Rope Fitness: The ultimate full-body workout

Battle Ropes are already a fixture in fitness studios. The exercises with the arm-thick ropes are a perfect full-body workout and are an integral part of functional fitness and cross training. Battle Ropes are fixed to the wall or floor with the help of a bracket. You get into a standing position with bent knees, grab the two ropes with your hands and alternately set them swinging. This training is very effective, so that even a few minutes are enough to give your fitness a good boost. Battle Ropes train the entire body. Not only the arm muscles are challenged, but also the shoulder and back muscles as well as the muscles of the abdomen and hips are strengthened. For an increase in physical fitness, just 15 minutes of training three times a week is enough.

The correct use of Battle Ropes

When training with the Battle Ropes, there are a few things to keep in mind. If the ropes are too taut, it is no longer possible to create wave movements. The ends of the ropes must therefore lie loosely in the hands. The back should remain straight, the arms should be bent. The wave motion of the ropes must be fluid, the force comes from the elbow joint, less from the shoulders. If the movement of the ropes is too slow, the Battle Ropes will hit the ground too hard. The correct way is to swing the ropes as quickly as possible, amplitude-wise.

Training with the Battle Ropes

Shoulders and arms must be moved up and down at the same time and as quickly as possible; this is the only way to create a flowing wave motion of the ropes. The upper body should be kept still. The movement of the ropes can be performed in the same direction (Double Waves) or in the opposite direction (Alternative Waves). The Battle Ropes can also be swung to the left and right (Side Waves). Also a popular rope pull exercise. But that’s not all. Those who can, swing the ropes in circles. To do this, move the ends of the rope outward in a circle. In addition, you can incorporate shuffle jumps into the exercises.

Risk and side effects

There is a risk that untrained people will overexert themselves at the beginning and expose their bodies to too much strain. You can tell when an exercise should no longer be performed by the irregular undulations of the ropes. This reduces the potential risk of injury.

What to look for when buying Battle Ropes?

– Depending on your fitness level, you should choose different ropes. Beginners should opt for shorter ropes with a rather small diameter. Those who are more advanced should choose thicker and longer ropes.

– Those who want to use their Battle Ropes frequently and aim for long-term use should pay attention to quality and invest a little more money. High quality Battle Ropes are made of synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon. Compared to ropes made of natural fibers, they have a longer durability.

– For a good grip, Battle Ropes should be equipped with plastic handles. If the ropes are not equipped with handles, non-slip gloves should be worn.

– Sufficient space must be available. Training with Battle Ropes requires an area of half the rope length.

– The diameter of the ropes is between 30 mm and 40 mm. Inasmuch as the diameter determines the weight of the ropes, a larger rope diameter requires more strength to perform the exercises.

– A complete package of Battle Rope (synthetic fibers) as well as anchoring and instructions costs about 200 EURO.

Conclusion

In contrast to the two-dimensional workout on training equipment in the gym, training with Battle Ropes allows a three-dimensional strengthening of the entire body.