With the upcoming World Cup, this is a timely piece of video from Fitness Anywhere’s (maker of the TRX Suspension Trainer) Fraser Quelch.

All football players need to have a strong core. A strong core is important because it will significantly decrease the likelihood of injury and it will make you a fitter, stronger player. Run faster, kick harder, be strong on the ball and stay healthy with the core training exercises for football players in the video below.

The TRX for football video includes the following exercises:

1. TRX Hamstring Runner – This exercise works the important posterior chain muscle group (think hamstrings, glutes, lower and upper back). These muscles are crucial to avoiding injury and in developing great running speed that all footballers need.

2. TRX Mountain Climber - Helps build stability in the legs while also challenging the core significantly.

3. TRX Lunge – Leg strength and knee stability is essential for football players. Build single-leg strength and stability with the TRX Lunge.

4. TRX Burpee – Add some cardiovascular conditioning the TRX Lunge by performing the TRX Burpee.

5. TRX Mountain Climber with football – Add some sport-specificity to the TRX Mountain Climber by incorporating a football. This is a challenging core exercises.

6. TRX Assisted Footwork Drills – Improve your foot speed while engaging the core with this core exercise. Add a football to this exercise to make it even more sport specific.

The TRX Suspension Trainer is available in the UK from Amazon UK.

Suggested Reading:

Liverpool FC, Ozzy National Team Use TRX

Liverpool FC: New Season, New Faces, New Training

Related posts:

1. TRX Suspension Trainer: The Ultimate Core Workout

2. Q+A With TRX Suspension Trainer’s Fraser Quelch

I have been traveling throughout Southeast Asia and India for the past three months. My primary method to stay fit when I travel has been the TRX Suspension Trainer. I have been more than pleased with the TRX and the ease to get a full body workout from literally anywhere.

Here are my top 5 reasons to take the TRX Suspension Trainer with you when traveling to stay fit.

1. Portability / Light Weight

The TRX Suspension Trainer weighs less than 2 pounds and thus, makes it an ideal total body fitness tool to pack in your suitcase or carry-on luggage.

Here is a picture of my luggage for this trip. As you can see, the TRX is very easy to pack.

2. Adaptability / Anchoring Solutions

With the TRX Suspension Trainer’s unique and versatile anchoring solutions, you workout locations are numerous. I have hooked the TRX up to over 40 hotel doors over the past 3 months of traveling using the TRX Door Anchor. Additionally, I have hooked the TRX up to palm tress on the beach, chin-up bars at a park and wooden support beams. If you have a space at home that you would like to make your TRX Suspension Trainer home, the TRX Xmount is an option. The TRX Xmount can turn any room into a functional training studio.

The TRX hooked up to my hotel door in New Delhi, India.

The TRX in Jodpur, India.

Here is a video of me performing the TRX Back Row in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. Working out on the beach – you cannot beat it!

3. Quality of Workouts

As mentioned above, I have been using the TRX Suspension Trainer on the road now for 3 months. I am continually amazed at the quality of the workouts that I have been able to perform from my hotel room our outside. In 25-30 minutes, I have been able to squeeze in tremendously effective and efficient full body workouts. Of course there are some days when I feel like just stretching or maybe focusing on the core. This is no problem as there are literally hundreds of different TRX Suspension Trainer exercises to choose from.

For you athletes that have demanding travel schedules, the TRX is an excellent solution. You can work on speed, cardio, agility and balance right from the confines of your hotel room.

4. The ‘Wow’ Factor

On my current trip, I have tried to exercise with the TRX Suspension Trainer outside s much as possible. I just prefer to be outdoors when I can. I was pleasantly surprised at the curiosity I have received when locals wonder what I am doing on the wild looking black and yellow straps! Many locals have approached me and wanted to have a try on the TRX. I never would have thought that my workouts would have been one of the best ways to interact t with the locals. At one point in Hanoi, Vietnam, I had 10 people watching me workout on the TRX. I went around and showed them some exercises as if I was teaching a class – it was fantastic!

Here is a video of me teaching the one-leg TRX squat to a local in Hanoi.

5. No Excuses

With the TRX Suspension Trainer’s portability, adaptability and ability to challenge all areas of total body fitness, there are absolutely no excuses! Whether you want a fully body workout in 30 minutes or just have 10 minutes to do some core exercises, the TRX Suspension Trainer is there and ready to be used. Fitness anywhere, anytime.

Where can you buy the TRX Suspension Trainer?

The TRX Suspension Trainer is available for purchase in the UK from TRX Fitness and in North America from Fitness Anywhere, the maker of the TRX Suspension Trainer.

Related Posts

1. TRX Suspension Trainer: The Ultimate Core Workout

2. Q+A with TRX Suspension Trainer’s Fraser Quelch

Fraser Quelch is the Director of Training and Development of Fitness Anywhere, the maker of the TRX Suspension Trainer.  Healthynomics would like to thank Fraser for his time.

HN: What does being healthy mean to you?

Fraser Quelch: It means being disease and sickness free with the physical ability to engage in any activity vigorously. Additionally I believe that being healthy constitutes a positive self-concept with strong psychological and mental capacities and emotional health.

HN: How do you stay fit?

Fraser Quelch: While I do a regular exercise regimen including TRX, body weight movement, kettlebell techniques along with traditional strength training and cardiovascular training.  I also engage regularly in many activities including rock / ice / alpine climbing, back country / downhill skiing, cross country skiing, mountain / road cycling, trail running and basketball.

HN: What advice would you give individuals looking for ways to motivate themselves to start or maintain a fitness program?

Fraser Quelch: People need to truly make a commitment to themselves and set some rules around what they are doing. Some ways to make sure they stay on the rails. Plan everything out in advance, Knowing what they will be doing and when they will be doing it helps keep things on track. Keep a daily log book, commit to a workout partner, get a personal trainer and train early in the day so that other things can’t derail the plan and the day’s demands don’t sabotage your energy.

HN: For someone looking to start a home workout program or maintain their fitness while traveling, what tools or pieces of equipment would you recommend?

Fraser Quelch: I am certainly bias here but my honest opinion is that no single piece of equipment offers the advantages of the TRX Suspension Trainer in this regard. I spend an incredible amount of time on the road and I continue to be amazed at the quality of the workouts that I can get done in my hotel room.

HN: The TRX is a functional training and fitness tool.  What is functional training and how can the TRX assist people looking to start or enhance their fitness routines?

Fraser Quelch: Functional training is that which maps to the demands of our daily lives. While basic human function is the same for everyone (and the reality is that the vast majority of people are using compensatory patterns to perform many of these basic functions) that which sits on top of basic human function is going to be specific to each individual. In my view the most fundamental elements of function is the ability to move one’s body through space. The better able we are able to do this, the better we will be able to function at increasingly higher levels. The TRX Suspension Trainer meets this demand perfectly as your body is your resistance for every exercise. It demands that the entire body works coordinatively to perform the exercises and also scales incredibly well across the entire population.

Case in point: Right now we are doing a fall prevention study with the University of San Francisco and are working with a number of Physical Therapists developing effective exercise protocol using the TRX for these populations. At the same time some of the top athletes in the world are using the TRX as a significant component of their training including athletes like Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints QuarterBack and MVP Candidate), George St. Pierre (UFC Welterweight Champion) and Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic Centre).

The ability for a single product to be used with breadth of user means that not only does the TRX have the ability to meet people wherever they are in their fitness journey but it also will be able to scale up with them as they improve.

Here is a video of Fraser Quelch demonstrating the TRX Cool Combo: Single Leg Squat-Crossing Balance Lunge .

Fraser Quelch demonstrates numerous other awesome combination exercises within the TRX blog.

More TRX sample core exercises:

TRX Video Library

Related posts:

TRX Suspension Trainer: The Ultimate Core Workout

The best way to stay fit when you travel: The TRX Suspension Trainer

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My fiancee and I are embarking on a 3-month backpacking trip through Southeast Asia and India starting in February.  Ultimately, I want to ensure that all of categories of fitness are addressed while traveling abroad:

• muscular strength
• muscular endurance
• aerobic capacity
• flexibility

As we are trying to pack as light as possible, the only tools I am going to bring are as follows:

TRX Suspension Trainer – I have only been using the TRX for a short time, but am completely sold on its effectiveness and portability. I like that that the TRX Suspension Trainer is a functional training tool in that it trains your body as a functioning unit and not a bunch of individual muscles – key to maintaining overall fitness while traveling.

If our accommodations do not have suitable doors to anchor the TRX, I will be on the lookout for trees, bars or other suitable anchoring spots. The TRX Suspension Trainer comes with a small bag for travel purposes and will take up minimal space in my pack. See my previous post entitled “TRX Suspension Trainer: The Ultimate Core Workout” for further details on the TRX.

Digital Pedometer – I do not normally use a pedometer in my day-to-day fitness regime, however I thought it would be interesting to see how many steps I take each day, throughout the course of our trip. Obviously the pedometer is very lightweight and its battery (LR1130 button cell battery) lasts a long time and is easy and cheap to replace. My pedometer features a clock, step counter, distance counter and a calorie counter.

Trail Running Shoes – As we will spending time in both cities and trekking in remote locations, I am opting for a pair of trail running shoes (Mizuno Wave Cabrakan Trail Running Shoe) – the only pair of shoes I will bring). They will provide the best combination of comfort, lightness, durability and functionality. I will use my trail running shoes for hikes, general walking and running.

When my trip begins, check with Backpack Fitness often as I plan to post my workouts, comment on what is working best and note where I have made modifications to my traveling fitness regime.

Who says you cannot maintain fitness while traveling?  Stay tuned!

Here are my top pieces of home gym equipment:

TRX Suspension Trainer – A total body workout tool. Challenges your core strength, cardiovascular fitness and flexibility. The TRX Suspension Trainer is also great for traveling and can be used inside or outdoors. My favorite piece of home gym equipment.

Image source: Fitnessanywhere.com

Swiss Ball - What home gym would be complete without a Swiss ball? The number of exercises one can perform on a Swiss ball are endless. For beginners, I would recommend the Bosu Ballast Ball. The Bosu Ballast Ball is slightly weighted on the inside of the ball and keeps it from rolling around the floor.

Image source: PhysioRoom.com Ltd

PowerBlocks – Save time, space and money with this fully adjustable set of dumbbells. The Sport 5.5 PowerBlock replaces 22 pairs of dumbbells.

Kettlebell – Have become hugely popular over the past couple of years, especially with athletes. Significant gains in cardio, strength and power can be made with kettlebell swings.

Perfect Pullup – Perform pullups and chin-ups to workout the muscles of your back, shoulders and biceps. Adjustable handles make this pullup bar uniquely effective.

Image source: Perfect.PUSHUP

Jump rope – A good old fashioned jump rope is great for burning calories while strengthening the muscles of your legs.

Workout bench – A good solid workout bench will be the base for many strength and core exercises that can be performed at home. Not a necessity, but if you have the space, a great addition to your home gym space.

Image source: Fitness Superstore UK

If you have any home gym equipment recommendations or have seen an interesting new ones, let us know!

One of the newest and most functional pieces of fitness equipment in the market today is the TRX Suspension Trainer. It has been featured on numerous articles and publications including Men’s and Women’s Health. The TRX Suspension Trainer received lots of media attention when it was featured on the hit TV series The Biggest Loser.

I recently purchased the TRX Suspension Training Pro Pack and plan to take it with me during an upcoming 3-month backpacking trip. When I return, I will be sure to post my thoughts on traveling with the TRX and its effectiveness on the road.

The TRX Hip Bridge

What is the TRX Suspension Trainer?

The TRX Suspension Trainer is an easy-to-use, portable suspension fitness trainer that was initially developed by a US Navy SEAL to train other SEALS when there was no fitness equipment available to them. It is a complete total-body, functional training tool that can challenge all aspects of your fitness including core strength, cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance and muscular strength.

Do not be fooled by this minimalist piece of fitness equipment as the TRX Suspension Trainer has been made with industrial-quality construction and big results in mind. Two nylon straps with handles coupled with built in resistance from your body weight and gravity can provide amazing results. What I like about the TRX is that you can use it the gym, home or even take it down to the park with you on those nice sunny days without your workout being sacrificed at all. A core workout ‘to go’ – I have no excuse!

The design of the TRX makes it so easy to transition from one exercise to another. You can get a full-body workout with the TRX Suspension Trainer in less than 30 minutes. I am not sure about you, but I find it incredibly annoying at the gym to wait for someone to get off the machine I want to use. With the TRX Trainer, there is no waiting.

Why Should You Train on the TRX?

Check out our recent interview with Fraser Quelch, the Director of Training and Development Fitness Anywhere (maker of the TRX Suspension Trainer) here:  Q+A with TRX Suspension Trainer’s Fraser Quelch

Who was the TRX Suspension Trainer designed for?

The TRX Suspension Trainer was designed for men and women of all ages and fitness levels. By changing the incline and angle of your body, you can make the exercises as challenging or easy as you like. Resistances from 5% all the way to 100% of your body weight can be achieved, making the TRX suitable for beginners or serious athletes.

Check out the list of people that have incorporated the TRX training tool into their fitness programs:

• Chris Lieto – Professional Triathlete
• The Biggest Loser TV show
• US Navy SEALS
• British Lions Rugby Team
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Ben Affleck
• Bas Rutten (Undefeated UFC Heavyweight Champion)
• Robbie McEwen (Pro Cyclist)
• Robert Harvey (Lead Singer- The Music)
• Liverpool FC

The TRX system was awarded the 2009 Best Total-Body Workout Tool of the Year by Men’s Health Magazine.

My first TRX Suspension Trainer core workout

After flipping through the TRX workout guide, I was ready and excited to try my first workout! Setting up the TRX Suspension Trainer at home with the door anchor was simple. Make sure you have enough space cleared for the workout. Ideally, you will have approximately 10 feet of space from the door and a width of slightly wider than the width of your arms when extended away from your body.

The TRX Suspension Training Pro Pack that I purchased included a basic training DVD. The workout is approximately 30 minutes long and hits your upper body, lower body and core. There are 9 strength based exercises and 3 stretches. For each of the strength exercises, the TRX trainers demonstrate 3-4 progressions to ensure that you are able to challenge yourself as you become stronger.

Ten minutes into the workout, I was dripping with sweat!  I found myself pausing the DVD a couple of times to ensure that I have the TRX adjusted to the correct length for some exercises, but I am am sure as I train more with the TRX, the adjustments will become second nature. While all of the 9 strength exercises were challenging, I found the targeted core exercises particularly tough. The workout ends with some great stretches to cool down and help speed your recovery time for the next workout.

Sample TRX Exercises

The TRX Suspension Trainer is a core workout tool that can be used to train the entire body while mimicking real life movements. With over 300 exercises to chose from, your core will be actively engaged in all of the exercises due to the element of instability created by intuitive design of the TRX.

The core exercise shown below, the Atomic Push-up, is one of my favorites and is a very challenging exercise for the muscles of the core and upper body.  Give it a try.

TRX Atomic Push-up

Many other sample TRX Suspension Trainer Core Exercises