For over a decade, the TRX Suspension Trainer has been my go-to tool for both home and travel workouts. Its versatility, ease of setup, and compact storage make it a game-changer for anyone looking to maintain fitness without bulky equipment. Whether you’re a swimmer, triathlete, or fitness enthusiast, TRX offers scalable, full-body workouts that challenge your strength, balance, and mobility—all with just a pair of training bands and a little creativity.

How to Use TRX for Progressive Overload and Adaptation

TRX training’s unique approach uses your body weight and gravity to create resistance. This makes it an excellent tool for progressive overload, a key principle in building strength and endurance. By adjusting the straps' length, your body’s angle, or your base of support, you can easily modify the intensity of any exercise. These adjustments not only challenge your muscles but also improve coordination and core stability.

For swimmers and triathletes, this adaptability is especially valuable. TRX exercises can mimic swimming movements, enhance shoulder stability, and strengthen the posterior chain crucial for improving performance and preventing injuries.

Build Strength with TRX Training Program

Warm Up Patterns

A proper warm-up is essential to activate dormant muscles and mobilize restricted ranges of motion. With TRX, you can prepare your body efficiently for the main workout. Here are a few warm-up drills to get started:

Deep Squat with Overhead Reach: A perfect TRX lat stretch to open up your shoulders and spine while activating your hips.

Supported Cross-Under Lunge: A dynamic movement that improves hip mobility and challenges balance.

Pec Stretch with Alternating Step: Loosen tight chest muscles while engaging your core and legs.

Building Lower Body Strength

The majority of sports movements happen on one leg, making single-leg training critical. TRX offers numerous exercises to build lower body strength and stability:

Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats: Ideal for developing unilateral strength while improving balance and coordination.

TRX Glute Bridge Leg Curl: A fantastic combination of hamstring activation and glute engagement for posterior chain strength.

Upper Body Workouts: Push, Pull, and Everything In Between

Your upper body’s strength and mobility play a vital role in overall performance. TRX provides a range of exercises to target pulling and pushing muscles effectively:

TRX Bridge Row: Strengthen your lats and improve postural stability by adjusting your body’s inclination.

TRX Bridge Inverted Row - inclination progression and load under gravity

1-Arm Row: stability progression

1-Arm Row with Rotation: Add rotational complexity to challenge your stability and core.

Upper Body Pushing Progressions

Horizontal pushing patterns are often more friendly on the shoulder joint, and are a great compound movement to develop the chest, shoulders and triceps simultaneously.

Inclined Push-Up: Progressively load your chest, shoulders, and triceps while maintaining joint-friendly mechanics.

Core Stability: The Foundation of All Movement

Core stability isn’t just about six-pack abs; it’s about controlling and transferring force effectively. With TRX, you can target your core while simultaneously mobilizing your hips and shoulders:

Knee Tucks and Pikes: Use lever progression to increase difficulty and engage your entire core.

TRX Rollout: Strengthen your anti-extension capabilities while improving shoulder alignment.

Enhancing Shoulder Stability

The shoulder’s range of motion makes it prone to instability, especially for swimmers. TRX helps improve shoulder stability through controlled, functional movements:

TRX Ys: Activate your scapular stabilizers to improve posture and overhead mechanics.

Serratus Anterior Rollouts: Build strength and stability with progressive lever length challenges.

Serratus Anterior Reach Outs

Sculpting Arms with TRX

Single-joint exercises are great for finishing your workout. TRX provides a fun and challenging way to target your biceps and triceps:

TRX Tricep Extension: Focus on building arm strength with controlled movements.

TRX Bicep Curl: A unique way to target your arms without traditional weights.

Why You Need TRX in Your Training Program

The benefits of TRX training go beyond convenience. It’s a versatile tool that supports strength training, enhances mobility, and builds endurance—all while being easy to store and use. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned athlete, TRX helps you achieve progressive overload, improve functional movement, and stay consistent with your workouts.

Get Started with Train Daly

Ready to elevate your fitness? I’ve developed TRX training programs tailored to swimmers, triathletes, and fitness enthusiasts. My programs include detailed video demonstrations, personalized coaching, and progressive routines to help you achieve your goals.

Click here to get your TRX equipment, book a coaching call, or explore the full TRX training program available in the app. Let’s build strength, stability, and resilience together—one strap at a time.