Are you ready to take on the Battle Ropes?

Have you ever wondered about the ropes coiled under the LifeFitness Synrgy360?  Here is your chance to learn all about them…

First off don't be intimidated!  They may look threatening or difficult to use but that’s only because they are new to you.  The ropes are actually a relatively simple piece of equipment to use if you know what to do. They come with a variety of different exercises and are a great tool to shake up your current program. Not to mention all the benefits you will by adding a few simple exercises to your routine.

The ropes give you a total body workout building muscular strength, power, and endurance. It is a great way to develop grip and forearm strength while working on core stabilization. And to top it off, it can be a great cardiovascular and fat burning workout!

The intensity of these exercises can easily be manipulated in a couple different ways.  First would be by your choice of rope. Most gyms feature different sized ropes of different weights. You can also increase or decrease the speed and size of the movements.

Slams and Waves are two basic exercises performed with the ropes and the best place to start for beginners.

Rope slams

Begin in a squat position with both hands together. As you come out of the squat position, lift the ropes as high as you can and move back into your squat as you slam the ropes down to the ground as hard as you can. Remember to keep you back straight and heels on the ground.

[Rope Slams YouTube Video]

                                   

Rope waves

Start by standing straight with a slight bend in your knees. Move both arms up and down together (or alternate left and right arms) in small, fast, controlled movements. The ropes should create a smooth wave pattern as you do this exercise. 

[Rope Waves YouTube Video]

                                   

Incorporate these exercises in a circuit or interval training session.  Start small and gradually build up your endurance and strength.  Once they become easy you can start to challenge yourself more by incorporating different movements (li.e squats, lunges, or jumps) or pieces of equipment (i.e physioball, or the BOSU) to these two exercises.

Blog post by Catie Furbush CSCS.