By Brian Diaz
Other than some ultra endurance runners and cyclocross racers, most athletes have entered the first stages of indoor-based training.
Some experiment with resistance and cross training at this time to make some strength gains and help balance out some physiological differences amongst sides. Most of us realize the importance of core stabilization and have access to a spot where they can hang a suspension trainer and use body weight as resistance.
I’ve put together my favorite core series on the TRX Suspension Trainer and typically use timed intervals of :30 secs on and :15 secs off for 4 rounds of all 4 exercises.
Exercise #1: Reverse Crunch – with both feet in the straps and facing down, push up off the ground and bring the legs in and out
Exercise #2: Reverse Rotational Crunch – same set up as #1; this time the knees come up to the elbows and rotate from side to side to bring in some more obliques
Exercises #3: Pike Crunch – same set up as #1; this time pull the hips up towards the ceiling and bring the face towards the feet incorporating the hips a bit more than the first two exercises
Exercises #4: Hip Abduction –same set up as #1; keep the hips at the same height and do not let them drop as the legs go out to the side and back in together.
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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.
