HN: What does being healthy mean to you?

Fraser Quelch: It means being disease and sickness free with the physical ability to engage in any activity vigorously. Additionally I believe that being healthy constitutes a positive self-concept with strong psychological and mental capacities and emotional health.

HN: How do you stay fit?

Fraser Quelch: While I do a regular exercise regimen including TRX, body weight movement, kettlebell techniques along with traditional strength training and cardiovascular training.  I also engage regularly in many activities including rock / ice / alpine climbing, back country / downhill skiing, cross country skiing, mountain / road cycling, trail running and basketball.

HN: What advice would you give individuals looking for ways to motivate themselves to start or maintain a fitness program?

Fraser Quelch: People need to truly make a commitment to themselves and set some rules around what they are doing. Some ways to make sure they stay on the rails. Plan everything out in advance, Knowing what they will be doing and when they will be doing it helps keep things on track. Keep a daily log book, commit to a workout partner, get a personal trainer and train early in the day so that other things can’t derail the plan and the day’s demands don’t sabotage your energy.

HN: For someone looking to start a home workout program or maintain their fitness while traveling, what tools or pieces of equipment would you recommend?

Fraser Quelch: I am certainly bias here but my honest opinion is that no single piece of equipment offers the advantages of the TRX Suspension Trainer in this regard. I spend an incredible amount of time on the road and I continue to be amazed at the quality of the workouts that I can get done in my hotel room.

HN: The TRX is a functional training and fitness tool.  What is functional training and how can the TRX assist people looking to start or enhance their fitness routines?

Fraser Quelch: Functional training is that which maps to the demands of our daily lives. While basic human function is the same for everyone (and the reality is that the vast majority of people are using compensatory patterns to perform many of these basic functions) that which sits on top of basic human function is going to be specific to each individual. In my view the most fundamental elements of function is the ability to move one’s body through space. The better able we are able to do this, the better we will be able to function at increasingly higher levels. The TRX Suspension Trainer meets this demand perfectly as your body is your resistance for every exercise. It demands that the entire body works coordinatively to perform the exercises and also scales incredibly well across the entire population.

Case in point: Right now we are doing a fall prevention study with the University of San Francisco and are working with a number of Physical Therapists developing effective exercise protocol using the TRX for these populations. At the same time some of the top athletes in the world are using the TRX as a significant component of their training including athletes like Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints QuarterBack and MVP Candidate), George St. Pierre (UFC Welterweight Champion) and Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic Centre).

The ability for a single product to be used with breadth of user means that not only does the TRX have the ability to meet people wherever they are in their fitness journey but it also will be able to scale up with them as they improve.

Here is a video of Fraser Quelch demonstrating the TRX Cool Combo: Single Leg Squat-Crossing Balance Lunge .

Fraser Quelch demonstrates numerous other awesome combination exercises within the TRX blog.

Related posts:

TRX Suspension Trainer: The Ultimate Core Workout

The best way to stay fit when you travel: The TRX Suspension Trainer

Get Free Health Tips and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

I recently purchased the TRX Suspension Training Pro Pack and plan to take it with me during an upcoming 3-month backpacking trip. When I return, I will be sure to post my thoughts on traveling with the TRX and its effectiveness on the road.

What is the TRX Suspension Trainer?

The TRX Suspension Trainer is an easy-to-use, portable suspension fitness trainer that was initially developed by a US Navy SEAL to train other SEALS when there was no fitness equipment available to them. It is a complete total-body, functional training tool that can challenge all aspects of your fitness including core strength, cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance and muscular strength.

Do not be fooled by this minimalist piece of fitness equipment as the TRX Suspension Trainer has been made with industrial-quality construction and big results in mind. Two nylon straps with handles coupled with built in resistance from your body weight and gravity can provide amazing results. What I like about the TRX is that you can use it the gym, home or even take it down to the park with you on those nice sunny days without your workout being sacrificed at all. A core workout ‘to go’ – I have no excuse!

The design of the TRX makes it so easy to transition from one exercise to another. You can get a full-body workout with the TRX Suspension Trainer in less than 30 minutes. I am not sure about you, but I find it incredibly annoying at the gym to wait for someone to get off the machine I want to use. With the TRX Trainer, there is no waiting.

Why Should You Train on the TRX?

Check out our recent interview with Fraser Quelch, the Director of Training and Development Fitness Anywhere (maker of the TRX Suspension Trainer) here:  Q+A with TRX Suspension Trainer’s Fraser Quelch

Who was the TRX Suspension Trainer designed for?

The TRX Suspension Trainer was designed for men and women of all ages and fitness levels. By changing the incline and angle of your body, you can make the exercises as challenging or easy as you like. Resistances from 5% all the way to 100% of your body weight can be achieved, making the TRX suitable for beginners or serious athletes.

Check out the list of people that have incorporated the TRX training tool into their fitness programmes:

• The Biggest Loser TV show
• US Navy SEALS
• British Lions Rugby Team
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Ben Affleck
• Bas Rutten (Undefeated UFC Heavyweight Champion)
• Robbie McEwen (Pro Cyclist)
• Robert Harvey (Lead Singer- The Music)

The TRX system was awarded the 2009 Best Total-Body Workout Tool of the Year by Men’s Health Magazine.

My first TRX Suspension Trainer core workout

After flipping through the TRX workout guide, I was ready and excited to try my first workout! Setting up the TRX Suspension Trainer at home with the door anchor was simple. Make sure you have enough space cleared for the workout. Ideally, you will have approximately 10 feet of space from the door and a width of slightly wider than the width of your arms when extended away from your body.

The TRX Suspension Training Pro Pack that I purchased included a basic training DVD. The workout is approximately 30 minutes long and hits your upper body, lower body and core. There are 9 strength based exercises and 3 stretches. For each of the strength exercises, the TRX trainers demonstrate 3-4 progressions to ensure that you are able to challenge yourself as you become stronger.

Ten minutes into the workout, I was dripping with sweat!  I found myself pausing the DVD a couple of times to ensure that I have the TRX adjusted to the correct length for some exercises, but I am am sure as I train more with the TRX, the adjustments will become second nature. While all of the 9 strength exercises were challenging, I found the targeted core exercises particularly tough. The workout ends with some great stretches to cool down and help speed your recovery time for the next workout.

Sample TRX Exercises

The TRX Suspension Trainer is a core workout tool that can be used to train the entire body while mimicking real life movements. With over 300 exercises to chose from, your core will be actively engaged in all of the exercises due to the element of instability created by intuitive design of the TRX.

The core exercise shown below, the Atomic Push-up, is one of my favorites and is a very challenging exercise for the muscles of the core and upper body.  Give it a try.

TRX Atomic Push-up

Many other sample TRX Suspension Trainer Core Exercises

The Fitness Anywhere website contains many sample core exercises that helped get me started with my new core workout routine. Other than the TRX Atomic Push-up, my top three core exercises are:

1. TRX High Rotation;
2. TRX Kneeling Roll-out; and
3. TRX Suspended Side Plank

Where can you buy the TRX Suspension Trainer?

The TRX Suspension Trainer is available for sale at:

• Fitness Anywhere (worldwide), www.trxfitness.co.uk (UK) or through Amazon.com.
• Virgin Active was one of the first gyms in the UK to have a TRX Suspension Frame in their facilities. Check with your local Virgin Active to see if they offer TRX equipment.