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Whether you want to generate more power in your athletic movements or you just want to look better in those jeans, it seems like everyone is all about the booty these days. Looking for exercises that match your current fitness level? Our quick assessment quiz can help create a personalized glute-training plan for your goals. In order to help you reach your goals, TRX Master Instructor, Shana Verstegen notes that getting a BETTER BUTT can be as simple as adding these two TRX exercises. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ   Watch Shana demonstrate these simple Suspension Training exercises. One you can do without the Suspension Trainer (the Lunge), the other (the One-legged Squat)… you can't (at least, most of us can't). And that's what makes the Suspension Trainer such a versatile and invaluable tool. No matter your ability level, working with the Suspension Trainer will help you target those muscles in the glutes, hips and thighs, burn the calories and get the BETTER BUTT you're after. The FIRST exercise for a  BETTER BUTT:  TRX One-legged Squat Using the Suspension Trainer, they are multiple progression options for the one-legged squat.  Shana's brief video will walk you through several progressions of the exercise.  To get started, do the following: 1) Stand facing the anchor point. 2) Make sure your straps are at mid-length. 3) Balance on your right foot. 4) With your left leg forward, put your heel down. 5) Keeping your heel on the ground, lower your body down. 6) Go as low as is comfortable with your right leg, then come up. 7) Repeat or increase in difficulty by lifting your left heel off the ground.  The SECOND exercise for a  BETTER BUTT:    TRX Crossing Balance Lunge For a broad range of skill levels, there are multiple progressions for this exercise as well.  Start by doing the following;  1) Stand facing the anchor point. 2) Make sure your straps are at mid-length. 3) Balance on your right foot. 4) Lift and place you left foot behind and to the right of your right leg 5) Bend and lower both legs down to your comfort level  6) Repeat, or increase in difficulty by lifting your left leg off the ground  For an even better explanation of the  TRX One-legged Squat and the  TRX Crossing Balance Lunge, please watch Shana's short video. Ultimately, if you're going to put in the time for a workout, you want - you need it to be effective.  There is no more effective tool that the TRX Suspension Trainer.   Enjoy Shana's video and get that  BETTER BUTT by incorporating these two exercise into your next workout.   Do your next workout with our TRX equipment: TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® HOME2 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® TACTICAL GYM BUY NOW Photo Credit: TRX User and Triathlete/Fitness Model/Mother Angi Greene Fletcher (@AngiGreene)

Health and fitness ads, branding, and marketing are typically dominated by images of photogenic young people bursting with vitality. That might be the kind of advertising that gets those in a similar age group through the doors and to sign up for memberships. But as important as this demographic is to sustaining the industry, it’s by no means the fastest growing segment. For that, we have to look to the other end of the age scale. There are currently over 40 million Americans who are 65 or older (13 percent of the total population), and if current demographics and life expectancy remain the same, that number is expected to reach 89 million by 2050.   This means that if you’re serious about growing your business and making fitness accessible to all, it’s time to start thinking more about your elderly clients and how you can tailor your coaching craft to meet their unique needs. One of the main challenges facing those of retirement age and above is a lack of daily movement. According to an article written by Ian McMahan for The Atlantic, “Roughly one-third of Americans over the age of 65 are considered physically active, compared to around 80 percent of the general population.” This lack of regular physical activity can have a whole host of negative consequences, including a loss of strength and endurance, muscular atrophy, and a steep decline in mobility. And yet age-related physical decline is not an inevitability. McMahan references a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons which states that regular exercise can reduce age-related reductions in cardiovascular function by up to 50 percent. Plus, two studies on older cyclists cited in the New York Times show that consistent physical activity can preserve muscular and immune function and keep people biologically “young” at a cellular level. In a previous study by the same British researchers, eager cyclists in their 70s “proved to have reflexes, memories, balance and, metabolic profiles that more closely resembled those of 30-year-olds than of the sedentary older group.” This means that as a trainer, you can have a big impact on this rapidly expanding population group. One thing to recognize is that certain types of exercise programs are typically not well suited to seniors. “We often need to get older people away from high volume, high-risk movement and guide them towards high quality, low-risk movement,” said Chris Cygul, a TRX Master Trainer and the owner of St. Augustine Fitness, the only TRX Premier Training Facility in Northeast Florida. “This begins with an assumption that there could be some limitations – like a hip replacement or shoulder injury – that we might have to work around, while reassuring the client that you’re going to take good care of them and get them moving without aggravating their pain points.” Such an approach is in line with TRX’s movement quality-centric method for training people of any age group. Just as with younger clients, you should start by helping older people understand and master TRX Foundational Movements like the lunge, hinge, pull, and squat. From there, you can appropriately build on this solid base by carefully adding volume, intensity, and load. For those members who have the kind of restrictions Cygul mentioned, one of the benefits of Suspension Training is that it enables you to scale exercises. By simply moving closer or further from the "anchor point,” almost any Suspension Training exercise can be modified to meet the needs of any user. Because load/resistance can be modified and/or spread across several joints and muscles groups, greater volume of work can be accomplished, which leads to increases in strength and potentially lean muscle mass. So someone might be unable to do a full Atomic Push-up to begin with, but maybe they could do the first part of the exercise from a kneeling position. Or if they cannot perform a full squat, they might be able to start with a partial one using the straps for support. Another key component of programming for seniors is to give extra attention to the body parts that are meant to be mobile and those that are supposed to be stable, both on and off the Suspension Trainer, which can contribute to dramatic mobility improvements by increasing range of motion. “Mobility work is incredibly important for seniors, particularly those who’ve been sedentary for a long time,” Cygul said. “The stiffer they get, the less  flexibility they have, so you need to address that from the get-go. While you can share some basic mobility exercises, it can be just as useful if not more so to introduce them to yoga or another practice that will improve their mobility and stability. We also tend to do a more extensive set of movement activation exercises and take care with the warm-up portion of each workout.” The type of session that senior clients engage in is often key, too. Participating in high-tempo group classes at some gyms can seem like a fun challenge at first, but if someone lacks basic movement competency, it can lead to injury. “We get quite a lot of older members coming to us who got hurt doing group fitness classes elsewhere and have become hesitant to get back into exercising,” Cygul said. “Then there are those whose previous trainers haven’t understood how to bridge the gap between post-surgery rehab and training, and so they got hurt. After reassuring them that we do things differently here, we encourage them to get a few one-on-one sessions to build a strong foundation of quality movement.” A TRX Qualified Coach knows that starting with our Foundational Movements is a great way to get young and old alike moving well and moving often. However, because older individuals may need an extra helping of stability and confidence, starting with more "stand facing" exercises such as Squat Rows, T- and Y-Flys, low-Med-High Rows, Step Back Lunges are effective. Alternating these strength-endurance exercises with some “stand facing away” mobility moves like Wall Slides, Step Forward (lunge regression) with T-Flys or Hip Flexor Stretch, and Snow Angles will prevent grip/forearm fatigue and provide some much needed anterior chain/sling stretching and opening. For Cygul and his fellow coaches at St. Augustine Fitness, what happens in the gym is only one component of helping elderly members achieve total lifestyle change. As this age group can tend to be less active outside of a training environment, it’s crucial that you urge them to avoid optional sitting and move regularly throughout the day. Mastering basic exercises can be the catalyst that enables someone to regain their vigor. “When an older client improves their movement quality and sticks with a program, this translates into better quality of life, makes it easier for them to travel to see friends and family, and enables them to rediscover activities that they gave up years ago,” Cygul said. One of his recent success stories is Josie. Cygul began by coaching her individually in the TRX Foundational Movements. Once she’d mastered these, he then scaled her up to advanced variations that challenged her balance and core strength, and began upping the volume and intensity gradually. Now she has more stamina in her group sessions than any of Cygul’s other athletes, and is proving to be an inspiration to people of all different ages. “I had a 40 year old client come up to me after a group class that Josie was in and say, ‘I want to be able to move that well when I’m in my 70s,’” Cygul said. “Older members can think that they’re looking to younger people for motivation, when in reality they’re the ones setting a great example. We also find that they pass a lot of valuable life lessons on to younger clients and the coaching staff. Plus they’re often the most loyal and reliable members you’ll ever have.” When it comes to moving well and sustainably, it seems that age really can be just a number. To learn more about coaching movement - to any age and skill level - check out TRX Academy.

In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series on high intensity interval training (HIIT), world-renowned strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle explains the "why" and "how" behind interval training. Ready to find the perfect HIIT workout for your fitness level? Take our quick assessment quiz to get personalized interval training recommendations tailored to your goals. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Here, he provides his recommendations for work to rest ratios when performing interval training and then he looks at various interval training modes, including the one he finds most effective (the image below is a clue). The Problem with Formulas At least 70 percent of the population does not fit into our age-old theoretical formulas for measuring heart rate. The 220 minus age formula is flawed on two key points: 1) it doesn't fit a significant portion of the population, and 2) it is not based on research. Even the developer of the now-famous formula admits that his thoughts were taken out of context. The more accurate method is called the Heart Rate Reserve Method or Karvonen formula, which looks like this: (Max HR- Resting HR) x % + RHR = THR For example: (200-60) x .8 + 60 = 172 The key to the Karvonen formula is that it looks at larger measures of fitness by incorporating the resting heart rate and is therefore less arbitrary. However, the 220 minus age formula will suffice for establishing recovery heart rates. Interval Training Basics The longer the interval, the shorter the rest period as a percentage of the interval. In other words, short intervals have a high muscular demand and will require longer rests when viewed as a percentage of the interval. Fifteen second intervals will need at least a 2:1 rest to work ration. Three to one will work better for beginners. I recommend the following work to rest ratios for intervals: 15 seconds work : 45 seconds rest for beginners (3:1); for more advanced athletes, 30 seconds rest (2:1) 30 seconds work: 1:00 to 1:30 rest (3:1 or 2:1) 1:00 work: 1:00 to 2:00 rest (2:1 or 1:1) Just remember, as the intervals get longer, the recovery time (as it relates to the interval) may not need to be as long. In other words, a 15 second sprint may require 30 to 45 seconds rest, but a two minute interval may only need to be followed by a two minute rest. Aerobic Intervals? The biggest benefit of interval training is that you can get a tremendous aerobic workout without the boredom of long steady state bouts of exercises. In fact, you can get superior benefits for both fitness and fat loss by incorporating interval training. If the heart rate is maintained above the theoretical 60 percent threshold proposed for aerobic training, then the entire session is both aerobic and anaerobic. This is why my athletes do almost no "conventional" aerobic training. All of our aerobic work is a by-product of our anaerobic work. My athletes or clients can get their heart rate in the recommended aerobic range for 15 to 20 minutes, yet in some cases, they do only three to minutes of actual work. Modes of Interval Training Although most people visualize interval training as a track and field concept, our preferred method of interval training is the stationary bike. Although I think running is the theoretical "best" mode of training, the facts are clear. Most Americans are not fit enough to run. In fact, statistics estimate that 60 percent of those who begin a running program will be injured. In a fitness or personal training setting, that is entirely unacceptable. Females, based on the genetics of the female body (wider hips, narrower knees) are at potentially even greater risk. Physical therapist Diane Lee says it best in her statement, "You can't run to get fit. You need to be fit to run." Interval training can be done on any piece of equipment including the TRX Suspension Trainer. One of the most expeditious choices, in my opinion, is a dual action bike like the Schwinn AirDyne. The bike allows, in the words of performance expert Alwyn Cosgrove, "maximum metabolic disturbance with minimal muscular disruption." In other words, you can work really hard and not injure yourself on a stationary bike. Fit individuals can choose any mode they like. In my mind, the worst choice might be the elliptical trainers. Charles Staley, another noted training expert, has a concept I believe he calls the 180 Principle. Staley advocates doing exactly the opposite of what you see everyone else in the gym doing. I'm in agreement. Walking on a treadmill and using an elliptical trainer seem to be the two most popular modes of training in a gym. My conclusion, supported by Staley's 180 Principle, is that neither is of much use. Research continues to mount that interval training may improve fitness better than steady state work. The big key is not what to do any more but, how to do it. For maximum effect, get a heart rate monitor and go to work. One warning. Deconditioned clients may need three weeks to a month of steady work to get ready to do intervals. This is OK. Don't kill a beginner with interval training. Begin with a quality strength program and some steady state cardiovascular work. The only good use for steady state work in my mind is preparing an athlete or client for the intervals to come. Mike Boyle is co-owner and content editor for strengthcoach.com, one of the world’s leading resources for performance enhancement information. He is Strength and Conditioning Coach with the US Gold Medal Olympic Teams in Women’s Soccer and Women’s Hockey and also for the Ice Hockey team at Boston University. The author of Functional Training for Sports and Designing Strength Training Programs and Facilities, Mike has appeared in well as over 20 instructional DVDs. He currently owns and operates Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, one of the nation’s first and most successful private strength and conditioning companies.

If you are looking for Standup Paddle Surf training, well Jon Ham wrote the book... litterally.  His standup paddle fitness book is available to download for FREE!  That's right... FOR FREE! And you don't need to love standup paddle surfing to benefit from this e-book.  In Ham's list of why you should get this book he includes... You love using the TRX,...and are looking for new ways to use it. These are my favorite reasons he gives why you shouldn't get this book?  You don't believe in exercise You already own the book You are too Lazy to exercise You can read more about standup paddle surf training at fitnesstrainingbyjon.com and sign up to download his e-book! And while you're exploring ways to enhance your paddle surfing journey, take a moment to try our fitness assessment quiz – it'll help you discover personalized training recommendations that complement your water sports goals. Jon's expertise combined with a customized training approach could be just what you need to take your paddle surfing to the next level.  TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Try one of our TRX products today:   TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® HOME2 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® TACTICAL GYM BUY NOW

Before you get too deep into a TRX training regimen you may want a little background on exactly how and why Suspension Training and body weight exercise is such an effective way to build total body athleticism. Strength training utilizing suspended bodyweight began more than 150 years ago. Generations of acrobats and gymnasts have used their own bodyweight and gravity as resistance--suspended from rings, ropes, and trapeze bars--to generate tremendous, strength and the astonishing physiques that are a hallmark of these athletes. During the dawn of the modern fitness era, body builders adopted some of these suspended training techniques, hanging on rings suspended from chains in places like the old Muscle Beach in Venice, California. With the shift toward isolation training in the 60's and 70's, Suspension Training largely disappeared, lost to all but a few classes of athletes (acrobats, gymnasts, wrestlers and climbers) who continued to strength train on ropes and rock in the practice of their craft. The recent change in fitness programming toward traditional functional training styles has ushered a reawakening to the value of strength and body awareness; that is, the ability to move one's own body-mass through space efficiently and powerfully. Recent design developments toward user friendly equipment for suspension training have also expanded the depth and breadth of exercises within this unique genre of functional conditioning. Programming adaptations have also broadened the population of users capable of integrating this amazingly effective old--but all-new--style of training. No longer is Suspension Training limited to the highly advanced athletes whose maneuvers continue to astonish and delight legions of fans of the Cirque du Soleil. So why would I want to incorporate this genre of exercise into my training? The trend of the new millennium in sports programming is inarguably functional training. Pros and amateurs alike recognize that while looking great is important, the ability to apply those aesthetics to performance is even more essential to long term performance and quality of life. So how does Suspension Training help to meet these goals?   STRENGTH The strength required to generate and control movement in a destabilized environment is a type of strength unlike any other. In such training environments, the core is in a complete and constant state of activity in every exercise. Core stabilization is required to maintain proper alignment and body position. This kind of full-body muscular engagement is even more apparent when performing some of the very demanding bodyweight exercises that can be employed to build strength using Suspension Training.   BALANCE An inextricably linked "cause and affect" relationship exists between balance, body- awareness and core stability. Suspension Training places the body in a state of destabilization under load. This creates a challenging position where body or kinesthetic awareness must be developed to enable the core and other joint stabilizers to manage the center of gravity over its base of support. As this ability is enhanced it allows us to control our body position and produce smooth and efficient movement in increasingly more challenging postural situations. This increased ability to generate power and to stabilize in unbalanced positions correlates directly to increased performance in virtually every sport.   STABILITY When any part of the body is destabilized in a suspended movement, there are instantly increased muscular demands. To counteract this instability, the chain of muscles must cooperatively adapt at a much higher level than in an exercise where position and range of motion are restricted and controlled by a defined and supported path of travel, as with most traditional machines. Increased demands on joint stability challenge stabilizer muscles to maintain joint integrity as neutralizer muscles work to produce smooth movement while simultaneously managing thousands of tiny disruptive forces. Suspension Training also necessitates increased levels of spinal stabilization in order to maintain proper exercise position and body alignment. Training under these conditions of loaded instability generates complete muscle activation of the prime movers.     ATHLETICISM Suspension Training is highly athletic. It creates proprioceptive challenges that reinforce muscle firing sequences and motor patterns that transfer directly into movements commonly found in sport and life. This style of training demands coordinated and integrated body movement and offers challenging, sport-specific variations that require power and agility--the mainstays of athleticism for any sport Recent design evolution also makes Suspension Training one of the easiest and most convenient ways to strength train as the required equipment is minimal, highly portable and it can be done virtually anywhere. In conclusion, Suspension Training represents the evolution of functional training and is a tremendous, new and effective way of integrating closed kinetic chain, body weight based movement into any training plan. This additional training modality will enhance program functionality and effectiveness and bring your clients peak results. Get started with your TRX Suspension Trainer.

Try incorporating these cool games into your TRX workouts and bring a little fun back into your training. What is exercise if we don’t enjoy it? It becomes something we dread and possibly over time make less of a priority. But what if we add something as simple as a game to change the monotony of how we train? Not only would we see adherence, as all human beings have an innate drive to compete and succeed, but we would also begin to affect the mental and emotional state of a client as well because games are FUN!   When integrating games into one’s workouts, not only are we going to fundamentally be learning movement patterns OR reacting three dimensionally due to the unpredictable environment games provide, but games give fitness professionals and coaches a way to interact in a meaningful way with clients and athletes. Games allow us to build communication, trust, self confidence and adherence. That is something no machine or repetitive movement pattern can do. There are many ways to use the TRX Suspension Trainer to build interaction and fun in training. Take our quick assessment quiz for game-based workouts matched to your group's fitness level. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ To create a TRX Games workout, follow these basic rules. When incorporating movements, start with: Simple to complex Basic/singular to multi-tasking Known to unknown Low to high load Here are some examples of games you can perform on the TRX (see video above): Reactive voice command to TRX Sprinter Start to indicated number of cone. Time start/stop in TRX Sprinter Start. TRX Sit-up with balloon tap. TRX Lunge with tennis ball roll/catch/throw. TRX Power Pull with balloon tap. TRX Burpee with balloon tap broken down into parts or quick. TRX Balance Lunge Matrix to cued number or cone (not shown in video). TRX Plank with balloon tap (not shown in video). TRX Power Pull with tennis ball catch throw (not shown in video). Games provide a great cardio and metabolic demand and can be a superset with any form of exercise. They can be used anywhere in the program. The most important thing with TRX Games is to have fun! Hayley Hollander is a TRX Senior Course Instructor and co-owner of Advanced Training Performance an elite personal training company in Las Vegas, Nevada. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education from University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her drive for education motivated her to get many fitness certifications from ACE, NASM, AFAA, Yogafit RYT-200, Pilates Coach, and USA Weightlifting. Hayley loves teaching yoga and outdoor bootcamp classes on the TRX.

The World Rowing Championships are finally here! From September 24-October 1, the biggest event in rowing will return to the US for the first time in more than 20 years. By the time this group of elite athletes takes to the water at the newly-developed Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla., they will have spent years training for this moment.  Want to replicate some of their top conditioning moves at home, or prepare for your own turn at the oars? You don’t need water or a rowing machine: all you need is your TRX(R) Home Suspension Trainer™. Much like rowing, TRX exercises can target and strengthen your legs, shoulders, arms, back, and core. Let’s look at four TRX Suspension Trainer exercises you can challenge yourself on, to become a better rower. TRX Chest Press The TRX Chest Press is a straightforward method of maintaining upper body strength and may aid in preventing injuries in rowing. While similar to a traditional push-up, the allowable slip of the straps on the TRX Suspension Trainer™ offers more of an upper body stability challenge than the push-ups you rep out on the stable floor. Start facing away from your anchor point with the straps fully lengthened. Extend your arms in front of your shoulders and choose the appropriate foot stance for your fitness level. (Feet closer together and/or toward the anchor point will increase your difficulty, while feet wider apart and/or away from the anchor point will make the move easier.) While maintaining a plank position, lower your body by bending your elbows to 90 degrees. Return to your straight-arm starting position by driving through the palms and squeezing your chest, be sure to maintain your plank.. Add three rounds of 15 reps to your workout plan. TRX Front Squat A front squat requires a more engaged torso than a standard squat, and develops quadricep strength. The bottom, fully-crouched position of the TRX Front Squat is similar to the rowing catch, so the full range of motion is replicating the core and lower-body movement required in rowing. Olympic rower Seth Weil notes, “Rowing puts a lot of stress on your lower back. Front squats are going to force you to keep your posture a little bit better." For the TRX Front Squat, stand facing away from your anchor point, with the straps fully lengthened. You’ll need to place the straps under your arms, with your hands beside the chest, and your body weight on the handles. Next, walk back so your body is at a 45-degree plank position. Place your weight on the balls of your feet, then lower your hips towards the ground while keeping the knees stationary. Return to the standing plank position by driving through the balls of your feet, squeezing the glutes, and extending your hips. To make this move more difficult, you can hop between your fully-extended position and crouched position and/or increase your angle by stepping towards the anchor point. Try incorporating three sets of 15 reps in your workout.   TRX Suspended Lunge Most people unconsciously favor one leg over the other, which can lead to uneven muscle development, and inefficient performance in rowing. To help create balance in your leg strength, work on improving your TRX Lunge. For this move, stand facing away from your anchor point with your TRX Suspension Trainer™ at the mid-calf position. Place one foot through both foot cradles and stand with your shoulders positioned over your hips. Next, drive the suspended knee back, and lower your hips until your front knee is at 90 degrees and your rear knee on the ground. To return lift the rear knee off the ground, push your suspended foot slightly back. Then, drive through the midfoot and heel of your front leg to return to full standing position with your knees together. Try two sets of 15 reps on each leg.  TRX Low Rows We can’t talk about training for improved rowing performance without incorporating... TRX Rows. The TRX Low Row will help you target the rhomboids and improve your stroke. Begin with the TRX Suspension Trainer™ fully shortened and facing the anchor point. Your shoulder blades should be down and back, your elbows should be bent, positioning the handles at your rib cage, and you’ll want to walk your feet toward the anchor point to the appropriate angle. Keep your body in a plank position, and lower your body until the arms are fully extended. To return to your starting position, pull your body toward the anchor point by driving your elbows straight back, close to the body. Try three sets of 15 reps. Still looking for more rowing inspiration? Even if you can’t make it to Sarasota to see the races in person, you can watch all the action on Eurovision Sports. Live video streaming will be available for the A/B Semifinals and the A-finals on www.worldrowing.com. Watch, learn, practice, and maybe next year it will be your turn to take the oars.

You use the TRX to train. But have you mastered the art of using it to coach? Get your fish out of the water and get suspended. In doing so, you'll amp up your value as a coach and open up a whole new world of dryland training. Seasoned swimmers require ample cross training, or dryland training as we call it. In addition to providing an alternative to the monotonous "down and back" in the pool, dryland training allows swimmers to work a multitude of movements essential to fast swimming, but in a different medium. While many competitive swimmers have a good feel for the water and can make adjustments based on verbal feedback, some lack that proprioception and changes get lost in the translation. As a coach, I sometimes need to physically move the swimmer the right way or demonstrate, which necessitates getting in the water.  This is not always appealing or even feasible for most coaching staffs since the coach to swimmer ratio is typically very high. TRX Suspension Training helps one coach effectively teach large groups swimming specific movements without getting in the water. So many TRX exercises correlate directly to a teaching concept, stroke, streamline, start or turn. Want to find the perfect TRX exercises to enhance your swim performance? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a customized training plan for swimmers. Coaches can demonstrate and/or physically move the swimmer into the right position and give verbal cues throughout the movement. The following four exercises are just a few of my favorites for swimmers and coaches: TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ TRX Plank - This exercise reinforces the most basic element in swimming: maintaining a neutral spine through core stability. This translates into “floating” correctly in the water and thus moving efficiently from stroke to stroke without losing velocity and distance per stroke from a poor body position. By adding a Pike, we train for the power needed in our short-axis strokes, and by making it a TRX Side Plank (with Rotation), we train the obliques to drive our long-axis strokes. Plank progressions cover a lot! TRX Squat - This is the same movement we use when we push off the wall and streamline and also what we do upon entering the water from our standing starts. Maintaining good alignment and body tone from the fingers all the way down through the core, legs and toes is exactly what we focus on while streamlining. I like to add a calf raise after extending and even a jump to mimic the plyometric movement off the start and turn. TRX Power Pull - This is my favorite exercise for freestylers. Freestyle is now taught with a much more open shoulder and arm swing into the recovery. The Power Pull trains swimmers to "preload" the pecs by rotating and opening up the shoulder and torso. The single handle enables swimmers to rotate fluidly as a single unit while working acceleration from the core to ‘load’ into the catch. TRX Swimmer Pull - This exercise really applies to all four strokes. While seemingly obvious as a swimming exercise of choice, it’s not my favorite because of the name, or the fact that you are "swimming" by moving your arms front to back.  In fact, one of the most difficult concepts I teach younger swimmers is how to “Connect the Catch to the Core,” and how to find something solid in the water to hold while you’re pulling. We don’t, in fact, pull our arms through the water at all, just like we really aren’t moving our arms on the TRX.  We anchor our catch and move our bodies past our hands. In TRX terms, we anchor by maintaining tension on the TRX handles and straps, and we move our bodies by applying force to the handles (best achieved with an open grip), which we ultimately feel throughout the core. We learn to accelerate by connecting our limbs to our core. Every athlete needs constant reinforcement, and visual demonstrations undoubtedly work best when trying to teach and hone skills. Combine that with verbal cueing and immediate feedback, and you are now utilizing the TRX as so much more than a physical training tool. Your fish will feel, and therefore learn, how body positioning, core connection and other minor adjustments can make a major impact. If you don't have a suspension trainer, pick one up today. TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® HOME2 SYSTEM BUY NOW TRX® TACTICAL GYM BUY NOW   For other TRX exercises that your athletes can utilize in their training, try the TRX Training Club today and get access to hundreds of workouts with our strap. Kari Woodall (www.WoodallTraining.com) swam at UNC-Chapel Hill and continued to swim professionally and was on the US National Swimming Team several years. After  retiring from competition, she coached Division I Swimming for 11 years before leaving to stay at home more with her kids. Her passion lies in coaching and motivating groups, so she eventually began running her own swimming clinics and fitness boot camps.

The second Grand Slam event of the year, the French Open marks the beginning of the summer season for tennis. The significance of the clay surface (versus, say, grass) gives an advantage to better conditioned players, instead of just the best hitters. When talking tennis training and conditioning, the TRX Suspension Trainer has become the go-to tool for tennis greats from Max Mirnyi, Kevin Anderson, James Blake and Melanie Oudin. With it, tennis athletes can improve on-court performance and reduce the chance of overuse injuries. Want to find the perfect tennis-specific exercises for your game? Take our quick assessment quiz to get personalized TRX training recommendations matched to your skill level. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Here, TRX Instructor Anne Parker and physical therapist Patty Pennell demonstrate four TRX Suspension Training exercises that will improve core stability, hip mobility and rotational strength for improved on-court performance.   TRX Lunge (with Medicine Ball) Benefits: Improves hip mobility, stability and rotational strength and builds power in the front legAdjust your TRX to the fully lengthened position and place it into single handle mode. Stand facing away from the anchor point and place your left foot in the TRX foot cradles with your weight on your right foot about 12 inches in front and to the right of the anchor point. Bend your front leg to 90 degrees, keeping your left leg aligned with the anchor point. At the same time, reach first down with your medicine ball and then, as you drive up with your right left, reach up and to the right with the medicine ball. This is one rep. Repeat the exercise for 10 reps before switching legs. TRX Grappler Push/Pull Benefits: Increases upper body rotational strength and shoulder stabilityAdjust your TRX to the mid length position, take it out of single handle mode and stand facing sideways to the anchor point. Begin by aligning your hands (with bent elbows) in front of the anchor point. Allow your body to move away from the anchor point by straightening your arms. Ensure your body remains in a strong plank; do not allow your hips to sag during the movement. Return to an upright standing position with straight arms. Repeat for 10 reps before switching sides. TRX Crossing Balance Lunge (with Hop) Benefits: Increases hip strength and foot speed as well as power for backhand and forehand swingsWith your TRX still in the mid length position, stand facing the anchor point with your feet together. While holding onto the TRX, hop your right foot back and behind you into a lunge position and quickly switch legs, repeating the movement by hopping your left leg back and behind you. Repeat for 10 reps, alternating legs each time. Perform the movement again, this time hopping your legs to the front. Repeat for 10 reps, alternating legs each time. TRX Forward Lunge Benefits: Improves hip mobility, stability and rotational strength and builds power in the front legAdjust your TRX to mid calf position. Place your left hand in the foot cradles and stand facing away from the anchor point. Step forward with your right foot into a lunge position; your knee should not go beyond 90 degrees. Simultaneously raise your left hand, maintaining tension on the TRX, until you feel a stretch. Drive up and back with your right foot and lower your arm as you return to start position. Repeat the exercise for 10 reps before switching sides. The physical demands of tennis can take a toll on your joints if you don’t train to play. Putting some time into your off-court training program using the TRX will improve your rotational strength, multi-directional running, muscular endurance and power for your serve. In short, it will take your tennis conditioning to the next level! See you on the court. Anne Parker, CSCS, is a TRX Instructor and a strength and conditioning coach and speaker who motivates and educates athletes throughout the US. She is the creator of Train to Run and Train to Play workshops, teaching athletes how to train for injury prevention and improved performance. Dr. Patty Pennell-Noel, PT, ScD, is the owner of Back to Motion Physical Therapy in Denver, Colorado. Patty is currently a physical therapist for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and also serves as a consultant for the Leukemia Team in Training. Aside from her private practice, Patty works as clinical faculty for Regis University’s Physical Therapy Program in Denver. For a comprehensive, real-time tennis workout, check out the TRX Performance: Tennis DVD in the TRX shop.