I started my career as a personal trainer by creating unique high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) workouts for my one-on-one clients and outdoor group classes. We used traditional workout equipment like dumbbells, kettlebells, and medicine balls. For a one-on-one session, they were cumbersome, but they worked. But it’s much more complicated in a group setting to keep everyone’s momentum going when you’re constantly having to switch stations to switch out your equipment.
The YBell’s multi-handle design allows you to easily transition your grip mid exercise. This grip change switches the YBell’s weight distribution and function, making it a new piece of equipment that targets different muscle groups.
Transitioning from one grip to another mid exercise is what makes the YBell perfect for compound exercises because you can easily switch from dumbbell exercises using a center grip, to double grip med ball exercises using the under grip, to kettlebell exercises using an outer grip, plus pushups and groundwork with the YBell using top grip.
The grip transitions are also what makes YBell perfect for functional movements, mobility training, and high-intensity workouts.
YBell Transitions and Compound Exercises
Compound exercises work for multiple muscle groups at the same time, which means you’re burning more calories, elevating your heart rate, improving your strength and flexibility, and gaining more muscle mass. They can also allow for shorter and more efficient workouts if you’re running short on time.
An example compound exercise you can perform with the YBell would be a cross catch press — holding the YBell with an outer grip, bringing it across your body, and switching into a dumbbell loose grip with your other hand and pressing the YBell overhead, then returning it back down to the side of your body and switching hands back into an outer grip.
You can also replace the overhead press with a squat to perform a cross catch squat. Or do both to perform a cross-catch squat press.
YBell Transitions and Functional Exercises
Functional workouts incorporate exercises that involve multiple joints and planes of motion. Functional exercises can reduce your risk of injury because they mimic the movements you make throughout the day from sitting or standing to picking up your kids or putting something away on a shelf.
You can add a simple, but functional movement into the cross-catch press by adding a pick-up progression to it, making it a pick up cross catch press — simply start with the YBell on the ground and bend at your knees to pick it up with an outer grip, bring it across your body and switch hands for a dumbbell loose grip and press up, return it back to the side and switch to your other hand for an outer grip, and set it back down.
Again, you can replace the overhead press with a squat for a pick-up cross catch squat, or add a squat for an extra challenge with a pick up cross catch squat press. Other functional exercises you can add include tricep burpees and alternating push-ups.
YBell-Specific Mobility Exercises
I’ve also created some great mobility exercises that are specific to YBell's multi-handle design. These exercises are great for improving your flexibility and the range of motion of your joints.
A simple one to start out with is the cross halo — you’ll start with the outer grip and bring the YBell across your body and add in your other hand for a double grip, continue the halo around your head, then release one hand to drop back down into that outer grip again.
With halos and cross halos, you’re holding the YBell in a double grip, which targets more upper-body mobility, and brings in some core work at the same time. You can start to bring the lower body into play by adding compound and functional movements with exercises like pick-up cross halos and even drop lunge cross halos for the more advanced.
There are even more mobility exercises on our TRX Training Club® app that you can learn as you master the suspension trainer, YBell, and the various workouts available.
Whether you’re experienced with weight training and looking for muscle gain, or you’re just starting your fitness journey, training with a YBell gives you the flexibility you need — multiple pieces of gym equipment, the ability to do simple isometric exercises, and the ability to perform complex compound movements — all in one sleek piece of equipment.
