How many reps of the TRX power pull should you do per side when you are new to the exercise?

Work in 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps each side, leaning back only as far as you can control with a straight body line. Progress by leaning back further to add body weight rather than by adding reps.

What can you do instead of the TRX power pull if you don't have a suspension trainer?

A single-arm cable row or a band anchored at chest height trains a similar rotate-and-pull pattern without a suspension trainer. With nothing at all, pair a standing torso rotation with a resistance-band row to cover the two pieces separately.

What is the TRX power pull good for, and when should you skip it?

It builds rotational pulling strength and shoulder-to-hip coordination that carries over to athletic movement. Skip it for pure straight-line lat size, since a standard row loads the lat more directly, or if you have a rotational low-back injury, since the twist adds extra spinal demand.

Intermediate

TRX Power Pull

Holding one handle and leaning back, you rotate the torso open and reach the free hand down and back, then pull up and rotate square in a single powerful arc. That blend of a single-arm row and a rotation trains the lat and mid-back while the obliques control the twist, making it more athletic than a straight row. It is a favorite TRX drill for building rotational pulling strength and shoulder-to-hip coordination.

Equipment: TRX
Body part: Abs, Back
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Latissimus Dorsi
Browse by movement: Horizontal Pull, Rotation

How to do it

1
Face the anchor and hold one handle with the working arm, palm down.
2
Walk the feet forward and lean back until the arm is straight and loaded.
3
Brace the core and set a straight line from head to heels.
4
Reach the free hand down and back, rotating the torso open toward the floor.
5
Pull with the working arm and rotate the torso square, driving the elbow back.
6
Lower under control, letting the free hand reach away again, then repeat and switch sides.

Tips

Let the reach and the pull happen together so the move flows as one arc.
Drive the working elbow down and back to bias the lat over the arm.
Keep the hips up and the core braced so the body does not sag or pike.
Control the rotation rather than throwing the free arm around.

Variations

Common mistakes

The feet end up too far back from the anchor, so the body is nearly upright and the straps go slack at the top of the pull and the lat loses tension exactly when it should peak.
The rotation stops halfway back to square instead of finishing there, so the lat and mid-back never reach a full, tensioned contraction.
One side gets noticeably more practice than the other because the set ends whenever the working arm gets tired, not on a matched rep count.
The head cranes around to watch the free hand travel, pulling the neck out of the strong, straight line the rest of the body is holding.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the TRX power pull should you do per side when you are new to the exercise?: Work in 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps each side, leaning back only as far as you can control with a straight body line. Progress by leaning back further to add body weight rather than by adding reps.
What can you do instead of the TRX power pull if you don't have a suspension trainer?: A single-arm cable row or a band anchored at chest height trains a similar rotate-and-pull pattern without a suspension trainer. With nothing at all, pair a standing torso rotation with a resistance-band row to cover the two pieces separately.
What is the TRX power pull good for, and when should you skip it?: It builds rotational pulling strength and shoulder-to-hip coordination that carries over to athletic movement. Skip it for pure straight-line lat size, since a standard row loads the lat more directly, or if you have a rotational low-back injury, since the twist adds extra spinal demand.

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