The Rundown on TRX with Trainer Laurie Goudreault

Apr 30

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Laurie Goudreault is a YWCA Minneapolis Personal Trainer who believes that setting exercise goals and striving to reach them will enhance all dimensions of your life. Below, Laurie shines a light on one of her go-to exercises, TRX and the whole-body benefits it can have.

What is TRX?

The field of suspension training is a form of resistance training where participants use their own bodyweight and gravity to control the intensity of their workout and adjust to their personal fitness level. These exercises are done with the aim of developing strength, balance, flexibility and joint stability simultaneously. Suspension training develops physical strength while using functional movements and dynamic positions.

What does TRX stand for?

Total Resistance eXercise (TRX). Rope training has been around as early as the 1800s. Randy Hetrick, a former Navy Seal and Stanford MBA graduate, developed the TRX equipment and Suspension Training Bodyweight exercises in the 1990s and started marketing it in 2005. He needed a way to keep himself and his fellow SEALS in top shape no matter where they were in the world, whether conducting a mission or standing by.

What are some various TRX exercises and how does it differ from other forms of exercises?

TRX is portable; you can set it up anywhere for beginner to advanced exercises. It's a total-body training system that allows you to do all sorts of exercises using your body weight. You have to use your core stabilizers to work out with TRX, so you build your core, strength, balance, agility and power.

What is your favorite TRX exercise and why?

I like using TRX for single-leg squats. Typically I cannot perform a pistol squat, but using TRX allows for a greater range of motion and supports me while doing this strenuous move. I also like TRX power pull, a large range of motion that integrates back and core rotational strength. Single-leg glute bridges and inverted rows are the two exercises that really challenge my students.

What are the benefits of engaging in TRX exercise?

For starters, you can minimize your training time by working your entire body, switching from one exercise to the next in just seconds. The best part? In every exercise, you engage your core. Just think of how developing good core strength and stability will enhance your performance and way of life. Your whole body will work and feel better.