Tutorial: TRX Knee Pull
WHAT
The TRX Knee Pull is a functional core exercise, that targets the entire abdominal wall and chest. The exercise is performed by laying flat on your stomach with your feet placed into the foot cradles positioned under the anchor point.
HOW
- Start by positioning your feet into the foot cradles under the anchor point. You should start in a kneeling position to do so.
- Lie flat on your stomach with your hands placed shoulder-width apart. Brace your torso engaging your core muscles. Keep the glutes and quadriceps engaged.
- Slowly press your body off the floor until your elbows are straight and in plank position. Don’t forget to keep your head and spine aligned and to keep the glutes and quadriceps contracted to maintain stability.
- Slowly pull your knees towards your chest, bending your knees as they tuck under your hips. Keep your feet together. Continue to pull your knees inwards until they are directly under your hips.
- Inhale and slowly lower your body back to plank position. Repeat!
WHY
- The TRX Knee Pull adds instability and an extra challenge to the often more simple abs exercise. You’ll involve more your core since both your feet are suspended relying more on the upper body strength.
- Learning to engage the core in a neutral spine position will offer more functionality, compared to traditional abs type of exercise.
- For most of our daily lives, the spine is in a similar position, so the ability to stabilize in this position is important, especially when we load the body (eg. carrying, lifting, etc).
- The deeper and closer to the spine the abdominal muscle is, the more effect over body posture it will have contributing to a healthy back.
- Since the TRX knee pull demands so much stability, you’ll be working on your obliques: a often forgotten part of your abs which serve as stabilizers and are used in almost any physical task.
