By Brian Diaz
Most of the exercises that we have covered so far in this column have had a lower body focus. With the next few we will give the lower body a break and use the trainer to warm up the upper body.
This month we will be doing a type of rear fly that we call the Gator Chomp at ActivEdge.
Start facing the TRX suspension trainer with the straps fully lengthened. Grab hold of the handles and lean back on your heels with your arms extended out in front of you and palms facing each other. Open up your arms with the top arm facing down and the bottom arm facing up and pull your body, pivoting on your heels, up toward the anchor point. This motion resembles the Gator Chomp. Then return the arms back to the middle, lowering your body back to the starting point. Continue by alternating which arm is on top and which is on the bottom.
With this exercise, as with most suspension trainer exercises, you can easily make this more or less difficult based on how close your feet are positioned underneath the anchor point of the TRX unit. The closer you are to the TRX, the more body weight you will be lifting and the harder it will be. Also, remember to try not to let the straps get any slack in them as you pull yourself up to standing.
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Brian Diaz is the head physical therapist and sports specialist at ActivEdge Fitness & Sports Performance. He is a Level II Certified TRX Suspension Trainer and a USA Triathlon Certified Coach. Follow him on Twitter (@JediTriathlete) or go to his website at ExperienceTheEdge.com for more exercise ideas.
