Welcome to Training with Ryan Mahoney
TIP OF THE MONTH:
Strengthen your Core with TRX Rollouts
Everyone hears about how important it is to have a strong core, but do you really know why? Our core is the foundation for all extremity movements, balance, coordination, speed, agility, and power. When our core is the weakest link in the chain we lose effectiveness and efficiency in our movements, and put ourselves are greater risk for injury. Unfortunately, if you don't use it you lose it (core strength), so incorporate the TRX Rollout into your next workout!
To Perform Exercise:
Start by leaning into the handles with a slight bend in your elbow, and the straps just above your shoulders. Engage your core and slowly bring the straps forward, keeping your core engaged the entire time. Press down into the handles while contracting your abdominal muscles until you've returned to the starting position. Make sure that the straps do not touch your shoulders, which would result in relaxation of your core muscles. As soon as you reach your starting position, perform another repetition. YOUR CORE SHOULD BE ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EXERCISE!
This can be a dangerous exercise if performed improperly. Your vector, or body angle in relation to the floor, is the first way to increase difficulty in the exercise, so it is recommended that you start with less of a body angle and a smaller range of motion (don't bring the straps so high over your head) until the form is perfected at minimal difficulty. With less intensity it is also recommended to perform a great amount of repetitions (12-20), and as you increase the difficulty you can decrease the amount of repetitions you perform. NEVER SACRIFICE GOOD FORM OR IGNORE PROPER PROGRESSION!
To Increase Difficulty:
Move your feet closer to the anchor (change your body angle in relation to the floor), or go through a greater range of motion (bring your arms farther overhead). It is safer to increase the difficulty by changing your body angle because of the strain on your shoulders by reaching farther overhead, and we never want to risk our shoulder integrity.
To Decrease Difficulty:
If you are have trouble performing this exercise from your feet, try performing the same movement from your knees (put a pad under your knees for comfort). Again, stressing the importance of progression. The risk over reward of performing this exercise improperly is never worth the risk of injury.
Check back in for a new tip next month!