How TRX Training Can Make You a Better Runner

I’ve been using the TRX for a long time both for myself and my clients, as well as sharing workouts here, but since taking the TRX Training Course a while back, I became a better teacher because I learned so much about how to adapt TRX training to all levels. Today I want to talk about how TRX training can make you a better runner.

One of the great things about TRX Training is that you can do it almost anywhere! You don’t need anything except a TRX and you can anchor it indoors or outside. I’ve used mine in my backyard, attached to my patio, in my front yard, and hooked to a tree. I’ve even taken it to the park and used a baseball backstop to attach it to. And of course, you can do it at the gym. My fitness center has a framework designed for TRX Training as well as a few hookups in our group exercise room.

How TRX Training Can Make You a Better Runner

Obviously, strength training, in general, will help your running. Getting stronger will help you run better and protect you from injury. But you don’t have to lift heavy weights to have a great workout. By leveraging your body weight into an amazing workout, TRX Training can make you a better runner without a lot of equipment.

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Here are some ways that TRX Training can make you a better runner.

All Core All the Time

It’s true. Every exercise you do on the TRX requires you to activate your core muscles. That means whether you’re doing a TRX crunch or a TRX bicep curl you are strengthening your core.

Running requires a strong core. It improves your posture which improves your form. 

Exercise to try: The TRX Crunch or the TRX Bicep Curl

What Should Be Stable and What Should Be Mobile

All of the TRX functional movements are based on the standard of “what should be stable and what should be mobile.” That means that for every exercise, certain muscles and joints should be stable and others should be mobile. In a squat, your hips, knees, and ankles should be mobile while your core and upper body should be stable.

It is easy to apply this principle to running. When you run, your hips, knees, ankles, and shoulders are mobile, while your core, including your neck, is stable. If you’ve ever seen a runner whose head bobbles and core rotates when they run you can understand this standard.

Exercise to try: The TRX Squat

Balance

In TRX Training, many exercises are done unilaterally, improving both actual and muscular balance. In addition, because of the single anchor system of the TRX one must constantly stabilize their body to maintain proper form and position. This improves balance, coordination, and core strength.

Running is basically hopping from one foot to the other so balance is important. It’s even more important when running on uneven surfaces like trails or grass. Maintaining muscular balance will help prevent injury.

Exercise to try: The TRX Single Leg Deadlift

Mobility

There are several ways that TRX Training will improve mobility. TRX Training is all about movement. While many forms of strength training are about getting stronger they don’t help you move better. In addition, using the TRX for stretching and mobility exercises is great. The straps will help you move into positions without pain which can improve your flexibility and mobility.

Being able to move well is important to running well. Mobility at the ankle and hips will help protect your knees, improve your stride, and increase your speed. 

Exercise to try: The TRX Lunge

Progression

Without progression, a strength training program will plateau.. To progress you need to increase the difficulty of the exercise, either by increasing resistance, increasing the number of repetitions, or some other way of increasing the challenge. TRX Training has three principles of progression that will help you get stronger, improve your balance, and keep your workout fun and challenging. 

The Stability Principle states that the wider your stance and the more points of contact with the ground, the easier the exercise will be.

Exercise to try: TRX Chest Press – First try with a wide stance, then bring both feet together. For a real challenge, try it with just one leg on the ground!

To test out the Pendulum Principle, imagine that you’re lying on the ground on your back, feet in the straps. When your feet are hanging directly under the anchor point, that is considered neutral. Scooting forward so that your feet are past the anchor point will make the exercise easier. Scooting back will make it harder.

Exercise to try: TRX Hamstring Curl – First try it with your feet directly under the anchor point. Then try scooting forward a little (several inches) and you will notice the exercise is easier. If you’d like to make it harder, scoot back from your original position a few inches, and voila! It is a more challenging exercise.

 

The Vector Principle refers to your body weight versus your body angle. The higher your position from the ground the easier the exercise. The lower, the more difficult.

Exercise to try: TRX Low Row – First stand fairly upright and complete the row. Then, walk your feet toward the anchor so that your body is lower to the ground. You will find that the movement is more difficult.

Continuing to progress your strength is important for runners so that you don’t lose what you have gained.

 

In conclusion, TRX Training can make you a better runner because it focuses on movement, core strength, balance, and mobility. It’s a great workout for runners. And it’s fun too!

 

 

Do you use the TRX? What’s your favorite TRX exercise?

 

 

 

And Now It’s Time for the Runners’ Roundup!

 

Linkup with the #RunnersRoundup with @DeborahBrooks14, @milebymilerun, @runningwithpugs, and me! Bring your best #runningrelated posts, find new blogs to follow, and share your love of #running! Click To Tweet

 

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