Is your same ‘ole workout beginning to bore you? Check out a favorite tool pro fighters and top athletes use for peak performance. Learn the top benefits battle rope exercises have on other traditional exercises and three workouts you can use right now.
What Is A Battle Rope?
Simply put, a battle rope is a long rope. Yes, it is. It is typically made in a three-strand twist design. The material is usually one or a combination of the following: Polypropylene, Polyester, or Poly Dacron.
Battle ropes come in lengths from 26 – 50 feet and diameters from 1 – 2 inches. The ends are covered with heat shrink caps. The weight of the battle rope depends on its length and diameter.
They’re also easy to set up. All you need is a pole or railing that will serve as an anchor point.
Where Did The Battle Rope Come From?
The original Battling Ropes system was created by John Brookfield. He is an accomplished athlete holding multiple world records and an author of four books.
What Are The Benefits Of Training With Battle Ropes?
- With battle rope workouts, you shred fat and build muscle at the same time. When you incorporate the use of the battle rope, you improve your core-to-extremity strength and aerobic capacity in the same workout. Who wouldn’t mind that?
- You don’t need much time. Battle rope workouts are quick and efficient. Like CrossFit WOD’s, your workout can be as short or as long as you make it. And like CrossFit, the workout is never “easy”. If it is, you’re not challenging yourself or working at your maximum capacity.
- You can take them anywhere. Well, almost. You can pack the battle rope in your car and take it to a park. And you can pack it in a carryon bag when traveling. You’d only have to research where the nearest outdoor parks are to where you’re staying.
- You don’t need to be at a certain fitness level. Anyone from a beginner to an advanced athlete can start working out with battle ropes. To increase intensity, all you have to do is get closer to the anchor point. To decrease intensity, move away from the anchor point.
- Battle Ropes are a total body workout. While you’re using your hands and arms to move the rope to work the upper body, you can include squats, lunges, and lateral movements to work the lower body.
Battle Rope Workouts
So what kinds of workouts can you do with the Battle Rope? Below are a few examples:
Beginners
Do the following for 15 seconds each. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat for 3 more rounds. Make sure to stay in a quarter-squat.
- Alternating waves. Hold the ends of the rope and move the rope up with the right hand and down with the left. Keep moving as fast as you can with good form.
- Double waves. Hold the ends of the rope as you did for the alternating waves. Move the rope up and down with both hands simultaneously.
- Snakes. Hold the ends of the rope as you did for the double waves. Move your arms side to side simultaneously so the rope moves like a snake.
- Claps. Hold the rope as you did for the double waves. This time you’re moving the rope in a clapping motion.
This will get you used to working with the rope. You can incorporate this workout in the beginning, middle, or end of your workout.
Intermediate
Do the following for 30 seconds each. Rest for 3seconds to a minute and repeat for 5 more rounds. Make sure to stay in a quarter-squat if it’s only an upper body exercise.
- Alternating waves. Hold the ends of the rope and move the rope up with the right hand and down with the left.
- Double slams. Hold the ends of the rope as you did for the alternating waves. With this exercise, you’re squatting. Squat when you slam the rope down. Stand up, with full extension at the hip, when you bring the rope as high as you can.
- Side to side waves. Hold the ends of the rope with a reverse grip. Move the rope with both hands simultaneously from side to side. Bring the rope as high as you can overhead each time. Here make sure that you’re pivoting on the balls of your feet. So if you’re moving the rope to the right, you should be pivoting on the ball of the left foot. As you pivot, come down into a lunge.
- Outside circles. Hold the ends of the rope as you did for the double slams. Sit in a quarter squat. Move the ropes in circles going outward. So your right hand is going clockwise and your left is going counterclockwise.
This one is challenging so it can be done as a workout by itself.
Advanced
This one will be Tabata-style. Do the following for 20 seconds, all out, and then rest for 20 seconds. Eight rounds each. Rest for 1 minute between rounds.
- Alternating waves.
- Double slams with squats.
- Jumping jacks. Hold the ends of the rope with a reverse grip and do regular jumping jacks.
- Upper cuts. Hold the ends of the rope as you did for the jumping jacks. Alternate upper cuts while pivoting on the balls of your feet.
This workout will take about 16-20 minutes. You might agree after completing it that it’s one that can be done as a workout by itself.
Conclusion
After just a few workouts with battle ropes, you will experience changes in your body composition. You’ll find that you’re more defined and stronger. You’ll also notice that your endurance has increased. And the best part is that you’ll find the WOD’s at your box aren’t as bad as they used to be.
