TRX Core Home Workout

If you’re looking for some more challenging core exercises you’ve come to the right place.

Suspension training is a great way to add a new dynamic to your workout and allow you to further challenge yourself without using weights.

With a TRX strap, you can do these exercises at home, at the park or anywhere that you have solid support to hold the straps. I attach mine to my door frame and tug on it to ensure that it’s secured before starting these exercises.

For all of these moves, your body and gravity will provide all the resistance you need. Make sure to take it slow and practice good form to ensure the best results and stay safe from injury.

CAUTION: These TRX Core exercises are considered advanced level exercises and may not be best for you if you’re not used to exercising regularly or have not mastered basic core training movements such as crunches, sit-ups, and planks. Use these moves with caution and put your safety first.

Try each exercise once, then choose your favorite 3 or 4 and create a circuit that you’ll repeat 3x, doing about 10 reps each, for a solid core workout. If these exercises are new to you start with just 5 to 8 reps and build up to 10 overtime.

I recommend training your core 2-3 times per week in conjunction with other full-body workouts.

Here are the 7 exercises and how to do them with good form:

1) Body Saw Plank with Feet Suspended by TRX Straps

• Start by kneeling on the ground and placing your feet through the loops at the bottom of the TRX straps.
• Place your elbows on the ground and lift your knees up so that your body is in a straight line plank position.
• Push Back to rock your body backward as far as you can without allowing your core to sag.
• Pull forward until your chin goes past your fingers, again not allowing your core to sag.
• Continue rocking back and forth in a “sawing” motion.
• Inhale each time you rock forward and exhale as you push back.
• Count forward and back as one rep.

2) TRX Pike (*or Knee Tuck)

*Knee Tuck is a better version for you if your flexibility doesn’t allow for straight legs during the pike. Both are effective for core training, so choose based on your flexibility.

• Start in a high plank position with your feet in the bottom loops of the TRX strap
• Make sure your hands are shoulder-width apart and your arms completely straight.
• Lift your hips into the air & flex your abs as tight as possible fully exhaling all the air.
• Slowly return back to the plank, inhale and repeat.

3) TRX Side Plank Hip Dips

• Loop one foot through both TRX straps, then stack your other foot on top.
• Place your elbow and forearm on the ground and lift your hips up to form a straight side plank position.
• Place your top hand on your top hip
• Take a second to breathe deep and stop any wiggling or swinging.
• Slowly lower your bottom hip towards the ground until you lightly tap the ground with the side of your hip.
• Exhale and lift back to the side plank.
• Continue all reps on one side before switching to face the other direction.

TRX Suspended Mountain Climbers

• Start in the high plank position with your feet looped into the TRX straps
• Keep one leg straight as you bend the other knee and pull it in towards your chest.
• Press your hands hard into the ground and keep your shoulders stable
• Round you back as you work to close the gap between knee and chest.
• Alternate sides, inhaling and exhaling with each switch.
• Move slow enough to maintain your balance and feel the contractions in your abs.
• Count right and left as one rep.

TRX V-ups with straps in hands

• Start by sitting on the floor, holding the TRX straps with your hands and leaning back until your shoulders almost touch the ground.
• Extend your legs, point your toes, and lift them slightly off the ground
• Press your hands into the TRX straps as you sit up and lift your legs straight up so that your body forms a V shape.
• Do not bend your arms, keep them as straight as possible and push down into the straps to help you sit up.
• Exhale hard at the top as you contract your abs and inhale as you lower back to the starting position.

TRX Standing Oblique Crunch

• Stand tall and hold on to the TRX straps together with both hands right at the top of your head.
• Bend your hips to the side until you feel a good stretch across your obliques (side of your abdomen).
• Take a deep inhale as you feel the stretch.
• Exhale and lift your hips crunching that side of your body.
• Repeat all reps on one side before switching to face the other direction.

TRX Kneeling Reach Outs

• Start in a kneeling position, holding the straps with both hands in front of your chest.
• Round your back to contract your abs and exhale.
• As you inhale lean forward to form a straight line with your body and feel a stretch in your abs and arms.
• Pull your abs in and contract back to the starting position.
• Make sure to fully contract in that starting position to get the most benefit from the exercise.

Of these 7 exercises, choose your favorite 3 or 4 to put together as a circuit. Complete the circuit 3x, doing 5-10 reps of each, resting about 20-30 seconds between exercises for your core workout of the day.

With this or any other new and challenging workout, you can expect to be sore tomorrow. Don’t let the soreness discourage you, as it’s a sign that your core is getting stronger.

Keep moving and after a day or two of rest continue your training, working on small improvements with each session.