TRX Side Crunches

TRX Side Crunches are the perfect exercise for targeting the oblique muscles and enhancing core stability. This exercise is performed on the TRX suspension trainer, which adds an element of instability, making the exercise more challenging and effective. TRX Side Crunches are suitable for all fitness levels and can be modified to match your personal strength and ability.

Here we will delve into the muscles worked, how to perform TRX Side Crunches, benefits, common mistakes to avoid, reps and sets, how to progress this exercise, how and where to fit it into your workout plan and finally other exercises targeting the same muscle groups.

Muscles Worked When Performing TRX Side Crunches

Obliques: The primary muscle group targeted with this exercise is the obliques, these are the muscles on the sides of your abdomen, crucial for rotational and side-bending movements.

Abs: You can’t be suspended on the TRX and not hit your abs, all of the abdominal muscles, including the deeper core muscles will get an excellent workout with this exercise.

Hip Flexors: The hip flexors are engaged, these are a group of 5 key muscles that support hip flexion.

Lower Back: TRX side crunches will use the support of your lower back to maintain the suspended position.

Anterior Deltoids: The front of your shoulders are also engaged to help you maintain balance throughout the exercise.

Become an exclusive member and get complete workout plans with video demonstrations of all exercises, plus dedicated online support to help you reach your goals faster. Tell me more >>>

How to Perform TRX Side Crunches

1. Set Up: You should already have the TRX straps attached to an anchor point above you. Adjust the straps so they hang down to about mid-calf length.

2. Start Position: Place your feet in the TRX handles / foot cradles and get into a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels.

3. Perform the Side Crunch: Twist your knees towards one side of your body, bringing them towards your elbow while maintaining a stable plank position. Keep your core engaged and back flat.

4. Return to Plank: Slowly extend your legs back to the starting plank position, ensuring control and stability.

5. Alternate Sides: Perform the same movement on the opposite side, twisting your knees towards the other elbow.

6. Repeat: Alternate sides for the desired number of repetitions.

Benefits of TRX Side Crunches

Oblique Strength: This is an excellent oblique exercise to help you build strength and stability into your obliques.

Core Strength: TRX Side Crunches also target the overall core, including the deepest core muscles, leading to improved overall strength and stability.

Functional Fitness: This exercise enhances rotational strength and stability, which is important for many daily activities and sports.

Balance and Coordination: Improves balance and coordination through the use of the TRX suspension trainer's instability.

Versatility: Can be adapted for various fitness levels and easily integrated into different workout routines.

Low Impact: Minimises stress on the joints while providing a challenging workout for the core and supporting muscles.

TRX Side Crunches Common Mistakes to Avoid

Sagging Hips: Keep your hips in line with your body and avoid letting them drop towards the floor.

Rounded Back: Maintain a flat back throughout the movement to ensure proper form and avoid injury.

Uncontrolled Movements: Perform each rep with controlled and smooth movements to maximise muscle engagement and minimise injury risk.

Inconsistent Breathing: Maintain a steady breathing pattern, exhaling as you twist your knees in and inhaling as you return to plank.

Reps and Sets

It’s on you to determine how many reps and sets you should perform. It depends on your goals, but more generally speaking, it depends on how many reps you can actually do.

Beginners: Start with simply mastering the move. Keep in mind that if you’re just starting out, 4 reps is a valid set.

To determine how many reps/sets of TRX Side Crunches you should start with, you first need to figure out how many reps you can comfortably perform. Then add 2, and perform that number of reps for 3 sets.

For example; let’s say you can perform 4 reps comfortably. Add 2 to make 6 reps. Perform those 6 reps 3 times over, allowing yourself sufficient rest inbetween.

Experienced lifters: You know your body and its abilities better than anyone, use your own judgement.

We recommend that you avoid performing more than 12 reps per set. If you’re comfortably performing 12 reps for up to 6 sets, it’s time to make the exercise more challenging.

How to Make TRX Side Crunches More Challenging

You can make this exercise more challenging by slowing the exercise down to increase your time under tension. You can also slow down half the exercise, so tuck in at normal speed and then slowly release your feet back to start position in a clean and controlled movement.

Another option for making TRX Side Crunches more challenging is to wear a weighted vest or belt for added resistance.

How to Incorporate TRX Side Crunches into Your Workouts

Core Workout: Include TRX Side Crunches in a core-focused routine alongside exercises like Planks, Russian Twists, and Bicycle Crunches.

Full-Body Workout: Use TRX Side Crunches as part of a full-body circuit to engage multiple muscle groups. Pair with exercises such as Press-Ups, Lunges, and any variation of Rows for a comprehensive workout.

Warm-Up or Finisher: Incorporate TRX Side Crunches as a warm-up to activate your core or as a finisher to challenge your muscles at the end of your workout.

Exercises That Work Similar Muscles to TRX Side Crunches

Some other exercises you may want to consider include; Russian Twists, Hanging Leg Raises, Side Planks or Bicycle Crunches.

You may also be interested to explore all of the ab & core exercises that we have listed in our database here. Since there are many for you to choose from.

Get Complete Workouts

Our exercise database is here to teach you the fundamentals of some key exercises in weightlifting. It is by no means an exhaustive list of exercises and each category is certainly not a workout plan in itself. In order to turn these exercises into a workout plan, you need to know how to combine the right exercises to achieve the best possible results.

Knowing how to put together an efficient and effective workout plan is the cornerstone of achieving your fitness goals. It's the difference between merely working out and truly transforming your body.

That’s why Lipstick Lifters' Members Zone exists. Our goal is to teach you how to build your own workout plans so that you can be gym independent. All of this is possible with our Members Zone portal.

Members Zone annual subscribers have a unique advantage. They don’t need to puzzle over piecing together a workout plan, because we've done the hard work for them. Inside our Members Zone Portal, you'll find full workout plans tailored for women, complete with video demonstrations of each exercise.

Why Choose Members Zone

Members Zone is your one stop shop for weightlifting workout plans, delivered conveniently through our mobile friendly web app.

Here's what you're about to unlock...

Variety: Over 130 individual workout plans to suit a wide range of goals, available for your grab and go convenience.

Targeted muscle building: All plans come with a muscle highlighted image so you know exactly which muscles you’re building. - Simply choose the plan that suits your needs.

Video demonstrations: Form matters, that’s why each exercise in our portal is accompanied by a video demonstration of 3-5 full clean reps. You can watch this through as many times as you need to master the move.

Get started and progress: Plans offer beginner & advanced execution options so you can start with the basics and progress using the same plan.

Learn on the go: Our mobile friendly web portal means you can access plans, and video demonstrations of each exercise, to help you master the correct form, right from the gym floor.

Puts you in control: Our goal is to teach you gym independence, that's why the bulk of our portal is broken down into warm ups, workouts, and finisher plans.

Mix and match these to build a complete workout that fits your own personal preferences and goals.

Pre-built plans: These pre-built plans were put together by our team to demonstrate how the portal works. They are made up of warm ups, workouts, and finishers directly from the portal. Use them to get results, but also notice how the plan comes together. So that next time you can build your own plan from the wide range of options in the main portal!

Workout packs: Do you just want something that tells you exactly what to do and when to do it? These workout packs are ready to go when you are.

Evergreen: For the most part in weightlifting the exercises are the same, it is the execution of the exercises that turns amateurs into pros.

That means that all of our workout plans, featuring 200 different exercises, can be revamped, no end, simply by switching up the exercises and changing the rep/set execution.

All you need to do is get started, everything else comes with experience.

Dedicated online support: We want you to succeed in the world of weightlifting on your own merit. Without the need for an expensive trainer or coach, because few people these days can afford this luxury.

Lipstick Lifters Members Zone is your DIY solution and we are here to support you, for as long as you need, as part of your annual subscription.

Sample our plans for free: Sign up to access a selection of free workout plans to get you started.

Your journey to strength and confidence begins here.

Get in touch: If you have any questions or need guidance, our team at Members@lipsticklifters.com is here to guide you. So don’t hesitate to get in touch.