8 TRX Leg Exercises
Don’t forget leg day! The TRX resistance trainer can work your lower region too you know…
Over the last decade, suspension training has become one of the most common home workouts. Not only does it provide a low-cost and space-saving way to exercise, but the sheer number of exercises that can be performed with a suspension trainer like the TRX will astound you.
Although a TRX can appear to be nothing more than a pair of straps kept together by clips to the untrained eye, the system’s design and strength make it one of — if not the most — flexible training formats available. Essentially, you can’t train all of the muscles in your body with just your bodyweight, and while gravity makes pushing movements like press-ups and squats possible, focusing on pulling motions requires specialised equipment.
Pull-up bars can be used to target certain places, and gyms, of course, have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of muscle groups using weights and machines. A suspension trainer, on the other hand, is ideal for training at home or in the park.
Suspension training has a variety of additional benefits that make it such a common choice among fitness enthusiasts these days. It’s not only about saving space and training certain hard-to-reach areas; there are also a variety of additional benefits that make it such a popular choice among fitness folk these days. The interface not only allows for a wide variety of versatility and agility workouts, but it also allows you to scale exercises to make them easier or harder. Not bad for something you can tuck away in a cabinet before you’re ready to use it.
TRX Leg Exercises 1 of 8 — Glutes Bridge
Muscles Worked: Gluteus maximus, calves, hips, heart, and hamstrings.
Setting of TRX: Mid-calf
Squats and lunges aren’t the only exercises that work the lower body. The glute bridge is one of the most beneficial and exhausting lower-body exercises, with significant benefits in functional movements such as walking, running, and sports.
The inclusion of the TRX introduces an extra level of preparation to the movement, making it significantly more difficult. This is due to the need to develop a solid centre in order to sustain movement with the TRX’s instability.
Instructions: Place your feet into the cradles of the TRX while lying on the ground with your hands at your sides. Lift the cradles towards you, focusing the muscle movement in the glutes, while maintaining balance and holding your back straight and off the floor.
Slowly lower yourself to the starting point after pausing to feel the contraction in your glutes.
TRX Leg Exercises 2 of 8 — Crossing Lunge
Muscles Worked: Inner thighs, hamstrings, quads, glutes (focus on glute medius), calves, lower back.
Setting of TRX: Mid-length
While the crossing lunge appears to be a reverse lunge, the unusual movement of the leg involves additional muscles, making the exercise much more difficult. Because of the uncomfortable position, you must concentrate more on structure and the rotation of the ankle joint to avoid putting it in a position that could cause injury. The action resembles a courteous lunge.
Instructions: Pick one foot off the ground with both feet together and shift it behind and diagonally behind the front foot. Lower the foot into a position where the front knee is at a 90-degree angle and the lowered ankle feels stable in a balanced motion, taking care to maintain good form. Raise the leg back to standing, pause for a second, and repeat for the opposite leg. The aim of this exercise is to step in a lateral direction; however, many people lack this versatility, so it’s more likely to move diagonally behind the forefoot.
TRX Leg Exercises 3 of 8 — Squat Jump
Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, calves, lower back, and abdominals.
Setting of TRX: Mid-length TRX
Squat jumps are a great progression from the basic squat because they not only burn more calories, but they also need more effort from the ankle, hips, and heart. This means you get extra advantages that can assist with a variety of physical movements, such as running or sports. In addition, the muscles must function explosively, which helps build muscles that aren’t used in a static squat.
The TRX will help hold you in place and serve as an anchor if your jumping starts to move you around due to the added balance needed while jumping.
Instructions: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms outstretched in front of you at chest height. Lower yourself to a squat position and then leap upwards. Repeat the movement by landing gently and allowing your knees to absorb the impact. When using the TRX, try to avoid leaning back unless absolutely necessary, and keep your back as straight as possible.
TRX Leg Exercises 4 of 8 — Single Leg Squat
Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and calves.
Setting of TRX: Mid-length TRX
The single leg squat, also known as the gun squat, is a challenging exercise that many people cannot do without assistance. The TRX allows you to add stability to your movement while also allowing you to use your arms to assist with lifting at the most difficult points. Because of this, the TRX single leg squat is an excellent way to advance to a standalone pistol squat (a favourite amongst CrossFitters).
Instructions: Stand with your feet together and arms in front of you at chest height. In a single leg squat, lift one leg off the ground and lower the torso. When using the TRX, try to avoid leaning back unless absolutely necessary, and keep your back as straight as possible. Lower your body to a 90-degree angle with the deck, then push up by stimulating your leg muscles rather than pulling with your arms.
TRX Leg Exercises 5 of 8 — Side To Side Lunge
Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, calves, and abductors.
Setting of TRX: Mid-length
Because of the lateral aspect of the action, the side to side lunge is a common exercise among athletes and sports players. Sports players move sideways, unlike runners that just move forward. The side to side lunge is a great way to strengthen your functional muscles.
Instructions: Shift your bodyweight to one side and lower into a single leg squat position with your feet about two feet apart and your hands held to your chest in front. Hold for a second before rising. When performing the exercise, try to concentrate the workload on the leg, only using the arms to assist with movement if necessary.Hold your back as straight as possible and resist the urge to lean back into the movement.
TRX Leg Exercises 6 of 8 — Abducted Lunge
Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, calves, and abductors.
Setting of TRX: Mid-calf
The abducted lunge is a difficult exercise to master because it combines strength and balance components that take a lot of practise to master. Although a pistol squat (or a single leg squat) can be completed with only one leg, the TRX instability and the force applied to the abductor muscles make the exercise very difficult.
Instructions: To retain spinal extension and gluteal tension, stand sideways to the strap and put the foot in the cradle, internally rotating the hip and plantar flexing the ankle. Lower into a squat, hinging at the hips, until you’re at a 90-degree angle from the floor (or as close as you can get before then). Push back up in a controlled movement until you’re standing upright and repeat, keeping your back as straight as possible.
TRX Leg Exercises 7 of 8 — Low Lunge
Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and calves.
Setting of TRX: Mid-length
While the low lunge engages the same muscles as the reverse lunge, the movement is performed in a different manner. When forward lunging, there is always a change of balance to the front foot, which necessitates a higher degree of balance control as well as more weight being placed on the forefoot.
When using the TRX, the arms are lifted while the foot moves forward, putting a greater emphasis on upper body mobility. This motion not only helps in movement balance, but it also includes a mobility aspect, which may make the exercise more difficult.
Instructions: Lift one leg up in a controlled motion and land the foot at 90 degrees in front of you, finishing with the foot in a comfortable position on the ground with the weight on the heel, while keeping the TRX below chest height in front of you and leaning into the braces. Hold for a second before bringing the leg back to a standing position and repeating with the other leg.
TRX Leg Exercises 8 of 8 — Reverse Lunge
Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and calves.
Setting of TRX: Mid-length
The reverse lunge is a great exercise for targeting the bulk of the leg muscles, and unlike the squat, it isolates each leg individually. The result of isolation is that it may help to correct body imbalances by allowing each leg’s muscles and joints to develop independently, while in a squat, one leg can compensate for the other.
The TRX provides an extra layer of support during the motion, making the movement more available to beginners. For more experienced users, the added balance will aid in maintaining proper form during the workout and allowing them to exercise for longer periods of time.
Instructions: Lift one leg to 90 degrees while keeping the TRX at chest height, then lead it backwards to the ground in a controlled motion. Finish by bending the front leg 90 degrees and placing the full foot on the deck. Hold for a second before bringing the leg back to a standing position and repeating with the other leg.
The reverse lunge can be adjusted to make the exercises easier or harder. The knee lift can be reduced to 90 degrees or a hop can be added to the action.
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