How to Perform TRX Mountain Climbers: Benefits, Common mistakes and Technique

TRX Mountain Climber elevates the typical mountain climber to another level. (Image via Unsplash/Anastase Maragos)
TRX Mountain Climber elevates the typical mountain climber to another level. (Image via Unsplash/Anastase Maragos)

The TRX mountain climber is an alternative to the standard mountain climber that makes use of suspension straps and your body weight.

You're held from an anchor point at your feet, making a running motion in the air rather than performing running planks on the ground. You must balance on your hands while hanging, as part of the exercise.

This exercise elevates the typical mountain climber to another level, as you're dangling throughout the pose.

Multiple muscle groups, especially your core, are put to the test by the balance element. As almost all your muscles are working when you do the exercise, the TRX mountain climber is believed to be an efficient full body workout.


How to Do TRX Mountain Climber?

The beautiful thing about TRX training is that you can work out anywhere, thanks to the portable wires. You just need a spot where they can be safely fastened, and you're ready to work out.

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Here’s how to do it:

  • Adjust the straps so that they hang down approximately six inches from the ground or floor, and attach wires to an anchor point above your head.
  • Put your feet through the straps, and extend your body into a full plank.
  • To prevent your back from arching, keep your core firm, back straight and hips tucked in.
  • While maintaining the left leg extended, bring the right knee towards your chest.
  • In a split second, extend your right leg while rapidly returning the left knee to your chest.
  • For a predetermined number of reps or for the duration of the timed interval, swap the right and left knee to chest movements.

Benefits of Doing TRX Mountain Climber

The classic mountain climber exercise performed on the floor is made more challenging by the TRX mountain climber. To balance your body in unsteady situations, you need to activate your core more. There are almost no muscle groups that aren't targeted.

Some of the benefits of this pose are:

1) Strengthens Core Muscles

TRX mountain climbers are a terrific way to improve core strength and mobility, according to research. The hanging stance engages several muscular groups, and the increased challenge increases your heart rate.

2) Provides Full body Workout

The TRX mountain climber forces you to stabilise the movement by using your core, back, pelvis and shoulders, as your centre of gravity is always out of balance.

That makes the workout more dynamic and helps you train your entire body in a single motion. The fact that this workout takes less time is one of the numerous benefits of TRX training.

3) Provides Improved Balance

TRX mountain climbers and other exercises that involve suspension training have a balancing component, significantly enhancing balance and neuromuscular responsiveness. If you trip off a curb or have to react quickly to something falling, that can be helpful.


Common Mistakes to Avoid While Doing TRX Mountain Climber

Regardless of how much expertise you have with the straps, there're a few typical TRX blunders that can hinder your ability to work out effectively or, worse, increase your risk of injury. Be mindful of the following mistakes when performing the TRX Mountain Climber:

1) Starting Incorrectly

Making sure you'reproperly set up before beginning an exercise on the TRX can prevent you from taking on too much weight initially, as you are utilising your bodyweight as resistance.

Finding the right finish point, body position and foot stance for the activity and your degree of fitness should be done before starting the movement.

2) Slacking

You want to keep your muscles under stress during each exercise, just like you would during a traditional weight training. If the TRX is sluggish, you probably are, too. To get the most out of each exercise, make sure the straps are tight during each action.

3) Unequal Strap Tension

For this activity, it's crucial to set up the suspension straps correctly. Your body will be positioned incorrectly due to improper length and tension, which can result in the straps slipping when you move.

That can be readily fixed by taking the time to lengthen the straps to the right level and making sure your body is positioned to take up the remaining slack in the straps.

4) Dropping Your Hips

While practicing this version of mountain climbers, pay attention to good body mechanics. The hips have a propensity to drop during the activity if you start to feel tired or fatigued. That could make your lower back pain or injury more likely. To perform the exercise effectively and safely, it's crucial to keep your core firm and back straight throughout.


Takeaway

The TRX mountain climber needs body awareness, as it's performed in unsteady circumstances. Because of this instability, it's important to always be aware of your body's position and movement.