Issue 178
The TRX pulley system is an MMA training phenom.
For those of you familiar with MMA pinoneer Bas and his infamous training systems, it will be hard to imagine him not laughing or being humbled by any training method.
TRX suspension training did just that. The same goes for an illustrious list of MMA athletes including Brandon Vera, Roger Huerta and current UFC champion plus ultimate athlete George’s St Pierre. WBA Heavyweight Boxing Champion David Haye is also an advocate.
They all incorporate TRX suspension training into their fight prep.
The TRX also has combat-based origins. Formal bodyweight training was adopted by the Roman legions over 2,000 years ago.
Such bodyweight drills have progressed since then into the TRX. Developed by former Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick as the perfect training tool of elite Special Forces whilst on the frontline, the first TRX straps consisted of simply a few lengths of parachute webbing stitched together with rubber boat repair tools.
In just a few short years and multi-million dollar sales since then, the TRX has become the functional training tool of choice for elite units in every branch of the US armed forces as well as the realms of professional sport (NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB).
We use TRX with all athletes, from swimmers and pro footballers, to strongmen and downhill mountain bikers. However, I find the TRX to be most beneficial to our MMA athletes at Spartan Performance.
Why? Because it works on so many levels:
- Enhances core stability
- Improves balance
- Develops flexibility/agility
- Builds endurance
- Increases power
All the above attributes are essential targets of any MMA athlete’s strength and conditioning. Using the TRX enables you to address the above qualities, often within the same movement! The TRX surprises our MMA athletes in the same way it shocked Bas Rutten.
It has a massive effect upon their core. The suspension training effect of the TRX intentionally displaces their center of gravity, which stimulates their core musculature during every exercise.
Below are four TRX exercises we use on a regular basis with our MMA athletes:
TRX SPARTAN ROW
This is a fundamental exercise for our MMA guys. It works to strengthen their upper back and arms in their strongest pulling position.
Performing these inverted enhances this stimulus. Having the athlete lock their legs onto a partner whilst inverted also activates the hip adductors, glutes, hamstrings, erectors and core.
Activating the glutes and improving your hip mobility will help to alleviate knee, hip and lower-back pain! On top of all this, there is a tremendous grip challenge.
EMPHASIS: Strength / Endurance
AREA TARGETTED: Grip, Arms, Upper Back, Hip Adductors, Glutes, Hamstrings, Core
DIFFICULTY: Hard
1: Position the TRX straps in the 'short' position. Grip palms forward.
2: Lock your legs around your partner’s waist whilst thrusting your hips up, becoming inverted.
3: Adopt a ‘hips up, head back’ neutral posture, ensuring no sagging at the hips. Initiate the movement by contracting your glutes and pulling with your back not arms.
4: Pause at the top and retract your shoulder blades. Lower under control.
TRX ATOMIC MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
This is a high-intensity full-body exercise that conditions your core as well as coordination and pressing ability. A fantastic all-round challenge.
EMPHASIS: Strength / Endurance
AREA TARGETTED: Chest, Triceps, Shoulder Girdle, Core, Hip Mobility
DIFFICULTY: Medium
1: Position the TRX straps in the 'long' position. Place your feet in and adopt a face down (prone) position.
2: Lock your arms out, adopting a ‘push up’ position whist keeping your body neutral, legs straight and core tight to avoid any seesaw motion.
3: Perform a push-up. As you come back up, maintain even tension on the straps and bring your left knee into your chest. Pause and return your left leg.
4: Repeat the movement with your right knee, then continue into the next push-up.
TRX SUSPENDED HIP PRESS
An excellent method of developing fight-specific explosive strength whilst lying on your back in the supine position.
EMPHASIS: Strength / Power / Endurance
AREA: Posterior chain – Spinal erectors, Glutes, Hamstrings and Core
DIFFICULTY: Medium
1: Position the TRX straps in the 'long' position. Lie on your back and place your heels into the straps. Have your arms by your sides, palms down.
2: Bring your knees above your hips. Contract your glutes and thrust your hips as high as you can leaving only your arms, shoulders and head on the mat. 3: Ensuring a tight torso, slowly lower your hips to the floor. Keep maintaining the same knee angle from start to finish. Repeat as required.
TRX SUSPENDED LUNGE PLUS KNEE STRIKE
An effective unilateral exercise which challenges leg power, balance and coordination.
EMPHASIS: Strength / Power
AREA TARGETTED: Hips, Glutes, Quads, Ankle, Core
DIFFICULTY: Medium
1: With the TRX in the 'long' position/single hand mode, place your rear foot into the strap.
2: Whilst keeping your heel on the ground perform a reverse lunge whilst fully engaging your leg and glutes.
3: As you come up out of the lunge, explode, bringing your opposite knee through into a ‘knee strike’. Lower and repeat. Perform equal reps on either leg.
At Spartan Performance we constantly strive to develop our athletes. Fight after fight they improve all facets of their physical abilities.
To do so we adopt various methods of progression in their training. One such progression is the addition of external resistance.
In the case of TRX, this takes the form of weighted vests, medicine balls, chains and/or kettlebells. Naturally this is done so on an individual basis and is dictated by the requirements and ability of each athlete. Below is a sample progression for each of the above exercises.
TRX SPARTAN ROW
Add chains around the waist to challenge the athlete's core and glute activation. Our beginner athletes start by learning the exercise with bodyweight only. Intermediate athletes use between 5-10kg chains for between six to eight reps and advanced athletes work up to 10-15kg of chains for reps.
TRX ATOMIC MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
Once athletes are proficient with this exercise at bodyweight level we add weighted vests. These tax the entire core as well as shoulder stabilization, especially over higher reps.
As a general rule our athletes use between 5-25kg in the vests depending upon ability and specific training requirements.
TRX SUSPENDED HIP PRESS
Chains are an excellent method of adding external resistance with this exercise. These are only added when athletes have developed a high level of bodyweight capability.
Even then, they are added in small increments. The emphasis of the exercise is to explode through the glutes in a full range of motion.
TRX SUSPENDED LUNGE + KNEE STRIKE
We may further offset an athlete’s center of gravity by having them hold one kettlebell in the racked position. We rotate on the side of the athlete’s body which is performing the knee strike.
It is important to note that when using kettlebells, we remove the jump portion of the knee strike. Instead we focus upon pausing with the knee at chest height. Weighted vests are incorporated should we chose to have the athlete continue to explode into a knee strike. Typical loads vary between 5-10kg vests.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
No external resistance is added to our athletes TRX training until they have mastered the bodyweight version. The above exercise examples are advanced methods even without external resistance.
At all times our athletes perform exercises that are specific to their needs, ability and training focus. We never risk injury for the sake of adding unnecessary loads.
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