by Jonathan Ross, TRX Master Trainer, www.AionFitness.com
“I think I might be ready to try the TRX…if you think I’m ready,” Sally said to me recently with apprehension in her voice and trepidation on her face. Sally (not her real name) is in her mid-50’s and has been exercising with free weights, cables, stability balls, and medicine balls in programs I’ve been creating for her for years. She is strong and capable (and I dare say stronger than her husband).
As a result, there should have been no doubt in her ability to successfully exercise with the TRX. Yet the fact remains she was uncertain as to her readiness to use it. Why? I forgot to ask I was too busy reacting, “Are you kidding!? Of course you’re ready to try it!”
But afterward, I began thinking about why.
In the last year or so, the general public has become increasingly aware of the TRX and recent exposure through many major media outlets is a large reason for this. When I teach Suspension Trainer Courses, one of the key points we emphasize is that the TRX can be used by anyone of any fitness level almost anywhere – and I fully believe this is true.
However, any quick online search for TRX exercises yields some extremely challenging, crazy-looking exercises not appropriate for the average – or even some above average – fitness enthusiasts. While true that anyone can use it, you usually only see things that a small percentage of the population can perform.
It’s like the classic example of communication: If I tell you “yes” while shaking my head right and left, you will most likely interpret my response as “no.”
People remember what we show them, not what we tell them.
I had a client once that I was able to convince to use the TRX, but it took a few visits by me where I brought my own and showed her how to adapt it. (For full details of this client’s experience, see my previous post in the forum titled “Hates Exercise, Loves TRX”
Our Head Coach and Director of Programs and Development, Fraser Quelch has a saying about crazier exercises, and they apply to exercises beyond just the TRX “eyebrow raisers” we’ve seen. He puts them in a category of “You could do it, but why would you?”
Although visually impressive, dramatic, and a great ego booster, these are some of the same exercises that scare the daylights out of millions of regular people out there who see the TRX for the first time.
As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. There are literally millions of people out there in search of viable fitness option to help get them started. To illustrate the real possibility of using the TRX with anyone, I’m going to use one of the harder exercises in the TRX library and show you modifications I’ve created to allow just about anyone to do it – The TRX Suspended Pendulum.
And Introducing…The TRX Pendulum for Everyone!
Setup: Stand facing away from the TRX with your hands in the handles at a shallow angle (most of your weight in your feet) with a wide stance.
Performance: Sway side-to-side while maintaining full-body rigidity. Progress the exercise by lowering your body angle.
TRX Pendulum for Everyone Video.
Notes: This is a great body awareness exercise for deconditioned individuals to begin experiencing the sensation of their body moving against gravity. As the exercise progresses, the challenge increases to the abs and hips to maintain stability.