What is a sensible starting dose for the TRX body saw?

Start with 2 sets of 5 to 6 short slides, and treat a strict 45-second forearm plank plus a comfortable regular body saw on sliders as the prerequisite before trying the suspended version. Add range in small amounts each week rather than adding reps first.

What can I do instead of a TRX for the body saw movement?

Drop back to a regular body saw using sliders, furniture movers, or towels on a smooth floor, which trains the same anti-extension pattern with less instability. Gymnastic rings set low can also work if you have them and no suspension trainer.

What does the TRX body saw train and who should hold off on it?

It is an advanced anti-extension challenge that layers instability from the suspended feet onto the sliding lever, suited to lifters who already own a strong plank and a controlled regular body saw. Hold off on it if your shoulders are not yet stable overhead or in a suspended position, since the straps add a shoulder demand that a floor-based saw does not have.

Advanced

TRX Body Saw

The body saw takes a suspended forearm plank and adds a slow front-to-back glide, turning a static hold into a dynamic anti-extension challenge for the entire rectus abdominis. Every inch of travel increases the leverage the core must resist, making it far harder than a standard plank. Reserve it for trainees who own a rock-solid plank.

Equipment: TRX
Body part: Abs
Type: Balance, Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Upper Rectus Abdominals, Lower Rectus Abdominals
Browse by movement: Core Brace

How to do it

1
Set both feet in the cradles and lower onto your forearms in a plank.
2
Stack the elbows under the shoulders and brace the abs and glutes hard.
3
Establish a straight, rigid line from head to heels.
4
Push gently through the forearms to slide the body backward, letting the feet travel behind you.
5
Stop before the hips sag, then pull yourself forward to the start.
6
Continue sawing slowly, keeping the trunk locked the entire time.

Tips

Keep the range short at first; longer travel sharply increases the demand.
Do not let the lower back arch as you slide back; ribs stay down.
Squeeze the glutes throughout to protect the spine.

Variations

Common mistakes

The feet swing side to side in the cradles as you slide, adding a lateral wobble that a floor-based saw never has to deal with.
The straps get set too long, so the body starts closer to the floor than a proper plank height and the shoulders end up doing rescue work instead of the trunk.
Rushing straight into a full-length slide on the first session, before the shoulders and trunk have adapted to the suspension, is how this one turns an ab drill into a shoulder problem.
The hands press too far forward past the head to chase more range, which stacks extra shoulder strain on top of an already advanced position.

Frequently asked

What is a sensible starting dose for the TRX body saw?: Start with 2 sets of 5 to 6 short slides, and treat a strict 45-second forearm plank plus a comfortable regular body saw on sliders as the prerequisite before trying the suspended version. Add range in small amounts each week rather than adding reps first.
What can I do instead of a TRX for the body saw movement?: Drop back to a regular body saw using sliders, furniture movers, or towels on a smooth floor, which trains the same anti-extension pattern with less instability. Gymnastic rings set low can also work if you have them and no suspension trainer.
What does the TRX body saw train and who should hold off on it?: It is an advanced anti-extension challenge that layers instability from the suspended feet onto the sliding lever, suited to lifters who already own a strong plank and a controlled regular body saw. Hold off on it if your shoulders are not yet stable overhead or in a suspended position, since the straps add a shoulder demand that a floor-based saw does not have.

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