You may have seen those yellow and black straps hanging from the ceiling or walls of your gym and wondered what the heck you do with them. The TRX Suspension Trainer, developed by Navy SEALS, takes advantage of gravity and your bodyweight to challenge every muscle, especially your core. And since you can even attach them to a door or tree, they’re great for exercising at home or when traveling.
This workout, designed by Jenn Seracuse, director of Pilates at Pilates ProWorks New York City studio, develops strength, endurance, balance, and core stability. Read: It's efficient and highly effective. “The instability makes it essential to engage the core throughout, working the transverse abdominis and other stabilizing muscles during every exercise,” she says. If any move is too easy or hard, a simple change in body position alters the intensity, guaranteeing you get what you want out of every session.
Workout details: Perform the exercises in order with minimal rest between them to keep your heart rate up. Complete a total of three circuits, resting 30 seconds to 1 minute between circuits. For more intensity, work up to the advanced versions of the exercises by the third circuit.
You’ll need: A TRX Suspension Trainer ($200; trxtraining.com)
Photos: Jay Sullivan
