The TRX suspension trainer is an incredibly versatile tool. Using just this tool and gravity, you’re able to work out any part of your body, even in a small space. Plus, you can scale your TRX exercises to any fitness level and it will always engage your core.

On the other hand, the TRX is such a versatile tool that you might not know where to start with it. We thought we’d share the best TRX exercises we’ve found to help strengthen every part of your body and start or diversify your TRX workout.

Try These TRX Exercises:

1. One Leg Squat

You can do normal squats with the TRX but to really take advantage of the extra stability the TRX lends you, try out one leg squats.

• Step One: While holding the stirrups, lean backwards and raise one leg.
• Step Two: Keep your back straight and core engaged while you squat with your other leg.
• Step Three: Raise yourself. Repeat on the other leg.

2. Inverted Row

Working both of your arms in a rowing motion couldn’t be simpler with the TRX suspension trainer.

• Step One: Put your legs hip-width apart. While holding the stirrups, lean back.
• Step Two: With your arms relaxed and straight, turn your palms to face each other.
• Step Three: Keep your back and legs straight, and your core engaged, while you bend your elbows and pull yourself towards the anchor. Relax your arms and repeat.

3. Lateral Lunge

Often when using TRX, people move backwards and forwards, but neglect to move sideways. Moving laterally is an important step to build and maintain your flexibility and symmetry.

• Step One: Set your legs further apart than your shoulders. Point your toes forward.
• Step Two: Hold the stirrups slightly in front of your shoulders.
• Step Three: Keeping both feet planted, bend your right knee and sink down to the right.
• Step Four: Use the handles to stabilize yourself as you lift back up to standing. Repeat on the other side.

4. Rotational Ward

Ready to build core strength? A fan of yoga? This one is for you. It looks simple, but if you pull hard, you’ll challenge yourself.

• Step One: Stand sideways instead of facing the anchor point.
• Step Two: Put the foot closest to the anchor point forward and the other slightly back.
• Step Three: Place your hands flat together. Place them in both stirrups.
• Step Four: Push your hands forward, together. The further you go, the deeper the burn. Keep your core tight.

If you find any of these exercises too challenging, move your feet back from the anchor point. If you want to increase difficulty instead, step closer. In this way, the TRX suspension trainer grows with you, without having to add weights.

Interested in more instruction on how to use your TRX suspension trainer with proper form or in targeting a certain area of your body these exercises don’t cover? Contact us at Absolute Pilates. We can help you find the right exercise to accomplish your goals.

At Absolute Pilates, we offer both Pilates and yoga classes, so we often get asked about the difference between the two. While it’s true that they are quite similar, these workouts are different enough that most people have a strong preference for one over the other.

Here we’ll take a look at the key differences so that you can decide which type might be best for you.

The Core Differences

Pilates and yoga are both full-body workouts that focus on improving strength, flexibility, balance and breathing. However, Pilates focuses on the strength aspect, while yoga usually focuses more on flexibility and breathing. Most of the time when you’re in a Pilates class, you’ll be on the ground. In a yoga class, you’re more likely to be switching from standing to ground work, depending on the style.

Another key difference is that many people choose to practice yoga as part their spirituality. Even if you don’t choose to do that, you will still find most yoga classes are meditative and help you focus your mental energy on your goals. Not as many people consider adding their spiritual practices to Pilates, which tends to be more intense. Plus, Pilates involves counting reps and keeping track of sets, which doesn’t leave as much room to think.

You can learn even more about the differences between Pilates and yoga by reading about the specific kinds of classes we offer.

Pilates Classes

We offer several different Pilates classes which all offer something a little different: 

• Osteo-Pilates: If you’re looking to add a little of that yoga flexibility and balance into your Pilates class, this might be right for you. While the class is designed to decrease the risk of fractures for those with Osteoporosis, anyone can participate and reap the benefits of better balance and bone health.
• Stretch and Lengthen: This class also focuses on stretching more than your average Pilates class but has fewer bone health benefits than the Osteo-Pilates class.
• Matwork Challenge: If instead you want to lean into the benefits of Pilates and improve your strength and endurance, this class will challenge you and even boost coordination.
• Mom and Babies: After you give birth, you might be drawn to Pilates because of its focus on the core muscles, which need to recover and strengthen after your pregnancy. This class allows you to bring your little one and is a bonus bonding experience for both mom and baby!

Yoga Classes

Our yoga classes focus on those benefits that yoga does best, including breathing, focus and flexibility.

• Hatha yoga: When most people think of yoga, they imagine Hatha yoga. It teaches beginner poses and focuses on breathing and calming to reduce cortisol and improve your focus.
• Restorative yoga: This class is designed to align your body and mind with slow, purposeful movements that activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The benefits include lowered blood pressure and heart rate, lessening chronic pain and anxiety, and increasing oxygen levels in the blood.

There’s much to be said for the benefits of practicing both Pilates and yoga as you need both strength and flexibility to be healthy. If you’re ready to sign up for a class, feel free to register here.

Who doesn’t enjoy a relaxing and therapeutic massage? If you have an injury or condition that impacts your physical wellbeing, you may consider pursuing massage therapy to promote healing. Few people realize that massage therapy provides so many benefits for the body, mind and soul.

Heal Your Body

Traditionally, people seek massage therapy when they have an injury or an illness to treat. There are a wide array of targeted massage therapy techniques available and depending on the method you choose, massage therapy can help you recover from a variety of diverse health conditions and injuries. For example, sports massage can help restore your range of motion, strengthen weakened muscles, extend and relax tendons and much more.

Another popular kind of massage therapy is trigger point massage. It helps with conditions that involve nerve pain, including:

• Fibromyalgia
• Diabetes
• Repetitive movement injuries
• Pain from poor posture
• Nerve compression causing back and leg pain.

Other forms of massage therapy can also treat:

• Digestive disorders
• Headaches and migraines
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Post operative pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Problems from sitting at your desk.

Massage therapy can increase your circulation, which boosts your cardiovascular health and supports you as you seek to improve your health or performance.

Support Your Mind

Massage therapy isn’t just a physical treatment, there are powerful mental and emotional benefits as well.  According to the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario, massage therapy reduces:

• Stress and stress related conditions
• Symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Headaches
• Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Massage therapy has such a positive impact on your mental well-being that cancer patients are using it to support them through chemotherapy and other difficult treatments. Massage therapy can reduce their nausea, fatigue, and depression. Those with other serious conditions, like Parkinson’s disease, HIV/AIDS, or those receiving hospice care also use massage therapy to increase their quality of life.

Those who are not suffering from a serious condition or a mental health disorder will still enjoy the effects massage therapy has on their mind. It helps you to sleep better, relax and can make your more productive in other areas of your life.

Express Your Soul

Massage therapy hasn’t traditionally been an aspect of many Western religious or spiritual practices, so few have considered incorporating it into their spiritual life. But elsewhere in the world, the spiritual potential of massage therapy has been noticed and praised. Ancient Chinese and Indonesian massage therapy practices closely intertwine spirituality with physical touch. In Hawaii, a spiritual practice of giving and receiving massage, called Lomilomi massage, is used as an effective treatment to heal the mind and body.

Perhaps it’s this knowledge of the long tradition of religious massage therapy in the East that has inspired Westerners to try incorporating massage into their own practice. Many spiritual communities now offer or encourage massage therapy as a way to connect with one’s soul or strengthen one’s beliefs. There is even a Christian Massage Network that offers massage as “a union of physical and spiritual healing for the mind, body, and soul.” If you’re a spiritual or religious person, you may find nourishment for your soul on the massage table.

Contact us at Absolute Pilates and schedule a massage to see what physical, mental, or spiritual benefits message therapy can offer you.  

Being a Mommy to a new baby is a demanding job! From managing feedings and nap time, to comforting them when they cry, to soaking up all the beautiful moments – it can be difficult to find time to focus on your health.

Are you struggling to find enough free time for yourself to exercise? Do you often feel tired and sluggish from not getting enough active minutes in a week? Are you hoping to put your health first? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then you ABsolutely need to try one of our Mommy and Me Pilates classes!

At Absolute Pilates, our Mommy and Me Pilates Class is specifically targeted to women who have recently had a baby. The best part?! Your baby will have just as much fun as you do.

Explore the Many Benefits of a Mommy & Baby Pilates Class

Our Mommy and Me Pilates class is all about making Moms from all walks of life feel confident and comfortable. We do this by offering a program that is geared towards different ability and experience levels.

Whether you were a Pilates pro before you got pregnant or have never tried it before – our classes are geared towards your unique ability level.

Your post-natal body is a representation of the beautiful little being you created and we aim to help you stay healthy and active while achieving your individual body goals, whatever they may be. Our class is designed to safely target areas that new moms are usually most interested in working on (like regaining strength and muscle tone in the pelvic floor, back, and abs).

Our experienced instructors are moms themselves – they know that having a baby is a 24/7 job and can help you meet your fitness goals through safe, post-natal exercises in an accepting and fun environment. Need to take a break to feed? Or change a diaper? No problem! You’ve got our full support and understanding.

Meet Other Moms

In addition to the fitness component, our Mommy and Me Pilates class is a great way to get out in the community and meet other new moms. Being a new Mom can sometimes be an isolating experience, especially during the winter months, but our class is a warm, welcoming place to meet other women with shared experiences.

Your child will have fun too and enjoy the opportunity to interact and meet other babies. Mommy and Me Pilates is sure to brighten your spirits during this cold and grey weather!

Model Healthy Habits

Demonstrating healthy habits to your child from a young age is important. Children who see their parents valuing and prioritizing their health and fitness are more likely to do so themselves.

Love Your Body

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes! Our goal is to help you fall back in love (or stay in love) with your body. With a diverse range of exercises, our overall focus is on health and wellness through a participatory and adaptable approach.

Get started on your path to a healthier, happier lifestyle for you and your little bundle of joy. Contact us today to register in our Mommy and Me Pilates Class. We look forward to meeting you and your little one.

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