I love trying out all of the classes that I see at the Student Recreation Center. However, the TRX class seemed a little intimidating. I finally had the opportunity to try out the class and it went great! When I first walked in, there were a bunch of straps hanging from a giant structure in the middle which I had no clue how to use. To my delight, the instructor was very friendly and energetic. He showed me how to adjust the suspension straps for my body (you want the handles to be at upper calf to your knee height) so I was quickly prepared to start the class.  

Once we started the warm up I felt right on track. I am a generally athletic person, but it’s been a few weeks since I have done a strength training or muscle conditioning work out. The great thing about TRX is that you choose the level and intensity of your workout. If you feel too challenged by a particular exercise you can just step forward a half step, which lessens the resistance. But if you are comfortable with the level you are at, you can take a step back for more of a challenge. The instructor started each exercise by showing us the moves, then doing a quick scan to see if everyone was doing it correctly and being safe. He gave us a lot of encouragement and if we were doing something wrong he helped us make the change without drawing attention or embarrassing anyone. 

Personally, I found the workout to be a great alternative to weightlifting and other body weight training. The movements were so fluid that it almost felt like a dance at times. TRX really is a full body work out but simultaneously it’s easy to target specific muscle groups. In my experience, there were a lot of lunges, squats, and upper body exercises. Normally, I would cringe at the thought of them, but the TRX focused on these body parts in a way that was different than I have done before. Although it was still challenging, it made me want to do the work. The TRX suspension system took some of the pressure and strain off of my knees during lunges, so that was great! And having the suspension straps to hold onto allowed me to work on my form during squats, which I think will also help me when I do exercises outside of the class.

The work out was excellent, the instructor was fun, the other participants were helpful and I faced my fear of the TRX suspension system! I thoroughly enjoyed the TRX class and will do it again in the future. For more information or to sign up for a TRX class yourself, check out http://urec.wsu.edu/fitness/trx.aspx.

Picutre courtesey of http://cheaptrxonline.com/