with the TRX is awesome, but if you want to try it before shelling out over $150, check out the video below for a simple piece of equipment which will simulate the exercises you can do with the TRX.
There is something primal about making a functional tool out of the materials you have on hand. For additional exercise options, try tying another loop of rope through the handles to make foot straps. I have fun playing with my rope, what can I say.
It is simple, but this inexpensive homemade exercise tool will give you an intense workout. It took about ten takes before I finally finished the video above, and believe me, my body felt it.
However, the homemade version has some obvious disadvantages. First of all, it has a fixed length. With rings or the TRX, you can quickly adjust the strap length and be on to the next exercise. My version in the video above requires several minutes of fussing to change the length, or I have to loop it around and around. The other issue is the foot straps. The TRX has stirrup style straps which make certain exercises, like jackknife or pike pushups, much more comfortable to do for extended periods of time.
The bottom line? Try making your own suspension trainer as I have in the video, and get in some good workouts; but speaking from experience, it will leave you thirsty for the TRX.
There is something primal about making a functional tool out of the materials you have on hand. For additional exercise options, try tying another loop of rope through the handles to make foot straps. I have fun playing with my rope, what can I say.
It is simple, but this inexpensive homemade exercise tool will give you an intense workout. It took about ten takes before I finally finished the video above, and believe me, my body felt it.
However, the homemade version has some obvious disadvantages. First of all, it has a fixed length. With rings or the TRX, you can quickly adjust the strap length and be on to the next exercise. My version in the video above requires several minutes of fussing to change the length, or I have to loop it around and around. The other issue is the foot straps. The TRX has stirrup style straps which make certain exercises, like jackknife or pike pushups, much more comfortable to do for extended periods of time.
The bottom line? Try making your own suspension trainer as I have in the video, and get in some good workouts; but speaking from experience, it will leave you thirsty for the TRX.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Use Your Bodyweight to Build Unusual Strength?
Learning to Move Your Bodyweight Takes You Beyond Basic Strength
In fact, it is not uncommon to see someone with serious muscle who has trouble touching their toes, can not do a pull-up, or simply has trouble manipulating his or her body outside of their programmed range of motion.
To improve functional strength, a program of bodyweight exercise must be added to the cycle. Consisting of movements that strengthen your muscles and increase endurance, but also that increase flexibility, focusing on using your body will teach you to move with more fluidity and variety.
I have to admit I am speaking from personal experience here. For a long time I did nothing but lift heavy. My goal was to build big muscles, and whether they could function outside of the gym or not I didn't care.
Then I got injured. Too much repetition of the same movements without any therapeutic recovery left me with a pulled trapezius muscle. As with any muscle in the back, this was painful and debilitating; forget about working out, I just wanted to move freely!
I tried getting back into heavy lifting, but with no knowledge at the time of 'pre-hab' work and a fairly limited knowledge of exercises outside of common bodybuilding movements, I kept getting re-injured.
Of course at the time I thought I knew plenty, but I had to humble myself; if I knew so much, why couldn't I keep from hurting myself in the gym?
One day a friend of mine introduced me to yoga, and seeing a path to help alleviate my recurring pain, I started my road to recovery.
Now yoga is fantastic, and I stuck with it diligently for a couple of years, with no other modalities except walking the dogs and playing the occasional game of soccer; and you know what? It worked! My body felt like new again, and I had no more pain in my upper or lower back, neck, or shoulders.
Something was definitely missing though. I felt like my body was getting a fresh start in more ways than one. While I had developed great flexibility and muscular endurance, my power and strength were dismal! I felt weak, and although I did not want to give up the lessons I had learned practicing yoga, there had to be a way to incorporate strength exercises into the mix as well.
Since that time I have discovered the right balance, and I use a variety of methods to maintain and increase my endurance, strength, mobility, and flexibility. This includes kettlebells, odd object lifting, clubs, and of course, my own bodyweight.
I still practice some yoga, because it can be a great workout and very therapeutic; but the majority of my program consists of bodyweight exercises. They are highly effective and help you focus in on your weakest areas.
I laugh at myself when I'm able to press a 65 lb. kettlebell or a 70 lb. dumbbell over head, but I have trouble doing a steep decline pushup! For a long time, pressing up into a bridge presented even more of a challenge!
Using your body's mass alone will never be a substitute for a powerlifter or competitive bodybuilder; but both sports can reap huge benefits by incorporating drills in their routines which stress flexibility and increase strength through different ranges of motion.
The key is having a full repertoire of exercises to choose from. This is vital to keeping routines interesting and challenging. You can look up tons of individual bodyweight exercises online, but I have found it much easier to have a comprehensive 'guidebook' handy.
A really innovative reference can be found at: bodyweightcoach.com
These guys seem to do nothing but come up with functional workouts that force the body to move in ways you may never have imagined. When you go to their site, get the free newsletter, you'll get a new exercise sent to you every week, with some insightful knowledge.
The other tool I have found invaluable is probably clear from looking around this site, the TRX suspension trainer. Now I am an affiliate, but only because I love this product.
With the knowledge from the bodyweight coach website and a TRX, your body will undergo amazing changes, and believe me you will never get bored! Personally, my workouts are so much fun now, I really look forward to it.
Ok, so seriously I do have fun, but enough with the plugs. Check those products out and I'm sure you will get excited.
So how has it all turned out for me? Taking my workout routines in this direction has helped me find the balance between strength and mobility I had been searching for. Now the only pain I get is from a good workout, not an injury. Plus, I feel like I can move my body even better than I did when I was a teenager, and I'm almost 39!
So take a good look at the Bodyweight Coach and TRX websites, there are some really entertaining videos at both. Or just check out the posts here on Flexible Functional Strength.
Until next time, keep moving!
In fact, it is not uncommon to see someone with serious muscle who has trouble touching their toes, can not do a pull-up, or simply has trouble manipulating his or her body outside of their programmed range of motion.
To improve functional strength, a program of bodyweight exercise must be added to the cycle. Consisting of movements that strengthen your muscles and increase endurance, but also that increase flexibility, focusing on using your body will teach you to move with more fluidity and variety.
I have to admit I am speaking from personal experience here. For a long time I did nothing but lift heavy. My goal was to build big muscles, and whether they could function outside of the gym or not I didn't care.
Then I got injured. Too much repetition of the same movements without any therapeutic recovery left me with a pulled trapezius muscle. As with any muscle in the back, this was painful and debilitating; forget about working out, I just wanted to move freely!
I tried getting back into heavy lifting, but with no knowledge at the time of 'pre-hab' work and a fairly limited knowledge of exercises outside of common bodybuilding movements, I kept getting re-injured.
Of course at the time I thought I knew plenty, but I had to humble myself; if I knew so much, why couldn't I keep from hurting myself in the gym?
One day a friend of mine introduced me to yoga, and seeing a path to help alleviate my recurring pain, I started my road to recovery.
Now yoga is fantastic, and I stuck with it diligently for a couple of years, with no other modalities except walking the dogs and playing the occasional game of soccer; and you know what? It worked! My body felt like new again, and I had no more pain in my upper or lower back, neck, or shoulders.
Something was definitely missing though. I felt like my body was getting a fresh start in more ways than one. While I had developed great flexibility and muscular endurance, my power and strength were dismal! I felt weak, and although I did not want to give up the lessons I had learned practicing yoga, there had to be a way to incorporate strength exercises into the mix as well.
Since that time I have discovered the right balance, and I use a variety of methods to maintain and increase my endurance, strength, mobility, and flexibility. This includes kettlebells, odd object lifting, clubs, and of course, my own bodyweight.
I still practice some yoga, because it can be a great workout and very therapeutic; but the majority of my program consists of bodyweight exercises. They are highly effective and help you focus in on your weakest areas.
I laugh at myself when I'm able to press a 65 lb. kettlebell or a 70 lb. dumbbell over head, but I have trouble doing a steep decline pushup! For a long time, pressing up into a bridge presented even more of a challenge!
Using your body's mass alone will never be a substitute for a powerlifter or competitive bodybuilder; but both sports can reap huge benefits by incorporating drills in their routines which stress flexibility and increase strength through different ranges of motion.
The key is having a full repertoire of exercises to choose from. This is vital to keeping routines interesting and challenging. You can look up tons of individual bodyweight exercises online, but I have found it much easier to have a comprehensive 'guidebook' handy.
A really innovative reference can be found at: bodyweightcoach.com
These guys seem to do nothing but come up with functional workouts that force the body to move in ways you may never have imagined. When you go to their site, get the free newsletter, you'll get a new exercise sent to you every week, with some insightful knowledge.
The other tool I have found invaluable is probably clear from looking around this site, the TRX suspension trainer. Now I am an affiliate, but only because I love this product.
With the knowledge from the bodyweight coach website and a TRX, your body will undergo amazing changes, and believe me you will never get bored! Personally, my workouts are so much fun now, I really look forward to it.
Ok, so seriously I do have fun, but enough with the plugs. Check those products out and I'm sure you will get excited.
So how has it all turned out for me? Taking my workout routines in this direction has helped me find the balance between strength and mobility I had been searching for. Now the only pain I get is from a good workout, not an injury. Plus, I feel like I can move my body even better than I did when I was a teenager, and I'm almost 39!
So take a good look at the Bodyweight Coach and TRX websites, there are some really entertaining videos at both. Or just check out the posts here on Flexible Functional Strength.
Until next time, keep moving!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
A Body is only as Functional and Strong as it is Flexible
Need to learn a couple of yoga poses to start becoming more flexible? This is a brief article with excellent video instruction to get you started:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Fight-Flexiblility-Training-and-Bodyweight-Conditioning
http://hubpages.com/hub/Fight-Flexiblility-Training-and-Bodyweight-Conditioning
Saturday, April 10, 2010
TRX Force-Better Fitness Product than TRX Pro or...?
For a functional workout that manipulates your body through multiple angles while testing your strength and endurance, the suspension trainer is hard to beat.
Since a previous post mentioned the latest in TRX suspension trainers, the TRX Force, this post is for those wondering if they should shell out the extra 20-40 odd dollars for this package. Here is a breakdown of the differences between two popular packages:
TRX Home Training System
This TRX bundle has the addition of a TRX Door Anchor
for use on any sturdy door. Same effectiveness as if you were
training in a high-performance training center.
For $199 retail, it includes:
-The bright yellow TRX P2
-TRX Door Anchor
-A Basic training DVD, which, if you have never
used a suspension trainer before is anything but
basic. Not hard to learn, but cutting edge stuff.
65 minutes long.
-A quick start manual.
-1 year warranty.
The TRX Force:
Well, for starters, they gave it that cool desert beige, that's $20
worth for me right there! The Force includes:
-The full bodyweight training program using the TRX Tactical Suspension Trainer T1 Model.
The training program, "The TRX Force Training DVD & Military Fitness Guide," is a thorough 12 week workout routine, and contains over 2 hours of content.
-The Force also includes a door anchor, something you should not buy this unit without.
If the main physical difference is color, the level of strength and muscular endurance enhancement is more advanced with the Force dvd's. Quality is always a priority, with each unit undergoing a four point quality inspection process, and backed with a 1 year warranty.
So judge for yourself. Check out the videos below, then follow the links. Watch out though, I promise you are not going to want to leave this little two pound gym behind when you walk out the door.
Since a previous post mentioned the latest in TRX suspension trainers, the TRX Force, this post is for those wondering if they should shell out the extra 20-40 odd dollars for this package. Here is a breakdown of the differences between two popular packages:
TRX Home Training System
This TRX bundle has the addition of a TRX Door Anchor
for use on any sturdy door. Same effectiveness as if you were
training in a high-performance training center.
For $199 retail, it includes:
-The bright yellow TRX P2
-TRX Door Anchor
-A Basic training DVD, which, if you have never
used a suspension trainer before is anything but
basic. Not hard to learn, but cutting edge stuff.
65 minutes long.
-A quick start manual.
-1 year warranty.
The TRX Force:
Well, for starters, they gave it that cool desert beige, that's $20
worth for me right there! The Force includes:
-The full bodyweight training program using the TRX Tactical Suspension Trainer T1 Model.
The training program, "The TRX Force Training DVD & Military Fitness Guide," is a thorough 12 week workout routine, and contains over 2 hours of content.
-The Force also includes a door anchor, something you should not buy this unit without.
If the main physical difference is color, the level of strength and muscular endurance enhancement is more advanced with the Force dvd's. Quality is always a priority, with each unit undergoing a four point quality inspection process, and backed with a 1 year warranty.
So judge for yourself. Check out the videos below, then follow the links. Watch out though, I promise you are not going to want to leave this little two pound gym behind when you walk out the door.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Portable Functional Fitness
One of the most functional tools to come on the market in the past decade is the TRX suspension trainer. TRX has taken the concept of portable fitness, coupled it with the effectiveness of gymnastics rings, and added some vital innovations to it as well.
Three design elements that differentiate the suspension training systems of Fitness Anywhere are the portability, quick strap adjustment, and foot straps. The list could go on, but let's start with those:
-Portable Fuctional Workout:
This system only weighs about 3lbs., and is easily packed into a small backpack or purse. It sets up nearly anywhere, and does not require a lot of space to use. The exercise dvd included with Fitness Anywhere's suspension trainers illustrates dozens of exercises; these can be modified to train for any activity, or make up your own.
-Quick adjusting straps mean the system can be changed in seconds to increase or decrease the level of difficulty, or to switch to another exercise.
-Foot Straps make it possible to do some unique exercises as well as increase the angle of decline push-ups and do exercises like the suspended jackknife push-ups, all while keeping the top of your foot comfortable.
It's good to know how much quality goes into the products from Fitness Anywhere. From the substantial strength of the nylon webbing material to the dynamic training dvd's, they show integrity in everything they do. It keeps getting better, too. The latest is the TRX Force, a beefed up military beige package offering additional educational dvd's with your purchase.
For a great starter package, read about the package below, or click the link to learn about the entire line of Fitness Anywhere products.
One more thing, if you have not seen the TRX in action, you must watch the video below-inspirational footage.
Drew Brees' Training Tools
TRX Pro Pack
The TRX®Pro Pack is our newest Suspension Training® system and it replaces the TRX Professional package. The NEW TRX® Suspension Training Pro Pack comes loaded with a redesigned TRX Suspension Trainer™ and 3-times more exercise content than the TRX Professional.TRX in Action!
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