Battle ropes?

mdove3411
mdove3411 Posts: 121 Member
edited November 9 in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone do this? My husband and I are thinking about buying some and we were wondering what king of workout it gives you and if it's any good? What is your experience with it?

Replies

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    they are good- great for cardio- and core work... great for just pushing the intensity of a work out up a notch... think of them like a much harder variation of a jump rope- you can use it for a longer time period for say- cardio oriented- or you can put it between lifts/exercises to just up the entire workout's intensity.

    it's a nice tool to have if you have the room for them.
  • mdove3411
    mdove3411 Posts: 121 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    they are good- great for cardio- and core work... great for just pushing the intensity of a work out up a notch... think of them like a much harder variation of a jump rope- you can use it for a longer time period for say- cardio oriented- or you can put it between lifts/exercises to just up the entire workout's intensity.

    it's a nice tool to have if you have the room for them.

    What about arms? Do you think it targets arms too?

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Depends, do you use your arms with them?

    Have you not tried them before? You get a pretty good idea of what they're doing for you pretty quickly.
  • mdove3411
    mdove3411 Posts: 121 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Depends, do you use your arms with them?

    Have you not tried them before? You get a pretty good idea of what they're doing for you pretty quickly.

    Nope, never tried them. Trying to determine if I want to buy some or not. I would assume that they do work the arms since yes you are using your arms but just wanting feedback!
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    edited December 2014
    Do it for three minutes, and yeah. You'll work your arms.

    Keep in mind, these are a cute toy for enhancing an already good endurance base. These won't make you stronger, nor will they build muscle.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    They are like a more beefed up version of a jump rope.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    I use them in my Boot Camp session. It's good for cardio, core and arm strength but I would not go out and buy some. I can do other workouts and get the same results personally.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    Seems like a good idea for anyone with a lower body injury.
  • mdove3411
    mdove3411 Posts: 121 Member
    Well I am just getting over a knee injury & I was looking for something that I could get a good cardio workout while its still healing.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    hand cycle. Swimming.

    most people lack the muscular endurance to run battle ropes as a cardio session.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Keep in mind, these are a cute toy for enhancing an already good endurance base. These won't make you stronger, nor will they build muscle.

    It is funny. I see this all the time "won't make you stronger, nor will they build muscle" --- And yet, then someone who is out of shape uses the item and WHAM! magic happens, and they get stronger and add some muscle.

    It is right up there with "You have to lift heavy to get strong"...and by heavy the person means triple digits...but the person struggling to do 3 sets of 10 curls with a 10lb dumbell is getting stronger every time, and before long they are doing it with 15. A 50% increase! Which would seem to mean they got stronger. And most likely added on some muscle to the very small amount they had when they started. Likely the biggest percentage increase in muscle they will ever see...just as that jump from 10 to 15 is likely the biggest percentage increase in weight lifted they will ever see.

    What is kicking your butt today will someday be your warm up. --- Seems like this is true of everyone for the first 3 years or so...assuming they stick with it.
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    edited December 2014
    Love them, want some. I know I always feel it in my core and it's good cardio. Plus they are fun, and I am a HUGE proponent of DO WHAT YOU WILL STICK TO.

    ETA: don't buy battle ropes, just go to a home improvement store and buy big fatass rope. Same thing.
  • ncahill77
    ncahill77 Posts: 501 Member
    I use them a lot, they are great for HIIT cardio not so much steady state cardio, but in my very unprofessional opinion HIIT is better anyways. Check out knotandrope.com they sell rope for about half the price of a hardware store.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    It is funny. I see this all the time "won't make you stronger, nor will they build muscle" --- And yet, then someone who is out of shape uses the item and WHAM! magic happens, and they get stronger and add some muscle.

    picking up soup cans won't build muscle either...

    *caveat- if you don't have ANY muscle- picking yourself up off the floor can build you up.

    context is everything.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Morgaath wrote: »
    It is funny. I see this all the time "won't make you stronger, nor will they build muscle" --- And yet, then someone who is out of shape uses the item and WHAM! magic happens, and they get stronger and add some muscle.
    Yeah, you don't pay a lot of attention to things it seems. >_< Condolences, Rennbro.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    edited December 2014
    Doing them in divided up circuits with other exercises is fine, but as mentioned, most people won't have the muscular endurance to run battle ropes for 30 minutes straight. Not to mention if you try it for 30 minutes and have never done it before, you may not be able to use your arms for a few days afterward.
    If you intend on buying them, DO buy the Poly Dacron ones. The "plastic" ones split easier and after they do, they start to unwind.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    And yes, battle ropes will give you a great workout.
    But before you buy them...try an improvised version. Got a garden hose? Try to work your way through this and then imagine it being heavier.
    Keep in mind, it is not good on your hose, so don't do it often.

    https://onnit.com/academy/fat-burning-battle-ropes-hiit-workout/
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
    buy the ropes... and enjoy...
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    I think battle ropes are great but I think it's probably the one form of "cardio" that is limited to anaerobic training or intervals. There are many ways to do it, but one of my favorite is 20-sec's all-out, 20-sec break (that's 1 set) and I do at least 15 sets. It may not sound like much but I guarantee you it's tough if you get those ropes moving well enough, the ropes would be a good investment. Remember a lot of "toning" is the result of loss in body-fat and most of that loss is going to be the result of a healthy calorie deficit. Exercise can help augment body composition changes but ultimately it's all about the nutrition.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Lots of fun cardio and core exercises to do with them, a break to the normal routine. It is great to incorporate into HIIT or circuit style training. Not sure how much they run but there are definitely other items I'd purchase before them for my home gym.

    I'm sure there are tons of YouTube videos on ways to use them though. You should not get bored with them for a long time!
  • _nikkiwolf_
    _nikkiwolf_ Posts: 1,380 Member
    edited December 2014
    Morgaath wrote: »
    And yes, battle ropes will give you a great workout.
    But before you buy them...try an improvised version. Got a garden hose? Try to work your way through this and then imagine it being heavier.
    Keep in mind, it is not good on your hose, so don't do it often.

    https://onnit.com/academy/fat-burning-battle-ropes-hiit-workout/
    Seconded on the try-it-out-before-buying aproach - that way you'll know whether you like them or if they end up collecting dust.
    In a fitness class I'm attending, the trainer brings one of those things every other week, and they are seriously on top of my "most hated equipment" list. I'm fine with every other tool we use in that class, whether its kettlebells, dumbbells, TRX (that one I actually like so much I bought myself a similar sling trainer to use it at home), or whatever else, but the battle ropes are totally not my thing. Putting full effort into it for 60 seconds at a time is a mental stuggle for me. I can't explain why, but on the off chance that you share the same (probably unfounded) aversion against them, figuring that out before you buy them might be nice.
    However, if you find you enjoy using them and have enough space to use them properly, I'd say go for it! :)
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