Of all the workout equipment that you can buy for your home or to travel with, TRX straps are one of my favorites.

You can easily strength train most muscle groups with no equipment at all if you get creative enough.

This is not true, however, for the muscles of the back.

So, if you were only going to purchase one piece of workout equipment to have at time, my vote would be a set of TRX straps.

In this article, I will break down the most effective TRX exercises for your back.

These are workouts that should be a staple in your home or travel workouts; and even in workouts you perform in the gym.

If you have any questions left unanswered in this article, you are welcome to email me at info@FitnessSimplified.org or comment below!

TRX Row

Of all the different ways that there are to perform a row, this is one of my favorites.

These will primarily target your latissimus dorsi (lats).

Not to mention, these are an excellent stepping stone to getting your first pull-up, if you are not there already.

How to do TRX rows:

Grab the straps and lean back until there is full tension on the straps and you are using your arms to support yourself.

Keep your knees, hips, and torso stiff throughout the entire movement.

Lift your toes off the ground so your heels are the only thing in contact with the ground.

From here, drive your elbows back bringing them close to your sides.

Pause briefly when your elbows are near your body, and slowly lower yourself back down.

The farther forward your feet go, and the more underneath the straps you are, the more difficult these will be.

TRX Ts

This movement gets its name because you are essentially making the letter “T” with your body.

These will primarily target your mid traps, rhomboids, and rear delts.

How to do TRX Ts:

Grab the straps and lean back until there is full tension on the straps and you are using your arms to support yourself.

Keep your knees, hips, and torso stiff throughout the entire movement.

Lift your toes off the ground so your heels are the only thing in contact with the ground.

From here, keep your elbows at a fixed angle and pull them straight out to the sides of you, until your body is in the shape of the letter “T.”

Pause when your arms are directly out to your sides, and slowly lower yourself back down.

The farther forward your feet go, and the more underneath the straps you are, the more difficult these will be.

TRX Ys

Similar to the TRX Ts, this movement gets its name because you will be making the letter “Y” with your body.

Although, you may have already guessed that.

This movement will target your lower traps, a muscle in your back that is often neglected by most programs and other back exercises.

How to do TRX Ys:

Grab the straps and lean back until there is full tension on the straps and you are using your arms to support yourself.

Keep your knees, hips, and torso stiff throughout the entire movement.

Lift your toes off the ground so your heels are the only thing in contact with the ground.

From here, keep your elbows at a fixed angle and pull them up and overhead- a bit wider than shoulder width.

You should be in the shape of the letter “Y” by the end of the movement.

The farther forward your feet go, and the more underneath the straps you are, the more difficult these will be.

TRX Face Pulls

This is a very underrated movement that I think everyone needs to try.

I personally prefer these a great deal more than face pulls with a cable system, which is the more common way to perform a face pull.

This exercise will target many of the same muscles as TRX Ts, however it also trains external rotation of your shoulder to a significant degree.

How to do TRX face pulls:

Grab the straps and lean back until there is full tension on the straps and you are using your arms to support yourself.

Keep your knees, hips, and torso stiff throughout the entire movement.

Lift your toes off the ground so your heels are the only thing in contact with the ground.

From here, pull your elbows back and keep them at shoulder height as you pull.

Let your hands come in line with the middle of your face as you pull.

Imagine you were to pull the middle of the straps to your nose, except it’s your body moving and not the straps.

The farther forward your feet go, and the more underneath the straps you are, the more difficult these will be.