Battle ropes are probably the most deceiving piece of equipment in the gym, and one of the most overlooked. But once you understand the battle rope benefits on offer, you will wonder why you ever walked past them. Here is what they can do for you, and five exercises to try on your next visit to Hammers Gym in Nunawading.
The battle rope benefits you are missing out on
Serious calorie burn in a short time
Used in a high-intensity interval format, battle ropes are one of the most demanding conditioning tools in the gym. Short, all-out work sets followed by brief rests push your heart rate high and keep it there. Because the work is so intense, you also get an “afterburn” effect (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC) where your body keeps burning extra energy for hours after the session as it recovers. A leisurely jog simply does not do that.
Workouts that fit a busy schedule
Not everyone has an hour to spend at the gym. Some days you have 20 minutes. Battle ropes shine here: even a 15 to 20 minute interval session will be one of the hardest cardio workouts you have done, and it hits your whole body while it does it.
Build muscle and burn fat at the same time
The old approach of 60 minutes of weights followed by 45 minutes on the treadmill is a big time investment. Battle rope intervals combine both. The waves and slams load your shoulders, arms, back and core while your heart rate sits close to maximum, so you are building muscular endurance and burning fat in the same set.
Endless variety
Treadmills and ellipticals offer speed and incline, and not much else. With battle ropes you can change the movement, the rep scheme, the work-to-rest ratio and the stance, and add squats, lunges or shuffles underneath. You could train with them for years and never repeat a session.
Low impact, big results
Battle rope training can be brutal, but it can also be scaled right down. Because the movements follow your body’s natural range of motion and nothing jars your joints, they suit beginners, people returning from injury and anyone who needs a low-impact option that still delivers. Adjust the rope weight, the pace and the duration to match your level.
Multiple muscle groups in a single set
A single battle rope set can move from working your shoulders and legs to your arms and abs in seconds. Add lower-body movements under the waves and you are hitting four or more muscle groups at once, which is exactly why the sessions are so efficient.
5 battle rope exercises to try
1. Figure-8 slams
Face the anchor with one rope in each hand, feet a little wider than shoulder width and knees soft. Bring your hands together and sweep both ropes to the right, then immediately to the left in a figure-8 pattern, slamming both ropes into the floor between sides.
2. Alternating waves with a jump slam
Same stance. Drive the right hand and rope up to shoulder height while the left drops to hip height, then alternate quickly for five seconds. Then lift both ropes overhead as you jump, and slam them down as you land. Repeat.
3. Battle rope jumping jacks
Holding a rope in each hand, perform jumping jacks for 30 seconds, keeping your arms as straight as you can as they travel overhead and back down.
4. Russian twist slams
Sit facing the anchor with knees bent and heels on the floor. Lean back slightly until your abs switch on, hold both ropes in front of your chest, rotate to the right and slam the ropes down, then rotate to the left and slam again. Keep rotating side to side at pace for 30 seconds.
5. Forward slams with quick steps back
From the standard stance, hop toward the anchor while lifting both ropes overhead, slamming them as you land. Do three hops forward, then make small alternating waves as you quick-step back to your start position. Repeat three times.
A sample battle rope session
Warm up for five minutes, then work through the five exercises above for 30 seconds each with 30 seconds rest between them. Rest two minutes at the end of the round and repeat for three to four rounds. Total time: around 20 minutes. Total effort: considerable.
Try the battle ropes at Hammers Gym
Now that you know the battle rope benefits, there is no reason to walk past them again. You will find battle ropes in the functional training area on the Hammers Gym floor, and because we are open 24/7 you can use them whenever suits you. If you would like a demonstration or a program built around them, our personal trainers can help, or jump into one of our group fitness classes where conditioning tools like these feature regularly.
Hammers Gym is in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster. New here? Start with a free trial or see our membership options.