A TRX Suspension Trainer replaces an entire gym’s worth of machines with two straps and gravity. These 20 TRX exercises cover every major movement pattern, push, pull, legs and core, so you can build a complete training system around one piece of portable gear.
Every move scales instantly. Step your feet closer to the anchor point and it gets easier; step back, drop the angle, or slow the tempo and it gets harder. That’s what makes the same TRX Home2 Suspension Trainer work for a first-timer and an advanced athlete.
What Is TRX Training?
TRX stands for Total-body Resistance Exercise. It was developed by a Navy SEAL who needed a way to stay in peak condition with nothing but parachute webbing and a single anchor point. That’s still the whole idea: one anchor, two straps, and your own bodyweight against gravity.
Because the straps hang from a single point, you’re moving through a genuinely unstable environment. Every rep recruits stabilising muscles that a fixed machine never touches, particularly through the core.
Is TRX as Effective as Lifting Weights?
Suspension training builds comparable strength and muscle to free weights, with one difference: TRX exercises recruit more muscle per rep. A TRX bicep curl doesn’t just work your arms, it also braces your abs, glutes, hamstrings and back to keep you stable through the movement. A seated dumbbell curl doesn’t ask any of those muscles to do anything.
If your goal is functional strength that carries over to real movement, not just bigger muscles in isolation, TRX exercises are hard to beat for the amount of equipment involved.
Push Exercises
| Exercise | Strap Length | Difficulty | Targets | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRX Push-Ups | Mid-Calf | Intermediate | Chest, shoulders, abs | Toes in the foot cradles, plank position, bend elbows to lower, press back up. Harder than a floor push-up because your feet are suspended and unstable. |
| TRX Chest Press | Long | Beginner | Chest, abs, triceps | Face away from anchor, arms straight at chest height. Keep a rigid plank through your torso as you bend and press. A strong push-up progression. |
| TRX Chest Fly | Mid/Long | Beginner-Int. | Deltoids, back extensors | Arms out to sides at chest height, palms facing in. Lower into the fly with control, squeeze back to the start. Start at a light angle. |
| TRX Triceps Press | Mid Length | Beginner-Int. | Triceps, abs | Hold handles at eye level, bend elbows to bring your head between your hands, press back up. |
| TRX Triceps Kickback | Mid/Long | Intermediate | Triceps, glutes, back | Arms straight by your hips, bend only at the elbow to lower, then press hands back past your hips. |
| TRX Clock Press | Long | Intermediate | Chest, abs | One arm presses toward chest while the other flies out to the side, alternating like clock hands. Increase the angle for more difficulty. |
Want to see these push exercises in action? Watch the video below.
Pull Exercises
| Exercise | Strap Length | Difficulty | Targets | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRX Rows | Short | Beginner | Biceps, lats | Face the anchor, lean back, pull your chest to your hands. Move your feet closer to the anchor to make it harder. |
| TRX Pull-Ups | Over Short | Advanced | Shoulders, lats, biceps | Sit below the anchor, straps overhead, pull your chin above your hands. Bend your knees for an easier regression. |
| TRX Single-Arm Row | Short, single handle | Intermediate | Lats, biceps, obliques | Wide stance, lean back, pull one elbow low and back. Resist rotating your hips as you pull, this is what challenges your core. |
| TRX Bicep Curls | Mid Length | Beginner | Biceps | Face the anchor, palms up, curl your hands to your face keeping “elbows on the table.” Straps add a shoulder-stability challenge a dumbbell curl doesn’t. |
| TRX Power Pull | Short/Mid, single handle | Intermediate | Lats, abs, obliques | Pull one strap while rotating away and reaching your free arm toward the ground, then reverse. A genuinely unique core challenge. |
Leg Exercises
| Exercise | Strap Length | Difficulty | Targets | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRX Squats | Mid Length | Beginner | Glutes, quads, hamstrings | Hold the straps for balance, drop your hips back and down, drive through your feet to stand. Lean on the straps more if you’re rebuilding knee strength. |
| TRX Split Squats | Mid Length | Beginner | Glutes, hamstrings, quads | Split stance, back foot on the ball of your foot, drop your back knee straight down. |
| TRX Pistol Squats | Mid Length | Intermediate | Glutes, quads, abs, obliques | Single-leg squat, hinge at the hips, drive through your heel to stand. Full coaching notes are in the TRX Pistol Squat to Row guide. |
| TRX Lunge | Mid-Calf, single handle | Advanced | Glutes, quads, hamstrings | Half-kneeling with one foot suspended directly below the anchor. Push through your front heel to stand. |
| Lateral Lunge | Mid Length | Beginner-Int. | Glutes, hamstrings, quads | Step out to the side, hinge at the hip, drop as low as you can, press back to start. Builds lateral stability most programs skip entirely. |
| Hamstring Curls | Mid-Calf | Beginner-Int. | Hamstrings, glutes, low back | Heels in the foot cradles, hips lifted, curl your heels toward your hips. Full step-by-step cues are in the TRX Hamstring Curl guide. |
Core Exercises
| Exercise | Strap Length | Difficulty | Targets | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRX Mountain Climbers | Mid-Calf | Intermediate | Abs, hip flexors, shoulders | Plank with feet suspended, drive alternating knees toward your chest. Full guide: TRX Mountain Climber. |
| TRX Pike | Mid-Calf | Intermediate | Abs, hip flexors, deltoids | Plank position, lift your hips straight up pulling feet and head together, lower back with control. |
| TRX Squat to Y Fly | Long | Beginner | Deltoids, glutes, quads | Combine a squat with an overhead Y-fly on the way up. Trains legs, shoulders and posture in one rep. |
For a deeper core-specific session, see 8 Best TRX Core Exercises for a Stronger Core.
Three Complete TRX Workouts
Pick one based on your goal. All three use the same warm-up and cool-down.
Warm-up (once through, 8 reps each): TRX Squat Rows, TRX Alternating Forward Lunge with T-Fly, TRX Standing Rollouts, TRX Wide Hip Hinge.
Cool-down (30-60 seconds each): Chest stretch, Figure-4 stretch (both sides), low back stretch, offset hip hinge (both sides).
Workout 1: Full-Body
| Exercise | Reps | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| TRX Squat | 12 | 3 |
| Lateral Lunge | 12 per leg | 3 |
| TRX Chest Press | 12 | 3 |
| TRX Power Pull | 8 per arm | 3 |
| TRX Mountain Climbers | 10-20 per leg | 3 |
| Hamstring Curl | 12-15 | 3 |
Workout 2: Strength
| Exercise | Reps | Rest | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRX Split Squats (each side) | 8-12 per leg | 15 sec | 2 |
| TRX Lunge | 8-12 per leg | 20 sec | 2 |
| Hamstring Curls | 12 | 20 sec | 2 |
| TRX Triceps Press | 12 | 20 sec | 2 |
| TRX Chest Fly | 12 | 20 sec | 2 |
| TRX Push-Ups | 12 | 20 sec | 2 |
| TRX Bicep Curls | 12 | 20 sec | 2 |
| TRX Pull-Ups | 8-12 | 20 sec | 2 |
Progress this workout by deepening the angle on upper-body moves, adding a weight vest to standing lower-body moves, or simply adding reps.
Workout 3: Cardio
| Exercise | Work | Rest | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternating Side Lunges | 45 sec | 20 sec | 3 |
| TRX Squat to Y Fly | 45 sec | 20 sec | 3 |
| TRX Pistol Squats (alternating) | 45 sec | 20 sec | 3 |
| TRX Push-Ups | 45 sec | 20 sec | 3 |
| TRX Squat Jumps | 30 sec | 15 sec | 3 |
| Skater Jumps | 30 sec | 15 sec | 3 |
Run the circuit once, rest a minute, repeat twice more for 3 total rounds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the warm-up before loading an unstable strap
- Standing too far from the anchor, which reduces control on push and pull moves
- Letting your hips sag on plank-based exercises like Push-Ups and Mountain Climbers
- Rushing the eccentric (lowering) phase instead of controlling it
- Never adjusting strap length between exercises, most moves need a specific length to load correctly
Getting Set Up
Every exercise on this list needs only a TRX Home2 Suspension Trainer and an anchor point. Training at home without a ceiling beam? A Workout Door Anchor or Wall Mount Bracket sets you up in any room. Want a programmed plan instead of building your own? The TRX Workout Plan Bundle has full programs ready to follow.
New to suspension training? Start with The Best TRX Exercises for Beginners before working through this list.
Final Thoughts
Twenty TRX exercises and three structured workouts is enough to train push, pull, legs and core indefinitely without repeating a session. Start with the Full-Body workout if you’re new to structured TRX training, then move into the Strength or Cardio versions as your control improves.
Ready to build your setup? Shop the TRX Home2 Suspension Trainer or browse the full TRX Exercise Library for more moves to add to your rotation.
