Upper Body Burn with TRX® and Bands

by Personal Trainer Melissa Mangrelli

You don’t need to do a lot of heavy lifting to get a strong upper body – just ask anyone that has taken a TRX^® class! The TRX Suspension Trainer^® (or TRX for short) allows for a near limitless number of movements which can train every muscle group. TRX makes use of your own body weight and gravity to challenge every move and allows the user to customize the level of resistance simply by changing their body position. An added benefit of TRX is that almost every move requires you to engage your core, making it a double hitter.

Best of all you can try out TRX on your own in the facility.  If you have not ventured down to the weight room area lately, you may not have seen these lovely yellow and black straps that hang from a special anchor in the back corner, these straps are the TRX trainer and are all you need to get in a good workout.  Why not get down to the weight room area and give this upper body workout a try?  For this workout the TRX straps and resistance bands (also located in the same corner of the weight room) are all you need to get that upper body burnin’.

3 super sets (each exercise in the super set performed in succession with no rest).  You will do 3 sets of each exercise within the larger super set, with each set consisting of 12-15 repetitions.

Super Set 1

TRX “Y”

Adjust straps to mid shin. Stand facing the anchor points, with straps in hand and arms overhead in a ‘Y’ position.  Your palms should be facing forward. You want tension on the straps, you want to bring your feet slightly forward, so your body is at a slight angle.  Keeping arms straight, slowly lower your arms in front of you to shoulder height.  Raise your arms up overhead again into a ‘Y.’  Remember to keep naval to the spine and shoulders away from the ears.

Banded Pull-Aparts

Grab a band (go thin).  Arms out in front at shoulder width, palms facing the floor, hold the band in both hands (keep straight arms the whole time).  Start squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling the band apart.  The closer your hands are, the more tension, the harder it will be.  Slowly bring your hands back in front of you.

Super Set 2

TRX Chest Press

Adjust the straps to mid shin.  Stand facing away from the anchor point, with straps over shoulders (but not resting on shoulders) and in your hands.  Palms facing down.  Maintain a plank position and lower body by bending elbows to 90 degrees (similar to a push up).  Drive through the palms to push yourself back up to starting position.  Remember to squeeze your glues and keep your naval to the spine.

Push Ups

In a plank position (face, palms and toes facing down).  Keep legs and back straight as you bend your elbows and lower yourself towards the floor, extend arms straight to push your body up.

Super Set 3

TRX Bicep Curl

Adjust straps to mid shin.  Stand facing toward the anchor point.  Elbows bent to 90 degrees and slightly higher than shoulders, palms facing toward you.  Walk feet toward anchor point until you feel a squeeze in your bicep.  Fully extend elbows as you lower your body down.  Pull body toward anchors by bending elbows as you return to start.

TRX Tricep Press

Adjust straps to mid shin.  Stand facing away from the anchor point.  Holding the straps, extend arms in front of shoulders, palms facing down.  Bend elbows until thumbs are next to temples.  Drive through palms, extend arms and come back to start.

Banded Shoulder Press

Stand on a resistance band and hold the other end at shoulder height, with palms facing forward.  Extend your arms directly above you, just wider than shoulder width.  Lower the band back down and repeat.