One of my FAVORITE exercises is using battle ropes especially at the end of my shoulder / press training day ! The concept of using battle ropes as fitness equipment was pioneered by John Brookfield. He discovered that by maneuvering the ropes in a variety of both linear and circular motions, it created a peak heart rate in the athlete. Today, battle ropes are commonly used for high intensity interval training to develop power and explosiveness, as well as anaerobic and aerobic endurance.
There are tons of benefits to using ropes in your training, but here are 5 good ones:
1. Improved Cardiovascular Capacity
The high intensity, high-speed movements will get your heart rate high and increase your cardiovascular capacity very quickly.
2. Maximum Caloric Burn
When small muscles have to do big work it drives up caloric expenditure fast. With the forearms, biceps, triceps and shoulders moving at a high speed under tension you will burn a lot of calories in a short period of time.
3. Improved Body Composition Changes
Ropes will help you burn fat and build muscle at the same time. Add in the EPOC (Excessive Post Oxygen Consumption), aka “after burn”, you get from this versatile tool, and you will be burning more calories even after your workout is over.
4. Improved Timing & Coordination
Rope training is guaranteed to improve timing and coordination, which can help you in your sport and in daily life. Add jumps, shuffles, kneeling, and moving backwards and forwards into your rope training, and it becomes a full-body functional workout.
5. Improved Mental Toughness
When it comes to making gains and getting results, never underestimate the importance of mental toughness. An intense workout using battle ropes will test your mental willpower without running your body into the ground.
Working for longer than 30 seconds usually leads to form breakdown, so shorter work periods are going to be more affective. For example, 20-30 seconds of maximum effort and intensity is better than 60 seconds or more with improper form. Keep the intensity high, and the work and rest times low.
Tips for using ropes:
• Keep your core tight the entire time
• Move through the shoulders, relax your arms
• Use short, quick movements
• Aim for quality over quantity
• Don’t forget to breathe!