If you want to get ‘whipped’ into shape, there is no better place to start than a set of these ropes, but what are they? Battle Ropes are simply long ropes attached or wrapped around an anchor point and moved vigorously; they’re used by a whole host of athletes and are so popular for a number of reasons – read on and find out with our 5 Reasons You Should Try Battle Ropes!
1. Fix muscular imbalances
When you start training with battle ropes, it may become apparent that one side of your body is stronger than the other. Your weaker side may make smaller waves or quieter slams, but over time battle rope training will help balance this out. This will lead to greater performance and gains which will carry over to your other gym workouts.
2. Cardio effect
Battle ropes are tough, really tough. They make for a high-intensity workout because they require that you move vigorously at high-speed, which means you’ll work your cardiovascular system hard. Whilst the exercises may be short in interval, rest assured, they will be absolutely lung-busting.
3. HIIT training
Battle ropes are perfect for HIIT training (High Intensity Interval Training). Short, sharp 30-second bursts with the same amount of time for rest will begin to blitz and melt away your excess fat, build muscle, etch in superb shoulder definition and drastically increase your fitness. Not only that, it will also challenge your muscles from different angles so you’ll become far stronger as a result.
4. Low impact
Battle ropes may tax your lungs and muscles but they aren’t hard on your joints. Unlike weightlifting and running on the treadmill, for example, battle ropes will not place a huge amount of strain on your joints which fortunately limits the risk of injury.
5. Improves coordination
The actual movements used in rope training are deceptively complex. Once you get the technique down however you can ramp up the challenge by adding in jumps, shuffles and moving around to test yourself both mentally and physically. This makes it more functional than many other training methods as it stimulates you in complex ways – which you can take into other areas of your daily life.
There you have it, now you know why and how battle ropes are useful. It achieves what most training aims to achieve, build muscle, burn fat and boost your fitness all in one neat little package. Not sure how to incorporate them into your workout? Watch the video above to see a short beginner’s training routine. If they aren’t in your gym, don’t fret, all you need to do is buy one, wrap it around an immovable object and start well…battling! Battling with ropes already? What kind of results are you getting? Let us know below, join in the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter & Instagram. (Check out these other fitness articles designed to help you get and KEEP your FIT ON!)