Suspension training has become one of the most popular forms of home training in the last decade. Not only does it offer a cheap and space-saving way to train, but the wide variety of TRX exercises it allows you to do gives you the option to do very complete workouts.
Best TRX exercises to strengthen the legs
Although to many people TRX suspension training may seem like a pair of straps held together by clips, the design and strength of the system offers one of the most versatile training formats out there.
You can’t train every muscle in your body with bodyweight alone, and while gravity means that pushing movements like push-ups and squats are accessible, working with pulling movements is very difficult without some sort of specialized equipment.
With pull-up bars it is possible to work the most inaccessible parts of the body, and gyms obviously offer the ability to work a wide variety of muscle groups with the help of weights and machines. However, if you want to train at home or in the park, there is nothing like doing TRX exercises.
And it’s not just about saving space and training muscles that are more difficult to strengthen, it also offers different benefits, which is why suspension training becomes a popular option for many fitness lovers. The design not only allows for a wide range of flexibility and mobility training, but can also help intensify exercises by decreasing or increasing the difficulty.
In this series of workouts, we take a look at some of the best TRX exercises for training your legs. Make sure you choose the correct length for each exercise.
reverse lunge
The reverse lunge is an excellent exercise for working most of your leg muscles, and unlike the squat, the movement allows you to focus on one leg each time you perform it. The result of this isolation is that it can help rectify imbalances in the body, allowing the muscles and joints in each leg to develop independently, while one leg can compensate for the other in a squat.
The TRX offers extra support throughout the movement, which means it’s ideal for beginners. For more advanced users, the added balance can help you focus on technique throughout the workout and do more reps of this exercise.
How to do it: Holding the TRX at chest height, raise one leg to 90 degrees, then in a controlled motion drive it back to the ground. Finish with the front leg at 90 degrees and the entire foot in a stable position on the ground. Hold the position for a second, then return to a standing position and repeat with the other leg.
Reverse lunge variations can be done to make exercises easier or more difficult. These include removing the 90-degree knee raise or adding a jump to the movement.
low stride
Although the low lunge works the same muscles as the reverse lunge, there is a difference in how you do the movement. When moving the leg forward, there is sometimes a shift in balance towards the front foot which requires more control as well as placing more weight on the ball of the foot.
When using the TRX, there is more mobility in the upper body as the arms are raised when the foot is forward. Not only does this move help with balance, but it also incorporates an element that can increase the difficulty of the exercise.
How to do it: Holding the TRX below chest height at the front and leaning into the straps, lift one leg forward in a controlled motion and bring your foot 90 degrees in front of you, ending with your foot in a stable on the ground. With your weight on your heel, hold the position for a moment. Then return to the starting position and repeat with the alternate leg.
side lunge
The side lunge is a difficult exercise to get right, as the movement uses a combination of strength and balance elements that take a lot of practice. Although one leg effectively completes a pistol squat (or single-leg squat), the instability of the TRX and the force applied to the abductor muscles make the exercise quite demanding.
How to do it: Position yourself sideways to the strap and place your foot in the grip, internally rotating at the hip and flexing to maintain spinal extension and glute tension. Swinging at the hips, lower into a squat position at a 90-degree angle from the ground. Keeping your back as straight as possible, push back in a controlled motion until you’re standing upright and repeat.
Side to side lunge
The side to side lunge is one of the most popular TRX leg exercises among athletes and exercisers due to the lateral nature of the movement. Unlike runners, who tend to only move forward, athletes move sideways. The side-to-side lunge offers a great way to develop those functional muscles.
How to do it: With your feet about 2 feet apart and your hands on your chest in front of you, shift your body weight to the side and lower into a single-leg squat. Hold the position for a second and then come back up. When performing the exercise, try to concentrate the workload on the leg, using only the arms to support the movement if necessary.
One Leg Squat
The single-leg squat, also known as the pistol squat, is one of the more difficult TRX leg exercises, as many people can’t do it without some help. The TRX offers the ability to add stability to the movement, as well as allowing you to use your arms to maintain balance at the most difficult points. For this reason, the single-leg TRX squat offers the perfect progression to perform a pistol squat.
How to do it: Stand with your feet together and your arms at chest level in front of you. Lift one leg off the ground and lower your body into a single-leg squat. Try not to lean back using the TRX unless absolutely necessary and keep your back as straight as possible.
jump squat
The jump squat is another one of the best TRX exercises for legs, as it not only burns more calories, but the movement requires more effort from the ankle, hips, and core. Which means that it offers different benefits that can help with many functional movements such as running or sports in general. There’s also the fact that the muscles need to work explosively, which helps develop the ones that aren’t worked in a static squat.
Due to the extra balance required when jumping, the TRX can help you stay in position and act as an anchor if your jump starts to move you.
How to do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms extended chest-width in front of you. Lower into a squat position and then jump up to the top. Land softly allowing your knees to take the impact and repeat the movement. Try not to lean back using the TRX unless absolutely necessary and keep your back as straight as possible.
