A 10 Minute TRX Workout by Personal Trainer Joshua Fink

• 0 • Cross training

Like many people I have a TRX that I don’t really use.

But I got tired of letting it hang out in my gym unused because the reasons I wanted one in the first place are great. It’s a wonderful tool for doing efficient strength training to complement my running, cycling and yoga. It doesn’t require investing in lots of weights or extra equipment, and unlike many bodyweight exercises, you can modify the difficulty of the exercise to very precise degrees of challenging just by changing your distance from the TRX anchor.

Our muscle mass starts deteriorating as we age; there’s even a name for it. Look up “scaropenia” for some workout motivation! I’ve always exercised to increase my quality of life and regular strength training has long term benefits.

But only if I do it.

So I got an illustrated poster of TRX exercises and I watched some YouTube videos, but neither of these resources answered three big questions I had.

  1. What are the best exercises to balance out my running, cycling and yoga?
  2. If I have 10 minutes to strength train 3 times a week, what on earth should I do?
  3. Am I doing any of this right?

I decided I needed an expert.

So I talked to Joshua Fink, a Personal Trainer I know and respect from taking some of his group fitness classes at Equinox, including Boot Camp, Iron Tabata, and Tabata Circuit. He agreed to give me a targeted personal training session to teach me exactly what I wanted to know so I can get the most out of my TRX.

Josh came to my house, showed me how to set up my TRX, and created a custom workout for me – here’s how our session went!

Getting set up: 

Josh showed me exactly how to set up my TRX to the correct heights for each type of exercise. We aligned the handles to my mid-thigh for upper body exercises like the close grip row, and lined them up with my mid-calf for exercises like the plank, saw and suspended lunge. For the suspended lunge, Josh showed me how to loop the handles together so the straps could cradle one foot.  He helped me learn exactly how to adjust it based on my ceiling height and my height to be perfect for me, and I made notes and we took photos so I’ll remember.

TRX Basics:

Josh ran me through some basics for TRX and explained why it’s such a great tool. Exercises are either a form of suspension or assistance. Suspension means the TRX is allowing you to use your body weight in an exercise to increase the number of muscles that are engaged. Assistance means using the TRX to make an exercise easier by using it to add balance or reduce the amount of body weight you’re engaged in lifting or pulling, like holding the handles in a TRX squat or doing a TRX row where the distance from the anchor controls the difficulty level.

Exercises:

I knew that in one session I wouldn’t be able to learn and remember how to do a lot of different exercises correctly and that if I had even a 20-minute routine I probably wouldn’t do it. I decided to be super realistic and ask Josh to prioritize what I should do on the TRX if I committed to 10 minutes on it 2-3 times a week.

Josh kept it super simple but excellently curated. He told me exactly how each exercise was going to help with my running, why he’d chosen them based on the activities I do, how to do them correctly, where I should feel the exercise, and common issues with form to watch out for.

Here are the exercises he recommended for me:

  1. Plank
  2. Saw
  3. Suspended Lunge
  4. Close Grip Row

3 sets of 10-12 each done in a circuit to rest the muscle groups slightly in between efforts. Complete 2-3 times per week.

If pairing with cardio, Josh recommended doing the TRX work first. A brief strength training routine can enhance your run by engaging those muscles and getting them fired up before you begin and would be a good part of your warm-up after foam rolling. Josh said the long version of why has to do with ATP depletion etc., but suffice to say he recommends doing it before your run and frankly that sounds more fun than trying to plank afterward when you’d rather cool down and shower!

If it becomes easy, it is better to add an additional circuit repeat than to add to the number of each exercise. Ie, don’t start doing 20 close grip rows, instead, do an extra circuit of 10-12, or increase difficulty by moving your feet closer to the anchor. If an exercise really feels easy, seek out a progression or variation.

I took notes and Josh took photos of me doing the exercises so that I would remember what I’d learned.

Plank: Core and stability.

With the handles at calf height, Josh showed me how to get into the loops easily (lie on your back with your knees to your chest, hold the loops up so that the bottom curve of the strap is towards the ceiling, slip your feet in, roll over keeping your feet in the straps). For plank, he emphasized straight posture and not letting the hips sink or rise. Start at holding for 10 seconds and work up to longer periods of time aiming to hit 60 seconds eventually. You know you’ve hit your limit if you feel lower back pain or you can’t maintain proper form.

Saw: Core and stability, activating additional muscles through movement

From plank position, move forward and back like your body is is a saw. Maintain the straight form for plank position. This uses a lot of muscles, trust me, I could feel it! (I can still feel it as I type this.) Which is exactly what I wanted, since I’m looking for a short and therefore efficient strength training routine to complement my other activities.

Suspended Lunge: balance, strength, and stability of lower body including gluteus medius

Josh tailored the exercises to complement my running, and this one he considered especially important because it mimics the motion of running while requiring that you work on your strength and balance. Josh wanted me to focus on engaging the gluteus medius, a muscle that impacts the rotational strength and stability of the hip which is critical for runners. When runners don’t have good hip strength and rotation, their knees and ankles often have to compensate to create balance and stability. This can lead to knee and ankle soreness and injuries.

Close Grip Row: upper body strength including arms, shoulder cuff, and back

We changed the handle height to mid-thigh for the close grip row, and Josh helped me determine where to place my feet to get the angle that was an appropriate effort level for me. Standing further away with your body more upright makes it easier, placing your feet closer to the TRX anchor site and pulling your body up from a lower angle makes it harder.

This was one exercise that really illustrated to me how helpful it can be to have a personal trainer teach you the correct form. I thought I kind of had the row down, but while my posture was good, I was really using my arms to pull and not engaging my back muscles appropriately. Josh taught me the trick of pretending I was squeezing an orange just below my armpit and showed me where I should feel muscles engaging. It changed the entire feel of the row, got me to open up my shoulders more, and made it more of a whole body exercise than when I was trying to haul myself up using my biceps. I would never have realized I wasn’t engaging the right muscles without Josh’s help. When I think about the time I hope to invest in doing these exercises, it really makes sense to have the correct form so I’ll get the most out of it.

This is an action shot so my arms are a little bent because I’m in motion, but you would start with them straightened (but not locked) maintaining that strong plank alignment and then pull up with elbows going straight back engaging your back muscles and opening your shoulders. Please note in the second photo that I am ACTUALLY BREATHING! Josh had to keep reminding me. 

And that was it! 

I learned four exercises, with great detail on how to set up the TRX, how to troubleshoot my form in the poses, why the exercises complement my fitness goals, and how frequently to do them. I’m thrilled to have such a tailored workout of a reasonable length for the amount of time I’m willing to dedicate to strength training. I feel confident that these are exercises that I can now do correctly, and that if I only have 10 minutes, they’ll be the most helpful.

And when I want to learn more to mix up the routine, I can ask Josh to come back and add new exercises to my repertoire!

I highly recommend using a personal trainer when you have specific fitness questions like I did. The internet is a wealth of information, but deciding which information applies to your goals and experience level can be hard to do. It’s a great investment to ask someone with a wealth of experience to help you come up with a routine that works for you and make sure you know how to do it correctly and safely to get the best results with the lowest risk of injury.

You too can hire Josh!

Note: This isn’t a sponsored post and I’m not affiliated with Joshua except as a happy client who has learned a lot from him. I just want to share his info since he’s fantastic and I highly recommend him. 

Josh does personal training in Newton at Paramount Performance & Rehab, will travel to you if you have a home gym within his range, and has online coaching services.

He is personable and professional, listens to exactly what you want out of your session, and thoughtfully prepares ahead of time to ensure that you’re going to get the most out of your time with him. He’s knowledgeable, thoughtful, and really took the time to make sure I understood and could replicate what he’d taught me.

Personal training can offer so many things. You can do what I just did and learn how to use the equipment you already own effectively. You can meet once a week to get a targeted workout where you don’t need to memorize the routine and someone else tracks your progress. You can do online coaching where you receive motivation, accountability, and customized workouts or training plans.

Whether you’re interested in a one-time session to learn a new skill and get a targeted workout routine or you’d like someone to track your progress and supervise you doing custom workouts more regularly, I highly recommend Joshua Fink. I loved the classes I took with him at Equinox and I loved working with him one-on-one.

Thanks Josh! This was even more fun than that time you had me do over 200 squats before 7 a.m., and that’s saying something 😉

 

I tried Orange Theory in Wellesley. Here’s how it went:

• 3 • Cross training

Review of Orangetheory fitness in Wellesley, MA

Orangetheory Fitness is a boutique exercise studio with multiple locations. It offers monthly memberships with different rates for either 4, 8, or unlimited classes per month, as well as 10, 20 or 30 pack sets that expire in a year.

How much does it cost? At the time of this writing, prices in Wellesley were $179 for unlimited per month, $119 for 8 monthly classes, $79 for 4 monthly classes, $499 for 30 classes, $359 for 20 and $199 for 10 – PLUS either a one time fee of $99 or $69 for a heart rate monitor OR rent one for $10 additional per class. I bolded that for you because I somehow missed this in the paperwork and swear it wasn’t mentioned in my introduction. When I did my free class, they gave me a heart rate monitor to borrow and didn’t mention that they were an additional cost. For my 10 class package, renting it would drive my price up to $30 per class from $20. Buying it if I didn’t renew would drive my price up to $29.90 per class or $26.90 per class depending on my heart rate monitor choice. Sure, future classes wouldn’t have the additional cost, but since the whole point of buying ten classes was to see if I like it, I had no confidence I’d be back to capitalize on that investment. And no, you can’t wear the heartrate monitor you already own, it won’t hook into their technology. (So you could, but no splat points for you.)

Class Length: 1 hour

Description: The class splits your time between two stations: cardio consisting of intervals between the rowing machine and the treadmill, and strength which is sets of different floor exercises using a variety of mat, TRX, resistance band, and free weights.

Heart Rate: Orangetheory is a heart rate based workout strategy where their goal is for you to keep your heart rate in the orange or red “burn” category for 12-20 minutes. Heart rate monitors display your current heart rate in a color-coded circle up on the monitors visible for you (and the rest of the class) to see how many minutes you’ve spent in the orange/red “splat” zone and letting you know if you’re pushing hard enough or perhaps too hard according to the Orangetheory hypothesis.

Studio amenities: 

Street parking, metered, limited. There’s a parking lot within a few minutes walking distance, but know you’re going to potentially circle for parking and need a few extra minutes to get to class.

Lockers are small and don’t lock.

There are several bathrooms that also have showers in them – bring your own towel and shower supplies.

Refillable water bottle station right in the studio space.

My experience: 

I came into Orangetheory hoping to find a quick workout closer to home that’d cut down on my travel time while still giving me some much-needed incentive to strength-train. Despite owning that beautiful TRX Greg installed for me (without even rolling his eyes, that’s love) I basically never do any strength training. This puts me at a higher risk of injury and lowers the potential I reach with my running. Not ideal.

Orangetheory is nice because it has strength training and cardio but isn’t too intense on either. I felt able to work to my level and get some strength training in without feeling too sore the next day. Large monitors display the exercises and rep count for each one, and then after seeing the instructor demo it, people in the strength group do the repeats at their own pace and weight selection using the monitor for a reminder. The instructors in both classes I’ve taken have come over to help me with technique on multiple occasions, which is always appreciated and was definitely necessary.

I think the heart rate monitor is a great way for people who are re-entering the exercise world to feel confident that they’re pushing and focus on the effort they’re putting in, not the distance or speed they’re getting back.

The first time I did class, I used the heart rate monitor, and it actually slowed me down when I was on the treadmill. I was raking in splat points at my half marathon pace and so I slowed down so I would meet their “zone goals” or splat point goals. But… I didn’t feel like I had gotten as good a workout because of it afterward. That was sort of ok with me, because it meant that this could be a good non-running day activity where I get in light cardio, keep it light, and do my strength training and still run the next day.

The second time I did class, I opted not to use the heart rate monitor, because honestly there’s no way I believe the data is worth paying 50% more per class. I’m there to get strength training I wouldn’t otherwise, throw in enough cardio to make me feel good and sweat a little for the endorphins, and then go run another day. Oh, and to see some people I know since it’s a local class, hi guys! Love the community vibe.

A few things aren’t my fav: While I love the variety in the workout, the corrections I got while weight lifting, and the vibe that people could all gauge their own pace and really personalize their workout using the heart rate technology, there were a few things I didn’t love.

  1. The music is painfully loud. This isn’t hyperbole – I forgot my earplugs for the first class and literally felt pain, held my head in my hands at one point while I was running, and had to go out and ask them to look one more time for earplugs which thankfully they found so I could complete the workout. The trouble with avoiding hearing loss with the earplugs, though, is that it makes it harder to hear the instructor when they’re giving instructions. So you can choose between pain and clarity or comfort and confusion.
  2. Both times I’ve been in class the instructors have used physical appearance as a motivator during exercises. I’m there to be healthier, stronger and more energized – to maintain the strength and mobility to do the things I love as I age. I’m not there for the false promise of a flat abdomen on the beach in the summer because even though “thankfully you’ve got months to get there!” (direct quote) that’s not why I’m there and I don’t think focusing on body image is a healthy or positive way to motivate people. Gross.
  3. It’s hard to get into the class times you want. When I did my sample class, I had to wait three weeks out to book into the class time and day of the week I wanted. During those three weeks, I received an email from Orangetheory every 2 days as well as a phone call reminding me that I hadn’t signed up for a package yet. I didn’t want to sign up for a package until closer to the date of the class I could get into and take because it’d reduce my package expiration date if I signed early. Not a huge deal, but be careful what email address you give them because you’re going to get a lot of emails if you don’t fork over for a membership pronto. The need to book classes in advance because they fill up could be frustrating for people who’ve paid for classes per month or who are using it as their exclusive way to work out. A note on that: I was told I won’t make progress if you’re not there a minimum of 2-3x a week – they really want to be your fitness solution, not your fitness supplement. Eh. I think some strength training once a week is a great idea for me since it’s that or zero, not that or me there 3x per week.

Overall – this is a good strength and cardio combo that’ll give you a nice workout and where you’ve got a little data to help you pinpoint the right level of effort for you in order to make good progress. It’s pricey per class and for the unlimited package you’d probably do better at a gym where you’ve got extra amenities like yoga classes and a steam room for the same monthly price or less, but for a local option that’ll get you doing some guided strength training and hitting some cardio intervals it’s a solid choice. I’ll enjoy riding out the rest of my class package, and then I think I’ll do my due diligence and really try to learn my TRX.

Know before you go:

Bring earplugs

Weightlifting gloves are a good idea to protect your hands from the rowers and free weights

Leave valuables at home, the lockers don’t lock

They want you to wear different shoes in the studio than you wear on the street

Bring a water bottle

When you arrive you’ll either get a treadmill card and start on a treadmill, or you’ll start on a rower or on the floor based on their instructions. Wherever you start, look at your station number. That’ll tell you which treadmill, rower, or floor space to use throughout the entire class. Wipe off your machines / equipment with a sanitizing wipe when you’re done.

Swim lesson Tuesday

• 0 • Cross training, Swim

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This is a clip from a video my swim instructor took today. She usually takes a couple videos during each hour-long session, and I find it incredibly helpful to see how my swimming is progressing. It’s easy to see in different videos what I was focusing on, and when a skill we’ve been working on sets in a little and continues to be correct even when my focus is elsewhere.

In this picture, I’m working hard on keeping my arm elongated forward during each side of the turn so I have a good glide on each side. See how straight I am, and how stacked my hips are? This is a big improvement from even a few weeks ago. Today she told me that she’s excited about my progress and it helps that I’m really motivated. It felt great to hear myself described as motivated 🙂 I try so hard to listen carefully and put all my energy into following each instruction so I’m not wasting my time with her. I practice once a week on my own too, for the same reason. It’s so rewarding to have the effort noticed!

I still feel exhausted and out of breath after swimming a length of the pool, but Brittany (my instructor) assures me that with correct form and enough practice I’ll get through that.

Swimming the day after a long-run

I was a little worried that my schedule meant I had an hour long swim lesson the day after a long run, but it ended up being all right. I was a little tired at the end, but I’m always tired at the end. Swimming is hard.

It’s so fun to improve and to see the difference when I look at the videos taken week-to-week.

I feel really grateful to have access to a great pool and instructor so I can learn a new skill. It felt like a real splurge to buy swim lessons for a grown-up, but I truly love it. Swimming complements running so well, I find it pretty easy to run the day before or after.

Swimming complements running so well, I find it pretty easy to run the day before or after. I’m hoping that this will be a life-long pleasure that I’m investing in up-front.

Time to haul a scooter off to preschool for pick-up… don’t tell my legs, though. They think I’m driving.

Adding one TRX move at a time

• 1 • Cross training

Why I Love TRX – A Single Step Modifies the Difficulty of Almost Any Exercise

My favorite thing about the TRX* is that I can easily modify any exercise so it requires the right amount of effort, by using the distance of my feet from the strap to change my body angle. Sharper angle = more difficult.

I used to get frustrated by push-ups because they were hard on my wrists, and I could do so few of them without modifying. The TRX, while being expensive for a set of straps with handles that hang from the ceiling, lets me experiment with the angle to be just challenging enough based on the number of reps I’d like to do.

I did some TRX training while using a coach to train for my last half marathon, before Greg got me one for my birthday 🙂

Our Gym

My TRX across from our super fun orange accent wall (energy!) and next to our treadmill.

 

Adding One Move at a Time

I’ve been doing the exercises I remember best, and have started learning one at a time to add to my routine. I find it overwhelming to try to do an entirely new set of TRX exercises. It’s much easier to start with some rows and squats that I know how to do, and then watch an online video about another exercise, and practice it until I’m comfortable that I’ve got the form down, and then add something else.

If something doesn’t feel right the next day, I know exactly which exercise I was doing new that probably triggered it (assuming it’s more than just muscle soreness) and can evaluate either the difficulty or my form.

Y Fly

Today I’m adding the Y Fly – found a video on youtube that shows me exactly what to do.

 

YouTube for Exercise Videos

YouTube can be a great source for exercise videos, and I like this one because it’s from the TRX official channel which gives it added credibility. (My big fear for using YouTube for workout videos is that I’ll misinterpret someone’s instructions and get injured, so detailed, credible training videos seem best.)

*I am not sponsored by TRX or making any money as an affiliate. My biceps have a relationship with TRX, my bank account does not. Well except that I bought one, so I guess it has a negative relationship. Actually it was a birthday present. Greg’s bank account has a negative relationship with TRX. Full disclosure.

Paddleboarding – Yes, it’s a real work out.

• 0 • Cross training, Live Well

You know how I know it’s a real workout?  Because I hurt. ALL. OVER.  (That’s not true, my calves and forearms are fine.  Actually my toes and ankles and knees are good too.)

Seriously, though, I had heard that paddleboarding was a good workout for your core, but was a bit skeptical.  Yes, you’re balancing, and you’re switching the paddle from side to side, but for the casual user, was it really doing much?

The best way to find out was to switch from casual paddleboarder into go mode.  I had a morning free on the lake (we’re renting up in Maine for a while to be near family) so I took my Dad’s paddleboard out for a 90 minute paddle down the entire length of the lake and back.

I knew it was further than I should really have gone on my second paddleboard outing of the summer, but that’s the beauty of the out-and-back, right?  You decide to go to the beautiful island, and then to the rock, and then sit and watch the loons for a few minutes, and then you’re close enough that you can’t resist making it to the opposite side of the lake, and then…

YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK.

The wind, inevitably, is now blowing into your face.

One benefit of running is that when you stop, you net zero.  Stop paddling on a board or kayak and you could lose all your ground.

I was at no point experiencing any pain or concern, but suffice it to say that if I could have paddled out 45 minutes and back for 15, I would have felt better the next morning.

I couldn’t run today, because my quads hurt so much, and if I turn sideways fast I can feel every abdominal muscle I have.

This is great news.  I have confirmation that something I truly love doing, and would do for hours given the chance, is working major muscle groups and giving me a decent workout.

The best kind of exercise is the kind you’ll do.  (The best kind of vegetables are… you got it.)

The only sad part of the whole thing was spotting a dead fish in the lake.  I wish I knew why it had died.  Did someone get it on their hook, and throw it back too injured to survive?  Was it the phosphates in the dishwashing detergent someone used to clean their coffee cups at their vacation home?  Maybe the sunscreen we wear into the lake that leaves an oil film as we dip beneath the water’s surface.  Could have been old age.

We are too far removed from the consequences of our actions, and it makes it both harder to change and hard to know what to change.  If I knew something I did today had killed that little fish, I would try to find a solution that would keep it swimming through the rocks, and still leave me with clean dishes and no sunburn.

If the factories were polluting the air and rivers here instead of China, would we be more likely to pick up items at my grandmother’s famous church rummage sale instead of ordering them on amazon prime?  If we knew people working as day laborers pollinating flowers because the bees are dying out, would we buy different almonds, or use different chemicals on our lawns?

It’s so hard to remember, so convenient and easy to forget.  I buy many new things when reusing would do.  I am awesome at bringing my reusable water bottles everywhere, and we only eat plants, but let’s be honest, I buy a lot of maca powder goji berry chia whatever shipped to me from across the world in plastic.  I could probably get all those nutrients and antioxidants much closer to home.

Every choice we make is an opportunity to make a little difference, a change somewhere.  We won’t ever know or see the direct results, but we should feel good whenever we choose more carefully, because one less bottle in our ocean does make a difference.  We’re all pretty small, but we count, don’t we?