I'm new to the website and the forum.  I don't know if this question has been asked.  If it has, my apologizies.  I was curious if there are any weight lifting programs that incooperate the use of the TRX.  I would like to weight lift, but use the TRX as well.  I'm currently a law enforcement officer and would like to have the muscle strength and muscle endurance of a Navy SEAL.  If anyone can provide any information, I'd appreciate it.  Thanks.

mpn, welcome!  That's a good question; I think you'll find that the TRX is a great stand alone workout but can easily be incorporated into weight training.  A lot of the members on the forum use the TRX as a part of their routines; weight training, sports, kettlebells, running all complement the TRX well.  Check out these two articles from the Fitness Anywhere main page:  http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/resources/article_compare.php, and http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/resources/article_planar.php.  The second article is one that Fraser wrote on Planar Training; particularly insightful and useful information when structuring a workout.  Another good article to read is http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/pdf/TSAC_Report_2007_09.pdf, this one talks more about strength conditioning for the "Tactical Athlete," but does have a short TRX section.  Overall, a decent article though. 

I'm not sure what your specific goals are, but since you are a LE officer, I'm assuming that like me, you are more interested in functional strength than aesthetics.  If so, a routine that has been working very well for me recently is the Strong Lift 5x5 program (http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/), which basically consists of squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, barbell row, pull ups, and dips.  Coupled with a balanced TRX program, I can work towards good strength gains while maintaining a focus on endurance and flexibility (coincidentally the aesthetics are developing nicely as well!).  Kettlebells are another great functional strength tool to incorporate with the TRX or use in alternating workouts.  If you don't already have a TRX package I would recommend you get the Force Training Kit; it has worked very well for me and comes with a great DVD and exercise guide.  By the end of the program, you'll really understand the benefits of the TRX as well as the planar training concept; trust me it will open your eyes to the ineffectiveness of the way you used to train!  You'll see great ways to incorporate the TRX and its unique training method into almost any type of strength training routine you choose. 

Good luck, I hope that helps a little.

Thanks for the information.  I really appreciate it.  

Oh, I had one more question.  Is it possible to gain muscle size while using the TRX w/ a weight lifting program?  I know you can most likely gain strength with the TRX, but I wanted to know if it's possible to (with proper training) attain a physique like say Batista from WWE or an MMA fighter?  If it's wishful thinking, please let me know.  Thanks again.

Remember, adding mass as well as strength is a result of many factors; the TRX or any weight lifting program is just one tool in that equation.  To increase your mass you need to both sufficiently challenge your muscles (progressively increase resistance) and ensure that your nutrition includes enough calories (clean calories, not just a box of Twinkies) and protein to repair your muscles and allow them to grown. 

To overly simplify this:  Can you increase muscle mass with the TRX alone?  Absolutely.  Will you gain a 200+ lbs Batista-like physique if you currently weigh 150 with only the TRX and no change to your diet?  Not likely. 

 

The TRX will challenge your body in ways that are impossible to replicate with conventional "bodybuilding" weight routines, that is why I, and many others on this forum, are so enthusiastic about it; you will gain functional strength that will carry over into almost every facet of life and sport.  If you desire to add serious mass to your body, though, there will probably come a point in your TRX training where the resistance is no longer great enough to stimulate serious muscle growth (I'm talking sheer size here) without adding weight.  You can do this, however, with lots of TRX exercises, i.e. holding a weight while doing suspended lunges, wearing a weight vest, doing elevated as opposed to low rows, etc, etc.  This basically comes down to what your goals are.  If your interests are gaining size, I recommend avoiding bodybuilding routines that are full of isolation exercises (read Fraser's article on Planar Training for a good explanation why).  Try the Strong Lift program I mentioned above, it is a full body, complex exercise routine that focuses on strength.  The by-product of that, though, is serious CNS activation and overall muscle growth.  Incorporate that into your TRX routine, increase your (clean) caloric (and especially protein) intake, and you will be on your way to an MMA physique.

 

Just remember, everyone's genes are different.  We won't all look like underwear models and some of us will never (naturally) achieve the size of Batista.  My recommendation is forget about any aesthetic goals you may have in mind and just focus on improving your functional strength.  Improve your strength, pay attention to good nutrition, get plenty of sleep and give your body the time it needs to recover from your workouts and I think you'll be nicely surprised with the physical changes you see before your eyes!

 

I recommend the http://www.rest-timer.com  Great for making the workout more interesting and helps to reinvigorate you. Good stuff. and cheap too.

Our timer can be used in conjunction with the TRX and weightlifting. You can check it out at http://www.rest-timer.com.

Give it a try, its easy and inexpensive.

 Just for the Health of it!!!

Anthony

That looks extremely handy especially for Tabata intervals.  I bet I can't get one in London though.  Incidentally in the context of this thread I am now in week 3 of the Force Training programme which I am doing exclusively rather than combining with my usual weights and cardio routines out of interest in the result.

A

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I just finished writing an e-book specific to TRX, Indo Board, Exercise Ball, and dumbbells training for Standup Paddle Surfing.  If you are interested in a program to follow, there are 3 programs for beginners utilizing these forms of equipment that you may enjoy, and the program is for general strength training, core training, flexibility, and agility.  You don't need to be a standup paddle surfer to get enormous benefit from it.  As you get more capable, you can move on to the intermediate and advanced programs.  In all, there are 66 pages of info and tons of pictures of the exercises.  Just thought you may enjoy it.  You can find it here.

Jon