So, why am I so into Fitness Ropes (also known as Undulating, Power, Training, or Exercise Ropes)? After all, I’m known for saying that one of the many benefits of Bodyweight Training is that it can be done anywhere, without a single piece of equipment. There are a few pieces of equipment however that I consider a luxury, which can be incredibly useful and effective: a chin-up bar is my favorite, and I typically recommend throwing together just a Swiss Ball, Gymnastic Rings and a set of Parallettes for a fully outfitted gym. But I have to admit, Fitness Ropes make a great addition to that set-up!
There are lots of ways to use fitness ropes, and it is easy to continually modify your workout so you are always increasing your challenge. (Click here to jump to a summary of suggested uses).
More and more we are seeing old-school training techniques making their way back into modern gyms. At the GBT Gym we use climbing ropes, heavy jumbo jump ropes and finally the focus of this post, the Fitness Rope. Fitness Ropes usually range from 1.5 – 2 inches in diameter and 25 to 100 feet in length with handles at both ends. The rope is used by actively moving the arms and body explosively to create “waves†that travel down to the anchor point.
Although the weight of the rope does play a role, it’s the action of the body that I credit in classifying the fitness rope as a bodyweight training tool. Try it for even 30 seconds and you’ll see that there isn’t a single muscle in your entire torso that isn’t working. It will also leave you gasping for air. You can change the techniques to emphasize different muscle groups as well as add in lower body movements like squats, jump lunges and lateral movements. In addition to the great benefits for muscular endurance, cardiovascular conditioning and fat burning, using the ropes for timed intervals can be a low impact substitute for sprints if you are trying to increase your anaerobic threshold.
This is an invaluable tool for speed and endurance, but don’t take my word for it, try it yourself. You can check out the instructional video below for tips (many thanks to Lena Makurath and Dave “Lebo” LeBatard for being such great fitness models with the ropes!). And of course you can pick up your own ropes right here on our site: [sws_button class=”” size=”sws_btn_medium” align=”sws_btn_align_center” href=”https://www.globalbodyweighttraining.com/battle-ropes/” target=”_blank” label=”SHOP OUR HIGH-QUALITY, CUSTOM-MADE FITNESS ROPES HERE!” template=”sws_btn_blue” textcolor=”” bgcolor=”” bgcolorhover=”” glow=”sws_btn_glow”] [/sws_button]
LOTS OF WAYS TO USE FITNESS ROPES
The most common ropes exercises include making Waves and Slams, where you are using total body flexion and extension as you slam the ropes down for strength, power and endurance. Waves can be varied in nearly infinite combinations of a wide range of elements:
- Up-and-Down Waves, Alternating/Reciprocating, Criss-Cross movements;
- Grappler Toss moves, where you are creating internal and external rotary movements;
- Incorporating Squats and Lunges, including forward, reverse, and lateral movements as well adding in lower body plyometric movements like jumping squats, lunges and lateral hopping movements;
- Adjusting your reps and durations, with high intensity interval training being particularly effective with ropes;
- Train solo and with a partner; you can have another training partner “call out†movements to keep the exercise unpredictable and fresh, increasing your reaction time;
- Even changing the grip to where the end of the rope is facing up is a great variation with an added challenge;
- Vary your training position, from standing and kneeling to sitting on a stability ball, or even laying face down doing single arm waves;
Ropes can also be used for more than undulating. You can also use your ropes for more traditional strength exercises like rows and pull-ups by throwing it over a firm anchor and using it to pull yourself up. This poses an excellent grip challenge with to improve both grip and pulling/rowing strength.
And, the longer ropes are excellent tools for pulling and dragging sleds and heavier objects – even a game of tug a war can prove to be quite a full body challenge.
This looks like such a great shoulder/trunk stabilization exercise! I’m going to see if we can order one for our clinic – it would be useful for our higher level post surgical patients. Great video, too! Dave looks like he’s having way too much fun (and looking ripped!)
The ropes are an extremely effective rehab tool. You’re going to love training with these Ann. And yes Dave usually can’t stop smiling when he’s training with the ropes. You will too!
hello, please what type, size, diameter and length of rope did you use? I am 16 years old and i am in search of some backyard conditioning. So if i buy a rope should i also buy a sledgehammer and tire aswell?. Thanks
Can I play jump rope with them?
Hi Anna, Jumping rope is of course a great exercise! The undulating ropes featured here would be pretty long and unweidly to handle for jumping rope (you could give it a try for some double dutch, but they are so heavy it could probably hurt the jumper if they get hit in the head with it). We can, however, make jump ropes using the same materials and styles we carry for the undulating and climbing ropes (ie manila, poly dac, or nylon, with the handles on each end) – if you are interested, shoot us an email and we’ll send you some pricing.
Hi, trust your well.
I am interested in purchasing a rope for our fitness club. Predominately women, above average fitness level.1. Can u advise me on recommended size & weight for beginners & improves. 2Will you forward cost for both. 3.Can u deliver to Ireland.
Kind regards therese (dawn fitness club, Clonlara, Ireland)
Hey Therese,
Your comment slipped by us, so sorry for the delayed response! It sounds like a good size rope for your group would be a 1.5″ diameter 50′ rope. That is our most popular rope size because it is so versatile. The 1.5″ diameter is a good fit for the average adult hand size. The 50′ length is perfect for wrapping around a pole or something to create the two 25′ lengths – you can then use that with two people in pairs, or one person doing double waves. This rope can be used for persons of just about any fitness level – you start out with easier exercises of shorter durations, and then make it harder by increasing the number of reps, increasing length of time, changing the angle of your body, adding in jumps and lunges – the options are almost endless! Pricing would depend on whether you want manila, poly dac, or nylon (you can get detailed pricing on our Fitness Ropes Pricing Page, see the tabs at the top of this page). We do ship to Ireland, but to get an exact quote for international shipping, please email us at karen@globalbodyweighttraining.com with your exact address and the specifics of which rope(s) you’d want. You can also email us there with more questions. Your club will have a great time training with ropes!
Dearest
what is the ideal weight for a battle rope?
Thanks
Our most popular selling rope is the 50′ 1.5″ rope, in either manila or poly dac. That length is perfect for wrapping around a pole or some other object to create two lengths that you can use for all kinds of moves. The 1.5″ diameter is nice to grip. And the weight of those lengths works out to a very good weight that gives the average fitness enthusiast a great workout. Of course, you can make the workout more or less intense simply by varying the exercise, reps, duration, body position, etc. But the 50′ length is a nice, versatile length to go with.
My Christmas wish list keeps growing and growing.
I’m trying to loose weight are the ropes good to use
I’m 43 and weigh 195 are the ropes good for helping me loose weight if so which ones should I order..
Fitness ropes are a great tool to use for weight loss! The specific type really depends on a lot of factors, including where you will use them, your current fitness level, and who will be using them. For someone who hasn’t used fitness ropes before and has an average size adult hand, the 1.5″ diameter is the best fit. Length wise, the average length we sell is the 40′, which creates two 20 foot lengths and is very versatile for many ropes exercises. However, you’ll need to determine what space you’ll be using to confirm whether that will fit. The poly dac versions are probably a better choice to start out with, as they are more comfortable to hold and won’t shed if used inside.
As far as how you’d use them – we’d recommend working them into your overall fitness routine – they make for great sets when interval training, or for High Intensity Interval Training, or as a stand-alone cardio workout. There are many ways to incorporate how you use them! And they are a great way to contribute toward weight loss, because they use so much energy that you will be burning a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Good luck with your goals!