Hey everyone, I'm still relatively new to suspension training, so any advice or comments will be greatly appreciated.  I began the Military Fitness program about 8 weeks ago (starting on week 4) and have really gotten into the TRX and the nearly unlimited flexibility it provides in designing your own workout.  Below is my current workout plan; it is essentially the Military Fitness plan with some additional exercises included.  Unless otherwise specified, I am doing each exercise for 60 seconds (60 sec. for each leg/arm/side where applicable) with no more than 15-20 seconds rest between each exercise. 

Day 1:

• Suspended Lunge
• Single Leg Squat
• Balance Lunge
• Hamstring Curl with Abduction
• Supine Runner
• Hip Press
• Bicep Curl
• Triceps Press
• Twisting Hip Drop
• Suspended Single Leg Plank
• Side Plank (on hands) with Floor Taps
• Body Saw with Pike

Day 2:

• Atomic Pushup Matrix
• Deep Chest Fly
• Deep Chest Press
• Elevated Back Row (120 seconds)
• Single Arm Power Pull
• Swimmer's Roll Out
• Swimmer's Pull
• Deltoid Combo (Y, T, Low) (90 seconds- 30 each, no break)
• Postural Overhead Squat
• Suspended Pendulum with Pike
• Oblique Crunch
• Pull Through
• Oblique Leg Raise

So far this routine seems to be working pretty well.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to a better order to put these exercises in (to take advantage of superset principles, etc).  I'm pretty happy with the length of each day's workout, but if anyone has a good new exercise to throw in, or a suggestion for a replacement exercise, I'm all ears! 

Hey Mike

GREAT WORK!!

 If you are hammering through the Military Workout at max progressions that is jamming indeed. Here are a few tips to make sure you stay interested.

Day 1:

• Suspended Lunge-do it with power (a jump out of each rep)or with a lift pattern (front, inside foot, outside foot. Use dumbbells or a heavy ball. Another nice variation is to add rotations
• Single Leg Squat-do with power or use the TRX for as little support as possible
  
• Balance Lunge- use a crossing & abducted variations
  
• Hamstring Curl with Abduction - try single leg hamstring curls - same goes for the hip press
  
• Supine Runner
• Hip Press
  
• Bicep Curl- go steeper!
• Triceps Press - same as above - you can also use a bigger more integrated movement with your arms by allowing your elbows to be drawn back to your ears
• Twisting Hip Drop
• Suspended Single Leg Plank - add some movement with both the free and suspended leg like crunches or pikes 
• Side Plank (on hands) with Floor Taps - c'mon...you want this to be harder - have a training parter throw a heavy ball for you to catch and throw while your arm is at full extension... try this first from your elbow and be sure that your partner is throwing it at you from close to the ground. receiving a throw from up high in this position is challenging from a depth perception standpoint

• Body Saw with Pike - the most impressive thing i've ever seen with the TRX is one of our course participants who could lower his chest to the floor in this exercise from his hands without losing control of his pelvis - if you can do this then you are already strong enough

Day 2:

• Atomic Pushup Matrix - turn the crunch into a pike or do this with only a single leg suspended
• Deep Chest Fly
• Deep Chest Press
• Elevated Back Row (120 seconds) - do the last two using a single arm and superset them
• Single Arm Power Pull - have a training partner add resistance - see the video
  
• Swimmer's Roll Out
• Swimmer's Pull
• Deltoid Combo (Y, T, Low) (90 seconds- 30 each, no break) go steeper
  
• Postural Overhead Squat - fun to do this with a single arm - it turns it into a completely different exercise
  
• Suspended Pendulum with Pike - try to swing 3 times and then hold the apex of the swing for a 1 count and repeat on the other side
  
• Oblique Crunch - apply the pendulum principle - position your body further in front of TRX neutral
• Pull Through - try just the supine plank portion of this exercise from your elbows - increases the mobility challenge for your shoulders
• Oblique Leg Raise - try this one as the resisted rollup - with hands in the TRX - do a full sit up and then push down in the handles while SLOWLY lowering yourself back down

Give some of those progressions a try and let me know how they work out for you

 Have fun 

Fraser,

Thanks for the tips!  I tried the Atomic Pushups with only one leg suspended and it added a whole new level of pain.  I also like the "hold" in the Pendulum; it really requires some concentration and focus at the end of the set!  I think I'm still a little ways away from being able to drop my chest all the way to the floor during the Body Saw; it's good to have goals, though!

I think that you've given me a few good ideas for adding to or elevating the conventional exercises.  It really seems that your imagination is the only limit when it comes to the various exercises that can be conducted.  I plan on getting the Trainer Basics DVD to help better understand the principles behind suspension training and the different progressions for each exercise.  I've read the reviews and it seems like everyone feels the DVD is a great companion to the course (which I plan on attending when we redeploy next spring), in the meantime, however, I'd like to learn as much as I can and get a little creative with this awesome piece of equipment!

Thanks again,

Mike

No worries Mike. I am glad that they helped. You are absolutely right in regards to the imagination thing. I continue to learn and create new things on the TRX almost daily. It only takes playing a little or adapting another movement and you are in a whole new place.

Have fun with the adaptations I laid out for you and we will look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming courses.

All the best 

 Gents,

             Gotta give my two cents here. TRX and Crossfit (austere) with KBs is my choice for a workout at home and deployed. 

At home my routine looks something like this

 M,W,F

AM- TRX

PM- CF and 20 mincardio

T,TH

AM- shadow BJJ/Judo

PM- TRX then BJJ practice.

Does any one have any advice for throw specific judo movement with the TRX?

I've found this to be an intense program, but my TRX keeps me injury free and allows me to take the whole system on road with very little fuss. At an over all weight of 52 LBS. 50 of which is my KB the combo can't be beat.

Regards

-Taylor

Fort Bragg