Why Workout With Battle Ropes
/1. The Workouts Go Quick
If you’re like me, you don’t love to spend 40 minutes stepping away on the stair master. You need to make the most of your time by getting in a quick, yet efficient workout that is going to work all my muscles and not make you feel like you could have done more. There are some days where I only have 20 minutes to get in a quality session. If this is the case, battle ropes are always the first thing I think of. Just last week I was only a few drum beats away from running to the puke bucket. After the last set, there was NO QUESTION that I challenged myself enough.
2. Melt Fat Fast
If you’re doing a High Intensity Training, or HIIT Training work out with your battle ropes, you’re going to burn a ton of calories. I’m talking anywhere in the range of 300-500 calories per HALF HOUR! This is something that simply wouldn’t happen on a leisurely jog around your neighborhood. Not only are you burning calories during the actual work sets with your battle ropes, but in this style of training your metabolism is going to be revved up for up to 36 hours after you tuck your battle ropes back in to their bag. This “afterburn,” or EPOC effect is going to turn your body into a fat burning cyber robot. You’ll literally be burning additional calories when you sleep that night, and at your desk the next day. Battle rope workouts are one of my absolute favorite ways to achieve this. If you want to look your best in a bathing suit and you’re not using battle ropes, you’re cheating yourself.
3. Build Muscle and Burn Fat Simultaneously
When I work out I try to be as efficient as possible. Not everyone has the time to lift weights for 60-90 minutes, then hop on a treadmill for another 45 minutes to get your cardio work in. Before you know it, more than 2 hours have passed. With battle ropes, you can kill two birds with one rope. Mix in short bursts of maximum heart rate battle rope undulations and not only will you build the muscles in your shoulders, biceps, and core, but you’ll simultaneously burn the fat around the muscles as well.
4. Keep It Fresh
With treadmills, elliptical machines, and stair-masters, there’s not much variety in the workouts. The only thing you can really do is change speeds, or maybe go backwards. A simple YouTube search for “battle rope workout” will give you enough ideas to last your entire life. You can easily do a different workout 3 times a day for the rest of your life. This is why I like battle ropes for both me, and my clients. I always change the amount of reps, the set/rest duration and mix in countless moves. There’s no reason to ever repeat the same battle rope workout.
5. A Toddler Can Set Them Up
Have you ever tried to set up cardio equipment from scratch? Trying to put together an exercise bike, a Nordic track, or even installing a pull-up bar isn't the easiest thing to do. With battle ropes, all you need is an anchor point like a telephone poll, railing, or even your workout partner’s foot and you’re good to go right out of the box.
6. Low Impact/Big Results
Although battle rope workouts can be intense and brutal, you can tone them down to any fitness level. Whether you’re just starting out, recovering from an injury, or you have bone and joint problems, there’s a battle rope routine that can benefit you without pain or discomfort. Because the workouts use your body’s natural range of motion, you don’t have the negative restrictive aspects of common weight machines. There are also different weights of battle ropes so you can start light, and build up as you get stronger by choosing a longer length, a larger diameter, or a combination of both. If you need something low impact and don’t have access an aqua aerobics class, battle ropes are a great option.
7. Work Multiple Muscles at The Same Time
I mentioned in an earlier post that I like my workouts to be efficient. One of the ways I do this in both my workouts, and my client's workouts is to work multiple muscles at the same time. With battle ropes, you can instantly change from working both your legs and shoulders, to working your biceps and abs. That’s four different muscle groups in one set. Throw in some squats, lunges, or lateral shuffles with your upper body moves and you’ll be on the floor in no time!
8. Partner Up
I always prefer to train with a partner when possible, it keeps me motivated, accountable, and prevents me from doing cheat reps. Accountability is one of the best reasons to hire a personal trainer. With battle ropes, you can easily have 4 people working out with one rope. When people are there to motivate you, you’re much more likely to push a little harder to finish your set. Using a simple interval rotation, your rest periods become your partner’s work period. Rotate around in a circuit and before you know it, there will be 4 sets of arms that are exhausted, and 4 sets of abs that are that much closer to being exposed. Who wants a 6-pack when you can have a 24 pack? Get a partner (or 3), grab your battle rope and take your training routine to the next level!