Fitness Anywhere Online Community

Crazy Intense TRX Exercises

Fitness Anywhere — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:25:00 GMT

When Cem Eren, of Fitt Quest, approached Randy Hetrick and told him, "I have some stuff you've probably never seen done with the TRX", Randy was skeptical as he had heard this before. When he took a look at the videos that Cem had shot, his reply, "This guy's crazy."

Now these exercises fall under the category of "Don't try this at home kids." Cem trains professional boxers and fighters and is always looking for innovative and unique training methods to push his athletes to the next level. He instantly saw the potential of the TRX and incorporated it into his training sessions, adding his own Cemconditioning methodology.

CemCondition Video

He has trained:

Erick Vega, as seen on thre TV show The Contender

George Garcia USA Olympic Finalist

Rafael Valenzuela WBO NABO Featherweight title holder

Raymundo "Sugar" Beltran WBC Continental American Featherweight title

Rico Hoye winner of the Bronze in the TV Show The Contender and former 3-time Champion

Danny Batchelder former 3-time World Champion Heavyweight Contender

Cem's goal is, " to teach, show and educate people how to take it to the next level with the trx."

You can check out Cem online at Fitt Quest

TRX & Ropes Circuit Workout

FitnessAnywhere — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:37:00 GMT

Robert dos Remedios or "Coach Dos" shares a couple of great TRX circuit workouts on his blog, Obervations from a Strength Coach.

Circuit #1:

TRX wheelbarrel walks - 2 times across 3 aerobic steps + 5 plyo push-ups
"Monkeying around" - pull-up and hang climbing variations two times across the bars
TRX push complex - Push-up, T's, and superman's 5 times each
Rope battle - 50 reps any style you choose

Circuit #2:

TRX feet elevated rows (with hinging hips) - 10 times
Hang leg raises - 10 reps of any variation of leg raise
TRX plank position pike + saw - 10 reps
Rope battle - 50 reps any style you choose.

Check out his post, TRX, Ropes & Bodyweight Circuit, to view video examples of each exercise.

COMPASS GROUP PART 2: FA HELPS WOUNDED WARRIORS SUSPEND LIMITS, TRANSITION INTO PRIVATE SECTOR

FitnessAnywhere — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:49:00 GMT

When Alex Roodhouse served in Iraq as part of a Navy combat riverine team, he risked his life every time he went on patrol, often facing a hail of enemy fire. Danger comes hand in hand with active duty. But it’s a reality that Roodhouse has become even more acutely aware of since he completed his service and joined the Fitness Anywhere military sales team. “When I visit the VA hospitals for FA, I often discover that I served in some of the exact same places with the wounded vets that I meet.”

Roodhouse and Dr. Joe ‘Doc’ Martin, D.C., a SEAL team veteran and FA’s director of military education, recently participated in their third Compass Group for combat wounded Marine vets on behalf of FA. As more and more active duty service people use the TRX to stay mission fit on base and while deployed, the TRX has become a familiar tool. “Half of the seminar participants had used the TRX before,” says Roodhouse. “They like the TRX because it’s the same equipment that active duty service people use and because it’s easy to adjust workouts and movements to work with their specific injuries.

Vets have a way to train even with injuries, and the FA team gets something great out of the experience, too. “I got into the health care field for a reason,” says Doc Martin. “I spent my time in the SEAL team learning how to blow things up and I’m spending the rest of my life fixing things.”

LEARN MORE:

At: www.vetfoundation.org

GET INVOLVED:

Buy a TRX FORCE DVD and Guide, $5 of your purchase goes directly into the Fitness Anywhere Warrior Fund to help us support efforts like the Compass Group.

THE TRX ARRIVES AT THE NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER: WOUNDED WARRIORS FIND NEW BEGINNINGS WITH THE TRX

FitnessAnywhere — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:48:00 GMT

Servicemen and women who end up as patients at the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) in Bethesda, MD have gone to war for America and paid a toll for freedom that can’t be erased. Some patients suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries while others have lost limbs, suffered burns, or have otherwise lost the capacity to think and move the way they did before they went to war.

That’s why SEAL Team veteran Dr. Joe Martin, D.C., an FA team member and chiropractor who specializes in rehabilitation from injuries, journeyed to the NNMC where he gave an educational seminar, worked directly with wounded warriors and provided TRX trainers to the facility. “A lot of the wounded warriors here can’t use free weights or the Nautilus equipment we have. Guys in wheelchairs—whoever—can use the TRX. Anyone can,” says Joe Liptok, Deputy Director of the Marine Liaison Office of Wounded Warriors at the NMMC. “I think it’s for everybody, not just wounded warriors. You can hit everything with it. It’s adaptable to every individual. I just wish I’d had the TRX years ago.”

GET INVOLVED:

Buy a TRX FORCE DVD and Guide, $5 of your purchase goes directly into the Fitness Anywhere Warrior Fund to help support providing education and equipment for wounded warriors like those at the NNMC.

COMPASS GROUP: HELPING WOUNDED WARRIORS GET THEIR BEARINGS AND FIND MEANINGFUL DIRECTION IN THE CIVILIAN WORLD

FitnessAnywhere — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:41:00 GMT

Sometimes the toughest battles soldiers face come once they have left the theater of war. That’s why the Veteran Employment Transition (VET) Foundation created the Compass Group, a nonprofit that has helped more than 200 combat-wounded Marines with 5-day life and business skills seminars. Earlier this year, FA became part of Compass Group’s effort through the FA Warrior Fund, providing equipment and education at Compass Group seminars.

“A lot of the guys have injuries where they don’t feel comfortable going into the gym. This allows them to get back into shape in the comfort of their own homes,” says Chris Hadsall, the VET Foundation’s founder and executive director. “Whether a guy has a lower leg or upper extremity issue, it works. And with the TRX, they are always getting a great core workout no matter what exercise they’re doing.”

Major General T.S. Jones (Ret, U.S. Marine Corps) serves on the VET Foundation board of directors and hosts the Compass Group retreats at his Outdoor Odyssey facility, which he created for a youth leadership nonprofit he also runs. General Jones has made the TRX and Fitness Anywhere educational products an integral part of his everyday PT routine. “I’ve done a lot of testing with the TRX and I haven’t even hit what’s possible with this. There are a lot of extreme situations in the Marines Corps—on a ship, on a site where you can’t carve out PT time. But you can carve out 30 or 40 minutes to do TRX exercises and that time is connected to rapid decision-making and what you can do.”

LEARN MORE:

At: www.vetfoundation.org

GET INVOLVED:

Buy a TRX FORCE DVD and Guide, $5 of your purchase goes directly into the Fitness Anywhere Warrior Fund to help us support efforts like the Compass Group.

Drew Brees Core Workout

Fitness Anywhere — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:57:00 GMT

Drew Brees continues to impress as he leads the New Orleans Saints through win after win. We are especially excited as he has been a big advocate of the TRX and used it to regain strength after his shoulder injury. He continues to use it in his training with his trainer, Todd Durkin. In Drew Brees Core Workout, he shares his favorite TRX workout moves that he uses to strengthen his core and get ready for the field.

Fitness Anywhere Introduces the 2nd Installment of TRX Boot Camp: Ropes and Straps Round 2

Nathan McGee — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:25:00 GMT

You asked for more challenge, now we are bringing it! This second installment to the TRX Boot Camp series take is one step, or jump as the case may be, past TRX Boot Camp: Ropes and Straps. The original Boot Camp: Ropes & Straps was a circuit-style workout with a pyramid design where all the exercises performed in the first half of the workout were repeated in reverse order in the second half. For TRX Boot Camp: Ropes & Straps Round 2, we deliver yet another intense full-body workout, delivering total-body strength and cardiovascular endurance while using staggered block progressions—which means the movements gradually become more challenging as you progress and are incorporated with advanced jump rope intervals. The higher intensity, Round 2, is more technical with more rotational exercises that engage the core, something the TRX does better than any other single piece of fitness equipment available today.

“This is a one-of-a-kind workout that delivers overall strength as well as cardio training, which is why we are so excited to continue the Boot Camp series. Round 2 was designed to be more challenging than the original, to continue to build your strength and improve your performance,” said Randy Hetrick, inventor of the TRX and President of Fitness Anywhere, Inc. “Not very often do you get a workout created by a Navy SEAL and an Olympian, it is the epitome of an elite workout that will push your body to the limits.”

TRX Boot Camp: Ropes & Straps Round 2 will definitely get your heart pumping and your muscles moving!

Healthy Thanksgiving: Oxymoron or Opportunity?

Jennie Beyer — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

November is here. That's means in most parts of the country there's a slight chill in the air, the leaves have changed color, football season is well under way and yep...Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

What is there not to like about Thanksgiving? Family, friends, parades, football and the food. Oh yes, the food.

I come from a large extended family where the tradition was to all gather at my Aunt's house for a huge Thanksgiving dinner. My Aunt would cook us this amazing meal with all the fixins...turkey, mashed potataoes and gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and...well let's just leave it at that. To top it off, my Uncle is a professional baker and would bring home about 6 different pies for dessert. I've always had a sweet tooth and almost every year I would try as many of the pies as my already full stomach would allow. (Lemon meringue was my favorite).

As a child, I could afford this behavior. I was an active kid and this was not a normal meal...my body would bounce back as long as I didn't keep up this sort of eating.

But as I entered adulthood and tried to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Everything about Thanksgiving goes against what I try to practice everyday. Besides making fitness a important part of my life, I've learned to cook and eat in a way that nourishes but doesn't punish my body. I substitute lean proteins for the fatty ones, I cut the oil or butter, add extra veggies and more.

I work hard all year to be healthy. How can I let all that hard work go for just one day? Then I got an idea...how hard would it be to make Thanksgiving a healthy meal for once? I grabbed my Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook and starting thumbing through the recipes.

Below is the menu I came up with. I was surprised how easily I came up with a meal that would scream Thanksgiving but would still be healthy and good for my body. And there's even dessert!

So maybe you're looking to just stick to your usual Thanksgiving indulgences this year...that's okay. It's a holiday and if you're healthy all year round, one day won't kill you. But there is an opportunity here for all of us. Maybe you'll be just wrapping up your 30-day Fitness Challenge, or maybe you've just finished training for a marathon. This might be your year for a healthy Thanksgiving as well.

To explore all these recipes and make your very own 'Healthy Thanksgiving,' pick up a copy of the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook in our online store.

Soup Course:

Butternut Squash Soup (p 138)

Main Course:

Roast Chicken Breast (Substitute Turkey Breast) (p 118)

Stuffed Zucchini (p186)

Cauliflower Mash (p196)

Sauteed Spinach with Roasted Garlic (p194)

Dessert:

Pumpkin Pie Bars (p 220)

by Jennie Beyer

Fitness Anywhere Introduces the Second Installment of TRX® Boot Camp™

Fitness Anywhere — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:47:00 GMT

Fitness Anywhere Introduces the Second Installment of TRX^® Boot Camp™.

Fitness Anywhere Introduces the Second Installment of TRX® Boot CampTM: Ropes and Straps DVD Series.
Read full press release »

Club Industry

Fitness Anywhere — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:20:00 GMT

TRX Suspension Training Returns to its Military Roots.

TRX Suspension Trainer Systems by Fitness Anywhere, Inc. San Francisco, are being used by many branches of the U.S. military to keep troops in shape while they are deployed in the field. This marks a return to the company's roots, since the systems were originally developed by former U.S. Navy SEAL and company founder Randy Hetrick, in conjunction with his Navy SEAL teammates, as they improvised ways to say fit on covert missions.
Read Full Article »

SELF Magazine

Fitness Anywhere — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:09:00 GMT

Tone Up Anywhere

Trim on the go with TRX, the packable strap-and-handle suspension system. You lift your lower body sculpting curves from every angle. The expert Greg Miele, a trainer in Beverly Hills, California, who uses TRX to firm up Mary J. Blige and Gisele Bundchen, created this plan. Get Greg's plan now »

Fort Knox Turret News

Fitness Anywhere — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:18:00 GMT

Maxin’ out the TRX

“We’re taking instructors and (higher-ranking Soldiers) and teaching them how to use the TRX themselves and giving them some coaching points on how to do unit PT with it,” explained Chris Frankel, the TRX director of programming.

3 ways to win a FREE TRX!

Nathan McGee — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:33:00 GMT

Are you always using the TRX in the gym, with a trainer or having to borrow a friend’s. Maybe you want to surprise someone with a TRX package for the holidays. Well currently there are 3 ways to win a FREE TRX Package.

You can enter to win a TRX Home Bundle through Self Magazine.
If you are in the military or know someone who is, you can participate in the Military Photo Contest and win a TRX FORCE Bundle.
Participate in the 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge for a chance to win a TRX Package.

Join in the fun and possibly win a FREE TRX!

The Challenged Athletes Foundation: Going Beyond all Boundaries

Nathan McGee — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:26:00 GMT

The prospect of putting in the months of training necessary just to arrive at the starting line for a triathlon is enough to make most people crack a beer and sit down on the couch to catch the latest ‘House’ rerun. But you’ll never find the brave wounded warriors supported by the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) taking the easy way out.

The nonprofit group Operation Rebound launched CAF in 1994 to help wounded warriors with permanent physical disabilities continue to live an active lifestyle and compete in the sports they enjoyed prior to sustaining their injuries. Fitness Anywhere first connected with CAF two years ago when the FA team demonstrated the TRX and its capabilities to a group of CAF triathletes at the Oceanside triathlon.

An Inside Edition segment aired focusing on the TRX and the CAF athletes who use it including Evan Morgan, a former Marine who was struck by an IED and lost both legs during his second tour in Iraq. “You can make it as hard or not hard as you want. Evan is a bilateral amputee and he’s finding a lot of benefits from using it,” says Nico Marcolongo, Operation Rebound Program Manager. To help more CAF athletes, FA deployed Dr. Joe Martin, D.C., back to the Oceanside triathlon this spring where he provided instruction and equipment. “When they know there’s an entire network supporting them, then they start to think they can do this,” says Marcolongo

Yes, they can. And they do.

LEARN MORE:

At: www.challengedathletes.org

GET INVOLVED:

Buy a TRX FORCE DVD and Guide, $5 of your purchase goes directly into the Fitness Anywhere Warrior Fund to help us support efforts like the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

Win your photo on the TRX FORCE Kit!

FitnessAnywhere — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:58:00 GMT

You may never be on the front of a Wheaties box, but you have a chance to be on our new TRX FORCE Kit package.

Entering is easy. Winning takes work. All you have to do is submit pictures of you using your TRX®. But your form better be perfect, because only the best of the best will be considered to be on our new TRX FORCE Kit package, featured online and win prizes. You could join the ranks of other elite athletes and U.S. Troops who have been featured in our videos, brochures, on our website and more.

Are you ready for this mission? Then show us what you've got.

PRIZES:

Grand Prize Winner will receive their picture on our new TRX FORCE Kit packaging, a $150 Fitness Anywhere Gift Certificate, 5 TRX FORCE Kits and a feature on our online military page and community.
Second Place Winner will receive a $100 Fitness Anywhere Gift Certificate, a TRX FORCE Kit and their picture featured on the online military page and community.
Third Place winner will receive a $50 Fitness Anywhere Gift Certificate and their picture on our online military page and community.

HOW TO ENTER:

Read and Agree to the Contest Rules
Read and Follow Contest Instructions and Photo Guidelines
Email us your pictures (see instructions)
Keep checking in to the community for updates!

Contest Ends December 1, 2009

Your Competition Examples!

Kids and Sugar... It's Scary!

FitnessAnywhere — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:21:00 GMT

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...

He might put on some weight. A recent study shows however, that mice will gain weight differently based on their sugar intake during their youth. Precision Nutrition's Helen Kollias summarized a study that had three groups of mice consume varying amounts of sugar (including a control group that consumed none) for several weeks during their youth. After returning to a regular diet the mice when reintroduced to sugar in the form of Nestle chips had interesting results.

In terms of overall weight gain, there was no difference in weight between the mice that were fed sugar in their first 3-10 weeks of life and their siblings that were not. There was also no difference in activity levels noticed when the mice were released in open areas or when they used running wheels.

When sugar was used as a reward through operant conditioning more was revealed. In a test that rewarded the mice with sugar upon pressing a lever that became increasingly more difficult as they tried, the mice that did not have sugar in their youth worked harder to get the sugar treat than those who did.

The distinction between the groups of mice really appeared in regards to their weight after they were reintroduced to sugar as adults. While the "sugared" mice were not heavier after 7 weeks of sugar intake, when they began to consume sugar later on in life, they gained 12-17% more weight than their "unsugared" brothers and sisters after eating the same amount of Nestle chips.

The researchers explained this result in the "sugared" mice as an alteration in the "thrift genotype." The exposure to unlimited amounts of sugar at a young age activated this gene that helps the mice store extra calories. So when the mice are grown adults they store more of the calories from sugar.

While its not 100% clear that these results would translate to the human experience, it is useful information to consider when helping your child form good eating habits or in understanding your body and the way you gain weight.

AAAAAAAHHHH HERE COMES THE SUGAR!

So should you be running scared when your kids come home with a pillow case full of candy this Saturday? Well... no. If they are taught healthy eating habits and develop a balanced diet, an occasional splurge on some sweets is not going to ruin them. The key is moderation.

How do you typically handle the Halloween bounty?

For Helen Kollias's full article, read Over-Sugared Children = Over-Fat Adults? on Percision Nutrition.

Ask The Trainer: Start Working Out Safely

Fitness Anywhere — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:44:00 GMT

Question: I'm just starting out in a workout routine. How I should go about building myself up and minimize the risk of an injury setback?

Fraser Quelch, Head Coach and Director of Training and Development for Fitness Anywhere: So you’ve come off the fitness rails and are working to get back in the groove. One of the most common mistakes that people make when they’re trying to return to exercise after a layoff is come in too hard. This can result in a discouraging level of soreness or even an injury. Here are 5 tips to help you get past the crucial first 3 weeks.

Be realistic in your expectations of your body
Quite simply, you are going to be a bit sore. It’s next to impossible to start up after a layoff and not have your muscles lobby a grievance against you. They’ve been sedentary and underused and you’ve suddenly slapped them with a demand that they’re not used to. They’re not going to like it. Expect and embrace this to some extent and you will keep the positive attitude that got you going. The good news is that they will adapt quickly and within weeks your workouts won’t make you sore at all.
Avoid multiple sets
Many sources tout the benefits of multiple sets. While there are many advantages to performing multiple sets, now is not the time to seek them out. Generally speaking, acclimatizing your body to single set arrangements for a few weeks will go a long way to help you ease in. Once you’re over the hump, you can start to stack on the set volume with great results.
Avoid heavy loads and advanced progressions
Use this first few weeks to engrain the exercise technique and begin to address imbalances, instabilities and motor pattern deficiencies. Now is not the time to crush yourself with the hard progression or advanced workout posted on the blog. There is no shortage of time on the other side of the first 3 week period to challenge yourself with all of the amazing advanced workouts and exercise progressions that the top athletes from every sport use.
Extend your rest
One of the greatest qualities of the TRX is its capability for lightening fast transitions between exercises. As you get comfortable with the basic procedures of shortening, lengthening the TRX and placing your feet in the foot cradles you will find that you can transition between any 2 exercises in under 20 sec. The reality is that you shouldn’t until you’ve engrained your routine. Take some extra time between exercises and avoid super sets for the first few weeks. Short transitions and advanced set arrangements can be added in with great affect after the first 3 weeks.
Take rest days and use them for light recovery workouts
One of the best ways to manage the soreness that accompanies a new training routine is to be sure you are taking enough time off to recover and to use these rest days for light, active recovery. Go for a walk, do an easy bike ride or swim or add a flexibility session on these rest days. Integrating the TRX Essentials: Flexibility program is one of the best ways to increase your rate of recovery from the strength training workouts and improve your flexibility, an area that most people place little emphasis on but sorely need.

Cool Combo: Scorpion w/ TRX Burpee

Fitness Anywhere — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:20:00 GMT

If you are taking the TRX 30 Thanksgiving Day Challenge, then you will become very familiar with the TRX Burpee. If you are feeling like you need more of a challenge, then maybe you will attempt the Scorpion. Now, if you are really looking to push your limits, than check out Fraser's cool combo, Scorpion w/ TRX Burpee! Combing both the Scorpion ab/core focused exercise and the TRX Burpee arm and leg exercise, you create a challenge for your whole body.

Cool Combo-TRX Burpee and Scorpion

TRX 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge

Fitness Anywhere — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:36:00 GMT

Earn that Turkey!

Oh, Turkey Day is almost here with all the wonderfully delicious food. Give yourself another reason to be thankful and a reason to celebrate by taking the TRX 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge.

All participants who share their training programs and tell us how they changed the way they trained will be entered to win a TRX package.

Get started by taking our Fitness Test and tell us how you did and what you're going to do to challenge yourself during the next 30 days.

Step 1: Sign In or Register to be part of the community

Step 2: Take our 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge Test so you can measure your progress after 30 days

Step 3: Share your training goals and progress

Step 4: Have fun!

30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge | The Test | Questions | The Rules

TRX Games to Play!

Nathan McGee — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:20:00 GMT

Since it is the week before Halloween and we will soon be bombarded with pint sized goblins, ghouls, superheroes and princesses, this week is deadicated to those who are younger and those who are younger at heart. I was at a 5 year old birthday party at a park the other day and was talking to a mother about how her husband's job has created a sedentary life for him and how it has been effecting his back. Soon I had the TRX strung up over the jungle gym (I always have one in the trunk of my car :) ) and I was demonstrating some moves. I was surrounded by 3 foot high little munchkins hopped up on sugar all clamoring to give it a try.

TRX Games are Born!

Taking a page from Jonathan Ross's "Superhero Workout" we played an adventure game. Think Indiana Jones...

Kids would run up to the TRX and grab it with one hand and have to drop down to dodge "bullets", then they would have to pull up to grab my hand so I could pull them up to "safety." (one arm pull) they would then run around and get back in line and we did this for a couple of rounds.
Next they had to avoid being bitten by alligators by doing low rows.
Finally I had them doing TRX squat jumps and I would tell them that they were being pulled by a car and they had to jump over rocks that were coming right.... NOW!

I was amazed at how willing and good the kids were at doing the exercises. They all waited in line for their turn and when they got their chance, they played with such enthusiasm, you would have thought I brought all of Disneyland to the park.

Not Just for Kids

Oh, the games don't just stop there. At our company picnic, the TRX was incorporated into the relay race. Paired up with a FitDeck, the player would have to pull a card from the deck, run about 50 yards to the TRX, do the medium amount of reps on the card and run back and tag the next person on their team. Then the process is repeated until all the players made it through.

It's Time to Play

Kids are natural exercisers because they don't call it exercise... they call it playing. For us grown-ups, the days of swinging over alligator infested swamps are over... or are they?

What are ways that you have made your workouts fun? What are some games that you come up with that utilizes the TRX?

2012 Olympic Hopeful Talks TRX!

Nathan McGee — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:15:00 GMT

Tyler Stewart is no stranger to endurance triathlons. Having just placed in the top ten in the recent Ford Ironman World Championship Kona, Hawaii, she is definitely on her way to being a contender in the 2012 Olympics held in London. As a San Francisco Bay Area resident, we are fortunate to have her stop by the TRX Training Center and join us for a rigorous workout. Here is what she had to say...

How did you first hear about the TRX?
I saw one hanging in my gym and thought like it looked like fun.

What excited you most about the TRX?
Once my trainer showed me all the things you could do with it, the possibilities seemed endless.

How have you incorporated the TRX into your workout routine/lifestyle?
During my racing season I use it about 2 days a week; in off season I'd say I do half my strength training on the TRX.

Where do you typically workout using your TRX?
At the gym. I'm too lazy to workout at home. ;)

What are your fitness goals?
I want to be top 3 in the world at Ironman and to represent the USA in the women's time trial in London 2012.

How do you stay motivated?
I never sit down, and I always make little goals to keep me working towards them.

What does it mean to you to be fit and why do you think it is important?
I am at the point where if i am not exercising at least 5 days a week i start to get depressed. Being fit is so much more than about weight, it's about feeling good, day in and day out and staying young and vibrant.

Be sure to check out Tyler Stewart's site to stay up to date on her progress and competitions. tyler-stewart.com

Drink to your Body's Health: The Importance of Water

Fitness Anywhere — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:14:00 GMT

by Nathan McGee

DRINK WATER!

Up until a couple of weeks ago, my poison of choice (and I do mean poison) was diet soda. It wasn't until I really started working out consistantly with the company's boot camp and trying to loose those a few extra pounds (ok... more than a few) that I started to really look at everything I was putting into my body. One thing I found out, I was not hydrating enough and the soda I was drinking was actually having the reverse affect!

Your Body Needs Water!

It doesn't need caffeine, it doesn't need high fructose corn syrup, it doesn't need aspartame... it needs water! About 85% of your brain, 80% of your blood and 70% of your muscles are made from water. Water helps in flushing our system out of all the toxins we take in from eating, breathing and just living. It helps regulate your body temperature and it creates a cushion for your joint, which is especially important when you are working out. Being properly hydrated, before, during, and after your work out can increase your performance level and prevent serious muscle soreness. There are so many "performance enhancing" drinks out there which can be helpful when you are working out or doing a lot of physical activity, but the rest of the time, your body does not need all the sugar and "enhancing" chemical that it needs during the activity. What your body wants and needs is water. Clear, crisp, refreshing water.

I'm Not Drinking Enough!

Dehydration can cause a lot of problems. Head aches, tiredness, joint pains, muscle pains, hunger, impeded concentration, decrease in coordination, decrease in reflexes, loss of strength and DEATH! Ok, you are probably getting enough water in your coffee, soda and other beverages to ward off the grim reaper, but the other symptoms might seem familiar. It has been suggested that a lack of hydration makes our bodies more susceptible to illness and that being properly hydrated will help in losing weight and boost our immune system.

So How Much Should I Drink?

You've heard the classic, "8 glasses of water a day." If a glass is one cup, and a cup is 16 8 oz. then you end up drinking about 128 64 oz. of water a day. As a general rule, a physically active person should drink about ½ to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. I'm 175lbs (depending on the day) and pretty active so I would need at least 87 oz of water, which is only about 2.5 more glasses of water.

But I have to Pee!

When I started to drink more water, it seemed like I had to pee all the time. One of the reasons for this, I was drinking large amounts of water all at once. Drinking water follows the same concept of eating food... you don't eat all your food at one time, the best way is to break it up into smaller meals through out the day. If you drink 2 glasses of water at breakfast, sip on 2 glasses of water during your morning at work, a glass of water at lunch, 2 glasses of water during the afternoon, 2 glasses of water at dinner and a glass in the evening. You will still need to relieve yourself throughout the day (um, there's no stopping that) but you won't feel like you live in the bathroom.

Writing all this about water has made me thirsty, looks like it is time to fill up my eco friendly trx bottle. Drink up and enjoy!

UPDATE: My original math was off as I had miss calculated a cup to be 16 oz. and I've adjusted it to the correct cup size which is 8 oz. Thanks to those who have a keen eye and let me know.

Over Shorten the TRX for Even More Challenges

Nathan McGee — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:12:00 GMT

Collecting TRX exercises has become a fast growing hobby. Spend some time in our forums and on YouTube and you will see people are trading exercises like trading cards (hmmmm... maybe collectible fitdeck expansion packs?) Well now here is something to add to your arsenal. In this video Fraser demonstrates how to over shorten your TRX so you can go deeper and pull higher.

Over Shortening the TRX

What exercises can you think of with an over shortened TRX?

Super Fast Running Workout

Fitness Anywhere — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:47:00 GMT

You don't have to hang around a nuclear waste plant hope to transform into a super human speed demon. All it takes is a little effort and you'll be running faster than you ever have before! Now it won't be the super speed of superman, people will still be able to see you running, but you can crank up your speed and have the personal satisfaction in pushing your own limits beyond.

©DC Comics

If you have read the "Strength vs. Endurance" post, you will recognize that adding the hope at the end helps boost your explosiveness when you need those bursts of speed and the regular exercises helps build your endurance as you tear across the terrain.

Now if you do end up breaking the sound barrier, let people know it is because of your TRX workout!

The Run Super Fast Workout

Exercise	Reps
Sprinter's Start	10-20 regular, 5-10 with hops each leg
Single Leg Squat	6-8 each leg
Suspended Lunge	10-15 regular, 5-10 with hops each leg
Hamstring Curls	10-15

Want to put your skill to the test? Take the 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge and be entered to win a FREE TRX Package!

Drew Brees shoulder workout

Fitness Anywhere — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:24:00 GMT

The Saints are unstoppable this season with another incredible game against the Giants yesterday. We know you have heard Drew trains on the TRX, but now you can train like him.

Check out this shoulder circuit with Drew and his pre seson trainer, Todd Durkin that builds his strength and mobility for game day.

Drew Brees Training on the TRX