Training to gain muscle outside the gym: The TRX

Spring is synonymous with sun and vegetation everywhere. The days are longer and this makes us feel more like going out to the street to practice sports. That’s why this time we want to start a review of the sports that we can practice outdoors and keep working our muscle mass. This time we will start with a sport known by all, the TRX.

The ideal means to train with TRX is the street. Spring is one of the best times because the temperature is ideal for sports and we will also feel more motivated. In its origin this discipline was invented so that the American soldiers could train anywhere and for it a kind of harness was devised that will help to exercise with the own weight of our body by means of movements and postures that will influence more in one part or another of the body, depending on what we want to work.

Format of TRX bands

The TRX consists only of a high resistance band that has two grips and is held in its central part . This form is what allows us to adapt it and perform the exercises that we want. Of course, it has a series of adjusters that allows you to vary the size of the band and shorten or lengthen its length. The TRX bands can be placed on a tree and we can do outdoor sports anywhere.

A complete work of all the muscles of the body

For the routines there are infinity of exercises that we can carry out. The best thing about TRX is that it allows us to work the whole body completely without the need for anything else. Of course, there are levels of difficulty and intensity in what different exercises are concerned. For this, the inclination of the bands will vary a lot, the support points that we will use …

Once we know what the TRX is, what we are going to recommend is a general routine to get more muscle mass training in the street with this method. For this we are going to recommend some exercises to carry out:

• Rowing with TRX : With this exercise we will work all the dorsal, deltoid, lumbar and abdominal area. Simply we will be placed with both hands to the grip of the bands, and with the feet supported in the ground we will throw all the body towards backwards, so that this one is straight and inclined towards backwards. The way of grasping can be horizontal or vertical, and the movement will be, starting with the arms stretched, and simply using the dorsal force, we will raise the body without moving the feet of the ground. Only we will make movement of arms contracting the dorsal part that will be the worked one.
• Superior openings with TRX : With this exercise we will work the entire scapular part. The initial position is the same as before, only this time the grip is vertical. The feet are supported, the body is carried backwards and we leave it suspended. In this way, and starting with the arms in the center and the elbows slightly bent, we will make lateral openings maintaining the plane of the shoulders, that is, we must concentrate all the tension in the upper part of the back. Specifically in the scapulae.
• Elevations of shoulders : We will work the deltoid, the trapezius and the scapular area. The starting posture is the same, the feet supported and the trunk straight and suspended backwards. In this case the arms will be extended forward with the elbows slightly bent. What we will do is a simple movement where we will start with the arms at chest height and raise them above the shoulders to influence the muscles of the chest.

– One-handed rowing : We will work on the dorsal, the pectoral, the biceps, the quadriceps and the abdominals. The starting position is the same as the previous cases, only this time we will grab both hands with one hand and the other hand will be free. The hand that holds the band will stay stretched and the one that is free we have to take it laterally backwards. While we carry it back we will bend the knees slightly keeping the back straight and we will make a lateral turn in the direction of the free hand. When we reach the back, we will turn our free hand forward as if we were going to touch the band in which we grabbed. While doing this movement we will stretch the body again and block the knees.

– Pull over : We will work triceps, dorsal, pectoral and abdominal. The placement varies, since we will place our backs to the benches. Now the body, keeping it straight, we will suspend it forward. With your hands we will grab both grips and your arms will lift them over the shoulders backwards. In this position what we will do is start with the shoulders stretched upwards that we will descend forward keeping them straight until reaching shoulder height.

– Openings of pectoral : We will work pectorals, deltoids, biceps and abdominal. The starting position is the same as the previous one, suspended forward. In this case the grip varies, as we will start the exercise with the arms extended at chest height and the elbows slightly bent. In this position, what we will do is carry the arms, without bending them and through the action of the breastplate, toward the middle of the trunk, that is, at chest level.

– Internal rotation biceps: We will work the biceps, and the pectoral. For this exercise we will place ourselves suspended from behind. The hands are placed close to the center and the only movement we will make is to advance them and flex them against the chest while the body goes up and down. In this way we will focus on the biceps part. It is important to make a wrist twist while doing the tour to let us do the exercise well.

– Biceps at 90º : We will work the biceps, and the dorsal. The position is the same as the previous one, only that the grip in this case is forward with the arms extended at the height of the shoulders. We will start with the stretched sticks and what we will do is to bend them by the elbows towards us to make the biceps the one that raises the weight of our body.

– Abdominal shrinkage : We will work on the abdominal wall, the dorsal, the pectoral and the triceps. The placement now changes, because the feet will be placed in the grips of the bands instead of the hands. The hands will become the support of the body that will remain straight. In this position, what we will do is to advance the legs forward by bending the knees and bringing them to the chest. Once this is done we will extend the legs again and we will start again.

Freedom of movement and lower risk of injury

Among the benefits of the TRX we will highlight freedom in movements. This does not mean that we can make any kind of movement, but that being two loose bands will allow us to adapt to our own natural movement of the body. In this way what we will achieve will avoid risks of hurting us. In addition, this freedom of movement will help us to work much better on each side and make the muscles in no time be forced.

All kinds of routines for any type of objective

The muscular development with the execution of the TRX can be good if we know how to choose the routines well . Yes it is true that it is a type of activity more focused on maintenance and muscle toning, but with certain routines you can achieve perfect muscle growth. As we said before we can vary the angle and supports when working and with it add difficulty and resistance to the different exercises.

Everyone can train with TRX

Another point to keep in mind is that the TRX can be used by any of us, since it is indicated for all people without discrimination of age, sex or physical condition. It is important that we take this into account and that we make this TRX spring our main sports discipline, since it perfectly combines muscular work with the enjoyment of free time in open spaces, parks …