A new year and fitness resolutions go hand-in-hand, but for beach bums, knowing you’ll soon be seen in swim trunks or a bikini top is the most powerful incentive to get in shape.
Engineered by a former U.S. Navy SEAL, TRX (which stands for Total Resistance Exercises) uses a patented system of straps and one’s own body weight to provide a workout that you can quite literally do anywhere – whether you’re deployed on a military operation, self-quarantined at home, or even out on the beach!
We asked Patrick Hoffner of Alys Beach’s Zuma Wellness Center and local trainer, Sara Petit, to show us a few TRX moves that can get your body beach-ready before the warm weather returns.
NOTE: To avoid possible injury or health issues, we suggest you consult with your doctor and a professional fitness trainer before starting any new exercise routine.
This exercise is designed to get your body opened up and warmed up before a workout. Stand facing away from the “anchor point,” which is the place on the ceiling, door or wall (or beach cruiser!) where you connect your TRX straps. Step and lunge forward slowly, keeping tension on the handles of the straps, slowly fanning your arms back and forth above your head, all while staying down in the lunge position. As you return to your standing position, keep pressing on those handles for maximum arm benefit.
You don’t need a boat (or an expensive machine) for this row action. This super simple but effective exercise builds lean muscle in your arms, chest, back, and core. You can make this exercise more or less difficult simply by increasing or decreasing your body angle relative to the anchor point.
This movement is designed to build and sculpt your legs while also challenging your lungs with optional quick exchange hops. If you can’t hop, you can scale it back with quick skip steps.
On the ground (or sand), slip your toes into the TRX straps, then prop up your torso using your arms or forearms. Bringing your knees up toward your chest crunch-style will help you develop a rock-solid core, while also adding muscle to your arms and legs. This exercise is good for any abs destined to see sunlight soon.
Hook both straps together, place one foot in the cradle facing away from the anchor. Step slightly forward, bending your front knee into the lunge position. Be sure to keep your weight on the front foot’s heel, then push up using the back of the leg, engaging your glutes. Complete 15-20 reps on each side.
This is a lower-body exercise designed to build definition in your legs. With the straps under your arms, do a one-legged squat while pushing your opposite leg behind you as far as possible. You’ll feel the burn right away!
