TRX | mmafitness

Bodyweight Suspension MMA Workout

Below, you'll see a video of Brandon Vera going through a complete TRX workout, while Randy Hetrick (founder of the TRX system) explains everything he's doing. Below that video, I've given images to demonstrate the various exercises used in the TRX MMA system.

A full body workout for beginners and intermediates alike!

The TRX is a very useful - though simple - training tool. It's basically just a suspended strap. You can purchase these through Amazon.com, or even make your own. And if you want to buy one, but can't afford the high cost, there are plenty of knock-off versions, some of which hold a very high quality standard. It can be suspended in your garage, from a tree, or even your door, using the included door suspension tool. And best of all, you can even take it to work out at the park.

Something I particularly enjoy about the TRX is the easy adjextment for difficulty by doing nothing more than moving your body closer or further from the center. Don't let the simplicity fool you, though. The TRX system is effective training for every area, and by focusing on certain exercises, we can utilize the TRX for a well designed MMA fitness program.

Who Uses TRX?

US Military
UFC Fighters
Nesta Fitness Pros

Before we begin, I have a few tips to help you get the best results from your TRX work out.

Begin by learning each individual exercise before you perform any full routine. If you try surviving the full routine from the start, you may end up feeling half-dead. These exercises start out deceptively easy, but get tough real fast.
Focus on form before you worry about number or advanced versions. If you saccrifice form, you will lose out on the full benefits of each exercise, and may also cause yourself permanant injury.
Always keep the straps tight throughout every movement. If the straps have any slack in them at any point, you're no longer doing the exercise right. Make sure you have tension in the straps at every point.

Suspended Lunge

Beginners should keep their hands down and touch the floor when going down, to help stabilize.

Begin with your foot in the TRX foot strap.
Slowly lower yourself until your hands touch the ground, keeping your head up, eyes forward.
Raise your body back to the starting position and repeat.

An advanced version includes a leap as you return to standing. Careful on the landing, though. Make sure you're not rolling your ankle. You can also perform a knee strike as you come up.

Suspended Burpees

Again, we begin on a single leg, both straps holding up the suspended foot.
Reach down to the floor, shifting your weight from your standing leg to your arms.
Thrust your grounded foot back, so that it is now suspended in the air, parallel to the leg held up by the straps.
Return your free foot to the ground, near your hands.
Return to a standing position.

To increase the challenge, include a push-up when you go down, and leap as you stand back up.

Crossing Balance Lunge

Standing on one leg, the opposite knee is raised straight in front of you.
Lowering your body, reach your foot behind your grounded leg as far as you can.
Return to the standing position, bringing your knee back up in front of you.

At first, you can touch your foot to the ground when you reach it behind the grounded leg, but try gaining the balance to keep it airborn the whole time.

Remember to step wide or leap, not step close as is depicted in this video.

Lateral Leap

Plant your left foot out to the left side, reaching your right leg behind the grounded leg, just like in the Crossing Balance Lunge.
As you bring your right leg back, leap to the right, reaching your left leg behind the right leg. Continue back and forth.

As you begin learning this exercise, skip the leap and simply take a large step, instead. You can also touch your foot to the ground to help you balance, until your balance in this movement improves.

Power Pull

Begin with your feet square to the center point of the straps and pull the straps to your chest as you reach up along the straps. Make sure you can keep tension on the straps.
Lower yourself backward, reaching behind you toward the ground. The wider your feet are, and the closer they are to the center, with make this easier.
Pull yourself back up, reaching up the straps, again. Continue to raise and lower yourself.

Atomic Push Ups

With both feet in the straps, begin in a plank position.
Lower your body to the ground and perform one push up.
After rising back up, bring your knees in to your chest.
Allow your feet to return to the plank starting position, ready to continue this series of movements.

*To increase the difficulty, put both straps on only one foot, holding the free leg suspended without support.

Atomic Ys & Ts

Leaning back, make sure that the straps are tight.
Reach your arms to the sides, bringing your body forward with only your back muscles, and making a "T" form with your posture.
Return to the starting position, keeping the straps tight throughout the entire motion.
This time, reach your hands out in a diagonal motion, forming a "Y" with your body, and bringing yourself forward.
Return again to the starting position and continue alternating between the two motions.

Beginners can place one foot slightly behind them to help relieve some of the weight.

Elevated Hip Press

Begin on your back with both feet in the straps.
Press your hips upward, thrusting as far as you can. Then return and repeat.

Though this exercise is already extremely efficient for MMA fighting, an advanced exercise is to turn the regular hip press into an upa drill.

You can also practice triangles, using both straps on just one foot, having the straps adjusted high, and doing a triangle choke drill.

Back Extensions

Standing with a backward lean, hold the straps above your head.
Allowing your butt to move backward, but never allowing slack in the straps, bend at the waist as far as comfortable.
Using only your back muscles, pull yourself back into that straight upward position.

A variation of this exercise is also shown in the video. It's another great exercise to help condition your back muscles.