We’re not sure about you, but we’ve been on vacation so many times, woken early with the intention of keeping fit, only to find that the hotel gym is rather lacking. Maybe the photos in the brochure aren’t quite what you see when you arrive. Either that, or it’s always packed, suffering from a lack of air conditioning or has outdated equipment. Or all three.

The simplest solution is to bring a gym with you. We don’t advocate packing a kettlebell in your suitcase, but there are a few devices you can take with you and won’t cause your luggage to be over the weight limit. A resistance band, skipping rope and perhaps a TRX.

The TRX Suspension trainer is one of our favourite pieces of exercise equipment. It’s light, compact, works fantastically and is a universal tool to challenge your body in various ways. You can take it to just about any location and connect it to a tree, post or any fixed object, then follow our programme to keep you fit and active, on the road.

We’ve created a simple TRX Circuit you can perform whether you’re on vacation or on the road, perhaps before or after meeting a client. No reason why you couldn’t blast out this routine between meetings or on your lunch.

We recommend performing our TRX Circuit 5 times and with 30 seconds rest between each set. Take a look at our introduction video below for a preview of your entire circuit.

Remember to click on each image below to see individual versions of the exercises in detail.

Before you continue, please remember that you need to warm up.

If you are unsure about some of the terms used in this article, it’s worth having a quick read through our Glossary of Terms before you get started with your workout.

TRX – Squat Jumps (click image for video example)

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01

TRX Squat Jumps

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart grabbing the TRX with your arms straight out in from of your body. Squat down slowly and at the same time raise your arms upwards then explode up into a jump. Make sure you are squatting correctly and land safely into the squat position again.

Target: 10 squat jumps

TRX – Chest Press (click image for video example)

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02

TRX Chest Press

Grab the handles with your hands at shoulder width and lean forward at around 45 degrees, while keeping your body straight. Bend your elbows while lowering your body until your chest reaches the handles. Then push yourself back up.

Target: 10 presses

TRX – High Row Squat (click image for video example)

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03

TRX High Row Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart grabbing the TRX with your arms straight out in from of your body. Squat down slowly and at the same time keep your arms close to your chest and as you ascend out of the squat slowly raise your arms to for a Y above your head by the time you finish your squat

Target: 10 high row squats

Tip: the lower you can squat, the more effective the exercise.

TRX – Mountain Climbers (click image for video example)

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04

TRX Mountain Climbers

Make sure your TRX is hovering a foot or so above the ground. Insert your feet into the foot cradles of the TRX and get in the press up position. Keeping your whole body straight start by bringing one knee into your chest and return to starting position and rapidly do the next knee and repeat over and over.

Target: As many as possible within 30 seconds

TRX – Hamstring Runner (click image for video example)

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05

Hamstring Runner

Laying flat on your back with your feet facing the TRX and again in the foot cradle of the TRX. Keep your hips raised off the ground creating a line from the heels to the shoulders. Then bend your left knee to 90 degrees while keeping your right leg extended. Extend the left knee again and repeat on left leg.

Target: As many as possible within 30 seconds with good form

TRX – Burpee (click image for video example)

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06

The TRX Burpee

This is really tough as you’re doing a burpee on 1 leg and you’re effectively doing a plank, push up and 1 leg jump squat in one. While standing suspend one of your feet in both TRX foot cradles at once keeping the two TRX handles together. Keep your leg behind you so your knee is bent but stretched. Lower your standing leg into a reverse lunge, and place your palms shoulder-width apart in front of you. Extend your supporting leg so it is also suspended and you find yourself in the plank position.Then lower your body into a push-up. Then hop your leg back in front of you into the lunge position then plant your foot firmly and power up into a leap, performing the 1 leg burpee. Repeat on the other leg.

Target: 5 burpees on each leg (within 30 seconds)

Tip: make this as fast or as slow as you like. The faster you go, the tougher the exercise.

Once you’ve completed one entire circuit rest thirty seconds and go again. Make sure you stick to the rest and try and perform the exercises with as good form as possible. Don’t forget to cool down at the end, do a light jog or walk and do some static stretches, you want to decrease the possibility of muscle soreness tomorrow.

This circuit has presented you with six different exercises that can be performed pretty much anywhere and all you need is the TRX suspension training device. Ideal for taking with you on vacation or the road and it only takes 20 minutes.

Before you finish, remember that you should spend time cooling down.