TRX Chest Press

The TRX Chest Press is a functional suspension exercise that strengthens the chest, shoulders, and triceps while demanding significant core stability. It mimics the movement pattern of a push-up but allows for scalable resistance by adjusting your body angle.

How Iridium Helps

Since the TRX Chest Press relies on body angle rather than external plates for resistance, the AI analyzes your RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and rep performance to ensure you are training at the correct intensity; if sets feel too easy, it prompts you to lengthen the straps or walk your feet back. The app also tracks your daily recovery metrics like HRV and sleep to determine if your stabilizer muscles are ready for this high-stability demand or if a more stable regression is safer for the day. Additionally, if you have logged shoulder pain in the past, the AI can suggest limiting the range of motion or swapping to a floor press to protect the joint.

Form Cues

Do
  • Maintain a rigid plank position from head to heels throughout the movement.
  • Keep the straps raised slightly off your arms to prevent rubbing or 'sawing'.
  • Lower your chest until your hands are in line with your chest, not your shoulders.
  • Engage your glutes and brace your core before starting the descent.
  • Drive through your palms to return to the start, squeezing your chest at the top.
Don't
  • Don't allow your hips to sag or pike upwards as you press.
  • Don't let the straps rub against your upper arms or shoulders.
  • Don't flare your elbows out excessively wide; keep them at roughly 45 degrees.
  • Don't rely on momentum to push yourself back up.

Common Mistakes

  • Allowing the straps to rub against the arms
  • Sagging the hips and breaking core tension
  • Stopping short of full range of motion
  • Starting with feet too far back for current strength level

Muscles Worked

This exercise primarily targets the pectoralis major (middle chest), with significant assistance from the anterior deltoids and triceps. Unlike stable pressing movements, it heavily engages the rectus abdominis and obliques to prevent the body from swaying on the suspension straps.

Primary

Middle Chest

Secondary

Anterior DeltoidTriceps Lateral HeadTriceps Medial HeadGeneral Core

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