TRX Shoulder Exercises - Basic and Advanced Exercises for Big Shoulders

Author: Ihor Shymechko (26 years of Oly Lifting & Training experience)

TRX Training improves strength, power, balance, and coordination. Today, I want to discuss TRX shoulder exercises and ways to program them correctly into a TRX shoulder workout.

Adding TRX suspension training to your workout routine provides an excellent way to build muscle and improve your balance and coordination using your body weight. It also has positive applications to older populations. Choosing the best TRX exercises is important, with many beginner and advanced movements for each muscle group.

I’ve broken down the best TRX shoulder exercises below and categorized them accordingly. I’ll also give you a great TRX shoulder workout to help get you started!

TRX straps are a versatile piece of gym equipment that can be used for a whole-body workout. Some of the best TRX shoulder exercises include TRX delt flys, atomic push-ups, TRX Swimmers, and TRX alligators. Whilst creating a great TRX band shoulder workout, these movements are also a great way to work your core.

TRX workout

Overview of TRX Shoulder Training

The TRX system works as a full-body workout using adjustable straps and regular workout movements. A TRX system can be used by attaching the two straps to a solid pivot point. By using the resistance of your body weight against gravity, TRX straps provide a highly effective shoulder workout with the freely-movable joint lending itself well to suspension training.

TRX exercises can be great for shoulder training in many ways, for example, shoulder stability, scapula control, range of motion, and strength. TRX band shoulder exercises require stability through the shoulders and scapula to maintain correct form and avoid injury
female athlete and trx

photo by @trxturkiye

Basic TRX Shoulder Exercises

TRX T Delt Fly

  • Muscles Worked: Deltoids, Lats, Rhomboids, Traps

TRX straps allow you to combine different types of training and switch from cardio exercise to a strength-oriented one at a glance. Just hook it on the horn from one side of the door and here you go. Let's see the TRX upper body workout exercises that will tone up each muscle thoroughly.

TRX-Assisted Chin-Ups

  • Muscles Worked: Front Delts, Abdominals, Chest

Adjust the TRX to just below mid-length and turn around so your body is facing toward the floor and away from the anchor point. Place both feet in the foot cradles and lift your body into a hand plank position. Engage your core and lower your elbows to 90 degrees whilst keeping a straight body position. Drive back up and return to the plank position. Keep your core engaged throughout the movement.

TRX Swimmers

  • Muscles Worked: Front Delts, Abdominals, Triceps

Keeping the TRX at the mid-level, stand facing the anchor point to start. Place your hands by your sides at hip height and keep your palms back. Grip the TRX handles and assume an offset stance with one leg behind. Lower your body backward into a plank whilst keeping your arms straight and core engaged. Pull the handles and drive back towards the anchor point.

Advanced TRX Shoulder Exercises

TRX Alligators

  • Muscles Worked: Deltoids, Lattisumus Doris, Rotator Cuffs

Set the TRX straps up at head height with the anchor facing you. Using an overhead grip, take a strap in each hand. Extend your arms out whilst leaning back with your feet flat on the ground. Engage your core and widen your arms so one goes up and the other goes down like an alligator's mouth. Hold the position at the top and bring the straps down slowly to the starting position.

TRX Clock Press

  • Muscles Worked: Front Deltoids, Pecs, Biceps, Rhomboids

Assemble the TRX bands so the handles are at waist height. Position your feet just outside of shoulder width apart with your hands securely over the handles. Lean forward with your arms fully extended in front of you, balancing in an upright plank position. Your weight should be shifted onto your toes with your body at approximately 40 degrees. Begin by flexing one arm, keeping it close to your body whilst simultaneously extending the opposite out to the side. Hold this position for a few seconds and revert to the original position and repeat. This exercise needs to be slow and controlled to get the proper stimulus and avoid injury due to its difficulty level.

Atomic Push-ups

  • Muscles Worked: Front Deltoids, Pecs, Biceps, Rhomboids

Set the TRX system up so it's hanging just above the floor. Lying face down with your body facing away, place a foot into each handle. Walk forward on your hands until your body is parallel to the ground. Brace your core and lower yourself down to your hands. Drive upwards with your arms whilst keeping your core engaged and back straight. Bring your feet up to your hips and hold the top position before returning to the start.

TRX Workout Program for Shoulders

Here’s how to program the exercises above for an excellent TRX shoulder workout.

In this program, the aim is to complete everything until failure for 3 rounds; implement this into your weekly routine consistently for a fun and engaging shoulder-dominant workout. Perform three rounds until failure, resting 90 seconds in between.

TRX Exercise

Sets 

Rest

Atomic Push-ups

Perform each exercise consecutively in a circuit format

90 seconds rest between each round

TRX Delt Flys

TRX Alligators

TRX Swimmers 

TRX System We Recommend - TRX Sweat System

TRX Sweat System
The TRX Sweat System is a versatile bodyweight training kit that provides a full-body workout, whether your goal is strength, cardio, or core. The adjustable straps are made from high-quality nylon and attach to durable foam handles that are comfortable to grip. The metal anchor carabiner can support up to 700 pounds of user weight.
Included in the package is a door anchor, suspension anchor, mesh carry bag, and six sample workout downloads to get you started.

Subscribe!

Get more reviews about training equipment, special offers and discounts from different stores.

Tips From the Champ

To add more versatility and dynamics to your daily training we offer you to try this TRX Sweat system from the manufacturers of the TRX Home Suspension Trainer that brings you ultimate freedom for full-body training anywhere you go. 

Olympic Weightlifting Champion

FAQ

What Are Trx Exercises Good For?

TRX workout is perfect for building up muscles and general physical strength, developing flexibility and mobility skills, boosting aerobic capabilities, and also strengthening the abdominals.

Is it okay to do TRX training every day?

Using the TRX trainer for 10-20 minutes daily provides a great workout stimulus without being overly taxing on the body. However, 2-3 sessions per week is enough for most beginners and intermediate athletes.

Conclusion

Your shoulder muscles are functionally complex and maintain the biggest range of motion out of any joint in your body. This makes them great for TRX training, with your core muscles working to keep your body balanced as you perform a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional gym exercises.

The exercises I've described above are suitable for a range of ability levels and workout goals, with the workout program providing an additional challenge.

Have you used the TRX system before? What are your favorite exercises? Let me know in the comments below.

Also read:

References:

  • How TRX Training Improves Strength, Balance, and Flexibility // Verywellfit: https://www.verywellfit.com/trx-suspension-training-4580454
  • TRX Suspension Training: A New Functional Training Approach for Older Adults – Development, Training Control and Feasibility // Ncbi: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3325639/
  • Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Shoulder // Ncbi: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4833470/
  • Shoulder muscle activation during stable and suspended push-ups at different heights in healthy subjects// Sciencedirect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1466853X14001096
  • The effect of eight-week TRX exercises on mild and moder- ate posture disorders // Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342233962_The_effect_of_eight-week_TRX_exercises_on_mild_and_moder-_ate_posture_disorders
  • Anatomy of the Shoulder Muscles Explained // Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/shoulder-muscles

Why Trust Us?

With over 20 years in Olympic Weightlifting, our team does its best to provide the audience with ultimate support and meet the needs and requirements of advanced athletes and professional lifters, as well as people who strive to open new opportunities and develop their physical capabilities with us.

By trusting the recommendations of our certified experts in coaching, nutrition, dietology, and sports training programming, as well as scientific consultants, and physiotherapists, we provide you with thorough, well-considered, and scientifically proven content. All the information given in the articles concerning workout programming, separate exercises, and athletic performance, in general, is based on verified data. We ensure that you can rely on our professionals' pieces of advice and recommendations that can be treated as personalized ones which will benefit you and fully meet your needs.

Coach, PRO Olympic Weightlifter

Experience: 26 years

Best Results: Snatch - 208 kg,

C&J - 240 kg

My name is Ihor and I have been a professional weightlifter since 1996. With over 20 years of competition experience, my resume includes European Champion in 2009 and the silver medalist at 2011's Senior World Championships – 105kg division.

I competed at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.

After hanging up my own competitive lifting shoes, I decided to share my huge background as a coach. I am currently coaching multiple athletes who are competing at national and international competitions.

If you have any questions/suggestions/any other inquiry, you can reach out to us via email - reviews@torokhtiy.com

This article was written by our qualified author and proofread by expert with proven experience. When writing the article we use our expertise and data from open sources with strong reputation, scientific or medical based. The list of references is provided at the end of the article.


Our team of authors and experts includes professional athletes (Olympians, winners of European and World titles) PhD in Sport Science, certified coaches, sports nutritionists, CSCP, physiotherapists and other. Read more about the team here, and more about how we test here.

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

Back to Guides