Battle Ropes: A New Workout Tool That Gets Results!

Written in collaboration with Mike Deboever, kinesiologist and personal trainer at Reebok CrossFit.

Battle ropes have become increasingly popular in recent years, as more and more people have turned to cross-training, which frequently uses this equipment as part of its workout programs.

Whether you’re seeking a quick, new and effective exercise to integrate into your sports routine or a new way to work out at home or at the gym, battle ropes are simple yet precious workout gear that you can make your own.

The advantages of battle rope workouts

Unlike most workout equipment found in gyms, battle ropes offer no support, which is in fact a good thing because you avoid isolating the muscles in favour of reproducing the real movements your body makes in everyday life.

One of the greatest advantages of battle ropes is how well they go with the interval workouts that are the best way to lose weight or gain muscle. Plus, they can be used to work out all the body’s muscle groups!

How to use battle ropes

You can build your own complete workout with battle ropes, or simply integrate a few battle rope exercises into your routine—it’s up to you. You can find plenty of exercises described in detail online, but it’s always best to consult a trainer or kinesiologist before starting out. It’s always essential to begin with the correct movements so that you don’t find yourself sidelined by injury.

Which ever way you choose to use them, here are the basic guidelines for working out with battle ropes:

• Warm up for around a dozen minutes. You can run, do low-intensity movements or jumping jacks—what’s important is to activate and warm up to the amplitude of movements that your exercises will require.
• Do interval workouts: take 30 seconds to do a high-intensity exercise, then 30 seconds to relax, and repeat the sequence. Keep in mind that intensity is more important than volume if you want results, while also avoiding injury due to fatigue.
• Keep the abdominals engaged at all times to avoid hurting your back. In fact, this rule applies to all sports and to everyday movements too.
• Measure your results so that you can compare them and improve. For each workout, calculate how many times you carried out a movement during the interval period.

Finally, when you’re done, make sure to stretch properly. It’s one of the keys to staying in shape and keeping healthy! Find out why stretching is so important.