TRX training is challenging in its own right, but as with any exercise we do often enough, it can become "easy" unless we kick it up a notch every couple of months.
Today, we kick it up a notch - with Tabata drills. These high-intensity cardio bursts not only break up the strength moves -- they amp up the calorie burn and muscle engagement. I burned about 75 more calories than usual in my recent Cardio TRX class by adding these drills. And my body was fully tanked out when the 45-minute class ended.
Below is the full workout - and if you don't have access to TRX, simply add these Tabata drills in between your regular weight training regimen, be it with machines or free weights. All of the moves below, from TRX biceps curls and triceps presses to high rows, can be adapted to free weights or machines.
Enough chatter -- Time to feel the Tabata TRX Burn! Here it is...
Warm up
- 20 jumping jacks
- 30 seconds of high knees running in place
- 20 jumping jacks
Tabata Drill #1
Fast Feet-Plank Thrust: For 20 seconds, squat low and run quickly in place, fast feet like a football drill. Every few seconds, drop into a plank and thrust the legs back quickly before popping right back up into fast feet. Rest for 10 seconds. Do this 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for seven more rounds - a total of 8 rounds, 4 minutes of work.
TRX Circuit #1
- High Rows (16)
- W's (16)
- I-Squats (16)
- One-arm rows (16 on the right, 16 on the left)
Tabata Circuit #2
- Right Leg Split Jump Lunge: Place the right leg out front in a right lunge position. From here, jump up and down, landing in the right lunge, for 20 seconds. Rest for 10. Switch legs and move into...
- Left Leg Split Jump Lunge: Place the left leg out front in a right lunge position. From here, jump up and down, landing in the left lunge, for 20 seconds. Rest for 10.
- Do this right-left alternating, 4 rounds of 20 seconds on each side, for a total of 8 rounds - 4 minutes of work.
TRX Circuit #2
- Short-length Bicep Curl (16): This mimics a concentration dumbbell curl. The TRX strap is shortened with the yellow tab at the top. Upper arms/elbows are locked into the chest, and the curl is a smaller range of motion but more concentrated.
- Side bicep curls (16): Keep the strap at the shorter length for a more challenging curl or go back to the mid-level length
- Tricep Presses (16)
- Regular bicep curls (16): TRX strap is at mid-level length
- Tricep TRX chair dips (16)
Tabata Circuit #3
TRX atomic pushups: With feet in the straps (placed at the lower level for planks) and facing away from the anchor point, come into a plank pushup position. Tuck the knees into the chest and back into a plank (basically, a regular TRX crunch), and go right into a pushup. Repeat this - crunch and pushup - for 20 seconds. Drop to the knees and rest for 10. Go eight rounds, for a total of 4 minutes.
**Note: as you get fatigued and form gets sloppy, take away an element. So maybe just do crunches or just do pushups for those 20 seconds. But keep moving!
TRX Circuit #3
- Hamstring Curls (20)
- Glute Lift and Squeeze (20)
Stretch it out and give yourself a fist bump! You just nailed a Badass workout!
Coming up: The Full Tabata, and 3 healthy meals you can whip together in 15 minutes with just a few convenience ingredients!