Exercises provided by Elite Trainer, Deuce McMillan; NASM-CPT and TRX Certified

Committed to your old-school core workout? It’s time break up with your old ab routine.

Forget the sit-ups, the burpees and the bicycles and turn to the TRX your next workout.

One of the key benefits to TRX training is the TRX allows you to play with your body’s center of gravity. This challenges your muscles to work overtime to stabilize for a greater calorie burn.

Suspension training also develops your strength by utilizing functional movements and dynamic positions that are not performed only on your back, like traditional core exercises.

The following innovative moves that will take your core training to the next level; plus leave you sore the next day!

No Crunch TRX Workout

Knee Tucks

This full body exercise focuses on strength and stability of abdominal muscles, hip flexors and shoulder girdle. The faster you go through the movement the quicker your heart rate will raise to incorporate a cardio effect.

• Begin in a suspended plank position with your feet in the TRX loops, toes facing down and wrists directly underneath your shoulders. Your body should be in a straight line from head to toe.
• Draw your knees towards your chest; touching your knees to elbows if possible.
• Repeat for set reps.

Variations: 1. Hold a :30 second plank at the end of each rep, 2.draw knees to one elbow alternating sides, 3.add a push-up after each rep. 

Body Saw

The body saw may look easy but the subtle movement will make your core burn. The goal is to hold a perfect plank the whole time as you rock forward and backwards. You’ll feel your muscles working more when you slide back because you’re changing the center of gravity and that forces you to engage your core more.

• Begin in a suspended forearm plank position, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands flat, firmly pressing into the ground, feet in the TRX loops, toes facing down.
• Engaging your core, rock forward about two to three inches so that your shoulders are slightly in front of your elbows
• Then, slide backwards so that your shoulders are about two to thrr inches behind your elbows for one rep
• Repeat.

Pikes

TRX pikes challenge your balance and stability using your abdominal muscles to help you build a strong core. You can adjust the intensity of the exercise by how big your pike is. Plus,this exercise is a great base to build strength for more advanced exercises such as handstands.

• Begin in a suspended plank position with your feet in the TRX loops, toes facing down and wrists directly underneath your shoulders. Your body should be in a straight line from head to toe.
• Pressing down through your palms, lift your hips up towards the ceiling by drawing your legs towards your chest until you look like an upside-down V, or as high as you can go.
• Slowly lower your legs and return to the starting position
• Repeat

Side Oblique Planks

This is a step-up from the old-school dumbbell side bend that targets your upper body as well as your obliques.

• Stand on a diagonal with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms in an elongated diamond  grasping both handles of the TRX straps.
• Lean out to the side you are facing as far as you can.
• Crunch back in focusing on using your side obliques to pull your body weight in.

New to the TRX? Check out Our Guide to The TRX