Every child remembers those giant ropes that you played tug of war with as a child, whether it was at the school play yard, or in the street you were growing up. It might even be the first workout you ever did that made you sweat. Battle rope exercises are a great way to burn your calories and to build muscle at the same time. The best thing about battle rope exercises is that you only need a few minutes at the end of your strength training to get your cardio workout in and have a full body workout.
With the five battle rope exercises we have selected you can strengthen your arms, shoulders, abs and activate your leg muscles and increase your upper and lower body power production. Get your high intensity workout all at the same time.
Try these exercises the next time you go to the gym. Research from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning has shown that this is all you need to achieve a full body workout.
Always make sure you anchor the rope around a wall mount, a heavy kettlebell, a railing or a weight machine.
-
Double Wave.
Wave your way to a fitter form and master the basics of Battle Ropes with this exercise. To begin, stand shoulder-width apart from the anchor. Take one end of the rope in each hand so that your palms are facing each other. Bend your knees slightly, tense your core and move both arms up and down quickly, creating waves in the rope. Repeat for 30 seconds and then take a 30 second break. Do 3-4 sets.
-
Squat to Shoulder Press
Strengthen your shoulders while working your lower body and core. This movement is especially beneficial for barbell athletes because it uses the same muscles as the thruster or clean and jerk. Do not look for HIIT with this movement, but look for form. When form starts to drop, it’s time to stop.
Start with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Hold the ropes on your shoulders, making sure there is very little slack in the ropes Squat down. When you stand back up, simultaneously push the ropes up to stretch your arms. Then, in one fluid motion, lower the ropes back down to your shoulders as you sink back into a squat position. Repeat for 10-20 reps, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat for 3-4 sets.
-
Alternating Wide Circles
The wide circular motions in the full-body movement put extra strain on your back and grip strength. Make the circles as big as possible and use your legs only when necessary. We recommend maintaining as much momentum as possible throughout the exercise because the more you slow down, the heavier the ropes will feel and the harder it will be to get them moving again.
Here is how: Stand in a flat squat position with your feet hip-width apart. Take one end of the rope in each hand. Tense your core and move each rope to the side in a circular motion. Then close the circle by bringing your arm back in front of your body. Use the momentum to continue the circular motion. Each arm should move independently, but still in sync. Repeat for 30 seconds and then take a 30 second break. Do 3-4 sets.
-
Alternating Jump Wave
End your arm day with a little full body workout that requires solid coordination and strength. You’ll feel it in your shoulders, arms and back, while the squats also engage your glutes and legs.
Here is how to do it: stand with your feet hip-width apart and grab one side of the rope with each hand. Place both hands to the right of your hips and squat down. Lift off the ground as you swing the ropes up and to the outside of your left hip, landing gently back in a squat position. Do 30 seconds of alternating swings and squats, then rest for 30 seconds. Do 3-4 sets.
-
Power Slam
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that anything with the word “strength” in it is a tough exercise – and this one is no exception. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grasp the ends of the rope in each hand. Raise both arms above your head and then press the ropes to the floor with all your might, going into a high squat position. Straighten up to stand again and repeat the exercise. Repeat for 10-20 reps, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat for 3-4 sets.
Workout Instruction Poster
Our Next Alpha Battle Rope is included with a workout instruction poster. This poster comes with a 20-minute full body workout. Check our training poster via this link.
