Blog

19 Battle Ropes Benefits (2024)

battle ropes benefits: full body

Looking for something new to add to your workout routine? If you haven’t tried them already, you should definitely check out how battle ropes can transform your fitness. We’ve rounded up all of the crucial battle ropes benefits that you’re missing out on! 

Are you a fitness fanatic? Turn your passion for fitness for fitness into a new career by enquiring about a Personal Training Diploma or download our course prospectus to learn more.

What are Battle Ropes?

battle ropes benefits: wave motion

If you’re looking for the quick answer to ‘what are battle ropes?’, you’re certainly in the right place. It’s not something that gets answered in simple terms often across the internet, but we’re here whether you’re a newbie or a pro! 

So, what are battle ropes? 

Battle ropes are a useful exercise tool for those looking to lose weight, gain muscle mass, tone their existing muscles, or train imbalances and endurance. They’re best used as part of an existing programme for optimum results in each of these areas.

The method was invented by John Brookfield, a multiple world record holder in various strength and endurance activities (such as tearing 100 decks of cards in two in just 2 mins and 15 seconds!).

Brookfield put battle ropes to the test with professional athletes and NFL players, who actually struggled to maintain a constant pace after a couple of minutes. He insisted that this was due to them lacking a specific kind of endurance that only battle ropes can train, and so they soon became a popular method of exercise! 

In terms of the physical features of battle ropes, they come in different lengths and weights, meaning that you can customise your workout in terms of intensity and potential. 

If you want to know more about different battle rope specifications and how they affect workouts, check out EliteSRS Fitness’ size guide for battle ropes

Now that you have a basic understanding of the answer to ‘what are battle ropes?’, let’s crack on with battle ropes benefits!

Battle Ropes Benefits

#1 - Full body workout 

battle ropes benefits: full body

One of the most obvious yet important battle ropes benefits is that using them provides you with a full body workout. 

Gaining a full body workout is something we could all do with in this day and age, where going to the gym for an hour or two is often impossible (who always has time for that after a 9-5 day?). 

Some people think that battle ropes are solely for arm and shoulder workouts, but that’s not the case. They can be used to target the body as a whole despite literally being a piece of rope! 

With a range of movements and exercises being used in a short space of time, you can attack every part of your body with battle ropes just as well as you can during other full body methods of training. 

#2 - Adaptable 

battle ropes benefits: adaptable

In terms of deciding whether battle ropes benefits are the best for you in comparison to other methods of exercise, one thing that you should know is that they are adaptable for all fitness levels. 

We know, they seem pretty intimidating at first… but don’t let that put you off! 

They are often used for either low-impact exercises or HIIT workouts, making them great for both beginners and fitness fanatics alike. 

If you have any injuries or joint issues, you can perform low-impact wave movements to feel the battle ropes benefits safely and effectively. Alternatively, if you want a high-intensity workout for optimum results you can perform a variety of slams, lunges, squats, jumps, etc. at intervals. 

Even if you just perform waves for a long and steady period of time, the battle ropes benefits still trump those of long-duration cardio on treadmills and stationary bikes. 

This is because they are also a strength training exercise, and build muscle as well as targeting your cardiovascular health!

#3 - Great for Burning Fat 

battle ropes benefits: burn fat

One of the best battle ropes benefits for those looking to lose weight and get lean is that they are an incredible method of burning fat. 

Sick of sweating away on the treadmill for 45 minutes to no avail? Battle ropes will be your saving grace. If you think about it, fat is burned through building muscle. You won’t build much muscle running on the treadmill for prolonged periods of time. In fact, you may even lose some...

As battle ropes is a strength-based exercise as well as being cardiovascular, you’ll burn twice the amount of fat than you would slugging away at long-duration cardio, and in half the time! 

The best method for burning fat would probably be battle ropes HIIT, but that’s not to say that a low-impact exercise won’t help you to achieve your goals. 

#4 - Useful for Building Muscle 

battle ropes benefits: building muscle

If you want to get shredded but free weights aren’t for you, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use the battle ropes benefits alongside your current routine to increase your muscle mass. 

They can be the perfect complement to free weights or machine weights routines, especially due to them being particularly good for developing muscle tone and endurance. 

This can have a knock-on effect with your free weights routine in particular, as if your endurance improves you'll be able to take on heavier weights (and therefore build more muscle!). 

Providing that you tighten up your nutrition and up your protein intake to the recommended daily amount for your body, as well as focusing on strength building battle rope exercises, you’ll see big changes in a small amount of time. 

There are 3 main elements when it comes to building muscle mass with battle ropes, and they are: intensity level, rope weight/resistance, and repetitions/duration

You want to select high-impact exercises for a start if packing on muscle mass is your main goal. To ensure you get the right workout, here are some examples:

  • Double arm slams 
  • Jump slams
  • Side-facing waves 
  • Claps 
  • Overhead press
  • See-saw press
  • Seated rainbows / russian twists

The key to building muscle mass with these movements rather than just training for endurance and strength is to keep the 4 main elements in mind.

To keep the intensity high be sure to select a heavier rope, work closer to your anchor point, perform the suggested exercises, and put in maximal effort during reps.

When it comes to how many reps you should perform/how long the duration of each set should be when trying to build muscle mass, a low amount with high-intensity is ideal. Some movements are rep-based, and some work on time. 

Don’t work for much longer than 30 seconds for the movements that are duration based, or however long it usually takes you to perform 7-10 reps of high-impact lifting. 

Ideally, the less reps you perform with the higher-intensity the better. You need to overload your muscles to make a real difference… make them work! 

#5 - Portable 

battle ropes benefits: portable

Ever wanted to work on your body composition and build a good amount of muscle, but found that weights were a little too big and heavy to cart around with you?

Maybe you travel a lot, or perhaps you don’t have the time or money to invest in a gym membership. The good news is that you can reap the battle ropes benefits on the go! Plus, they can be just as effective as free weights in building muscle mass and getting lean. 

Use battle ropes at the beach, in the park, in your garden, basically anywhere where you would usually perform outdoor training. They’re the perfect opportunity to get outside at the same time as getting fit this summer! 

#6 - Low Impact Muscle Building 

battle ropes benefits: low impact

With some fitness tools, you have no choice but to put a lot of effort into your workout to see the results that you want. 

One of the best battle ropes benefits is that they can get you the same results as other exercise methods can, but with minimal effort. You don’t have to be almost passing out by the end of the workout to get lean and improve your fitness! 

Whether you’re in rehabilitation or just looking to bulk up, battle ropes will get you there without the unnecessary strain. They actually make it possible for you to workout more often too, as you get less DOMS with low-impact exercises than you do with those that are strenuous. 

#7 - Exciting 

battle ropes benefits: exciting

This one may be a little self-explanatory, but we certainly think it deserves a spot on our benefits of battle ropes list. 

After all, when was the last time that slugging away on the treadmill seemed like something fresh and exciting?

Battle ropes are exciting by nature. They’re literally a piece of rope that you can lose weight or build serious muscles with, without the strain and repetition of other exercise methods. You can also use them in the privacy of your own home or back garden which is always a bonus!

The psychological effects that a certain exercise method has on you is just as important as the physical effects when it comes to sticking to a routine. 

If you’re doing something that you enjoy you’ll not only work harder during your workout (and subsequently achieve better results faster), but you’ll also be far more likely to stick to it. 

You won’t have to push yourself to even participate in the exercise, let alone to do well in it. 

Think about athletes; why do they stick to their sport? They love it, and it’s usually their main passion… If you find your passion in exercise then you’ll stick to it and work at it just as hard as they do. 

This is why one of the best battle ropes benefits is that they are exciting in OriGym’s opinion. What’s the point in performing an exercise if you don’t enjoy it?

 

Become a Personal Trainer with OriGym

Start an exciting new career in fitness with OriGym's Personal Trainer Diploma!

#8 - Great for Mobility and Stability

battle ropes benefits: mobility

Another of the physical battle ropes benefits is the fact that they are great for improving the stability and mobility of the body. 

We know that we’ve more or less written off long-duration cardio in comparison to battle ropes benefits, but it’s true that running on its own won’t do much for your mobility in comparison to other exercises. 

In fact, improving the mobility and stability of your body with battle ropes will improve your performance and lessen the risk of injury during sports and other exercises. This is part of the reason why battle ropes were created in the first place! 

If you perform dynamic exercises with battle ropes (any exercises that use joint movement), then you will be seeing an improvement in your mobility and an increase in the range of motion in your joints. This is great for sports/exercise activities and everyday life. 

Stability will be enhanced through excessively repeating the movements performed with the ropes whilst standing with your feet planted on the ground.  It will come after mobility is improved and strengthened over time. 

#9 - Works Multiple Muscles Groups

battle ropes benefits: muscle groups

Who would have thought that a single stretch of rope could work almost every muscle group in your body? 

It’s the truth. You can manipulate the exercise to suit your individual needs, whether its to work a certain muscle group or multiple groups at a time for maximum fat loss, muscle gain, and energy expenditure. 

Training different muscles simultaneously is becoming increasingly popular as it requires less time than spending 2 hours in the gym on free weights or weights machines. 

While the benefits of battle ropes may seem as though they swing towards the upper body, that is not the case. Many of the exercises work the lower body just as much, especially those like lateral shuffles, reverse lunges, or jump squats using alternating waves at the same time. 

Discover the potential income in fitness professions by exploring the best-paid fitness roles.

#10 - A New Way of Moving your Muscles 

battle ropes benefits: moving muscles

According to John Brookfield, who is the brains behind the battle ropes being used as they are today, they provide athletes and fitness fanatics with an answer to ‘the missing link to training.’ 

This missing link appears to be ‘velocity training’, which Brookfield says is a form of exercise where speed and strength are used simultaneously at a constant pace. It allows athletes to perform in their chosen field with improved endurance. 

So how does this work in doing something new for your muscles? 

In a nutshell, forcing them to endure the exercise at a constant pace without momentum to aid them means that they are being trained in a completely new way. Consequently, they’ll also gain strength in an area where they were previously weak! 

Brookfield claims that this allows the user to become stronger in terms of endurance and speed no matter their chosen area of sports or exercise. If you’re a bodybuilder, you’ll be able to lift heavier weights for longer periods of time, and if you’re a runner then you’ll have the ability to run at a faster pace for longer without tiring. 

Why not give it a try? You may find battle ropes benefits more useful than you think, especially for improving your work capacity! 

#11 - Lots of Moves to Choose From 

battle ropes benefits: lots to choose

Some people think that battle ropes benefits are only felt from the alternating waves exercise, but this couldn’t be further from the truth!

There are many options when it comes to battle ropes including; squats, lunges, jumps, lateral exercises, and also different ways of gripping the rope itself. 

Not only that, but there are movements that are exclusive to the battle ropes. Waves and slams are something you wouldn’t really see being used with another fitness tool, as no other piece of equipment moves in this way! 

Waves and slams are just as exciting yet challenging as they sound, and paired with the other battle ropes movements they should certainly be enough to keep you on your toes. Who doesn’t want to feel the benefits of battle ropes and sculpt their dream body by slamming some heavy rope into the ground? 

#12 - Great for Balance and Coordination 

battle ropes benefits: balance

Whether or not you’re into sports, it’s good to know that battle ropes benefits include improved balance and coordination with regular use. 

You may not think that it is important to develop in these areas, but it would certainly benefit you in everyday life and in your chosen sport or physical activity. You’ll ultimately become stronger and be able to hit your targets easier!

The main antagonist that comes along with poor balance or coordination is of course imbalance, which you can spot if you are more in tune or coordinated with one particular side of your body (most of us are). 

One of the best benefits of battle ropes is that they can eradicate this when used on a regular basis. The weight of the ropes and power that it takes to move them forces your arms to work equally as a pair, so both sides of your body will be in tune and balanced. 

If you use battle ropes in conjunction with exercises like lunges and squats, your coordination will inevitably soar in a short space of time. You should also try changing up your grip for optimum results! 

#13 - Helps With Avoiding a Plateau 

battle ropes benefits: plateau

Have you ever hit a wall in your exercise programme? You’ve lost a certain amount of body fat, had some serious muscle gain, and you’re really happy with where it’s taking you. 

However, that last bit of fat isn’t shifting and those extra few lbs of muscle are nowhere to be seen… 

It’s happened to most of us and is actually quite a common occurrence when your body becomes accustomed to your workouts. 

One of the best benefits of battle ropes is that they can actually help you to either avoid or climb out of a plateau in no time. 

The fact is that the movements that your body performs with battle ropes are so unlike those that it competes with the likes of free weights and bodyweight exercises. Your muscles are shocked into working harder because of this, and your progress will be straight back on track! 

As we mentioned earlier, battle ropes benefits include the fact that battle ropes are extremely adaptable and that there is an abundance of movements to try out. 

This means that it will be a long while before your muscles know what hit them, and you should be able to push through any plateau instantly! 

#14 - Unlikely to Sustain an Injury 

battle ropes benefits: injury

If you’re used to using free weights or doing bodyweight exercises, you should know that these exercises only require your body to work against one force (which is gravity). 

With battle ropes, there are actually two forces for your body to compete with. That is gravity (the weight of the rope), and the force that exists when you create waves with the ropes. 

Due to this and the fact that battle ropes are known to work the muscles that other methods of strength training are unable to train, your body is put to the test. 

This makes the workout more difficult in some ways, but also worth it as you can really reap the benefits of battle ropes. 

As the strength in your weaker muscles improves over time with regular use, battle ropes prevent you from injury during exercise, sports, and everyday life as your body becomes more resilient and prepared. 

You will gain a better understanding and control over your body and range of motion, and this will protect you in the long run!

 

Become a Personal Trainer with OriGym

Start an exciting new career in fitness with OriGym's Personal Trainer Diploma!

#15 - Easily Adjustable Resistance

battle ropes benefits: resistance

Rather than having to switch out weights every time you want to adjust the intensity of your exercise (like you would have to with free weights), one of the battle ropes benefits is that you can easily change the resistance and intensity level. 

When you’re stood closer to where the rope is anchored, the resistance and intensity levels are higher due to the rope being slack (and therefore heavier). 

Alternatively, if you want a less intense workout with lighter resistance you can stand further away from the anchor and the rope will have less slack. 

It’s that simple! 

#16 - Improves Mental Toughness 

battle ropes benefits: mental toughness

So we’ve talked about how battle ropes are great for working your muscles in new ways and improving endurance across different sports and exercise routines… but we haven’t talked about the benefits of battle ropes on mental toughness. 

Weightlifting may be an exercise with a higher intensity, which is why you may argue that it is superior to the battle ropes benefits on mental toughness and endurance. 

However, you should remember that weightlifting allows the athlete a rest in between reps in order to recover before completing the next one. 

When it comes to battle ropes, the user must keep a constant and steady pace without the help of momentum. There are no breaks! 

Therefore, even though battle ropes are considered to be a low-impact exercise, this doesn’t mean that they pose less of a challenge to your mental toughness and ability to persevere in your exercise programme. 

In fact, they bring something new to the table and we dare you to give them a try if you haven’t already! 

#17 - They’re Inexpensive 

battle ropes benefits: inexpensive

It’s true there’s not a lot to say about the benefits of battle ropes in terms of money, but it’s definitely something that you should know if you’re thinking of bagging one when building your own home gym. 

A quick glance at the battle ropes search results on Amazon shows us that the average price range is around £35-60. That’s not too bad of a price in comparison to what a gym membership would cost over a year!

However, if your budget is even lower than this then we’ve certainly got an alternative way to get yourself a battle rope. 

That’s right, you can purchase ‘garden rope’ for as cheap as £3.99 on Amazon, and it isn’t too different from the commercial battle ropes! Click here for an example of a cheap battle rope. 

This is a classic example of a D.I.Y. battle rope, and of how cheap they can be if you’re working with a tight budget. 

REMEMBER: if you’re buying a piece of rope instead of a commercially manufactured battle rope, check the dimensions first. You won’t feel the benefits of battle ropes if your rope is only 6mm thick! 

#18 - Strengthens Weak Body Parts

battle ropes benefits: stronger

You may be shredded and stronger than you ever thought you could be, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have room for improvement when it comes to developing strength in certain areas of the body. 

Everyone has areas of the body that are weaker in comparison to others. For example, the most common areas that show signs of weakness are the core, shoulders, hips, ankles, and knees. Luckily enough, battle ropes have the ability to eradicate gaps in strength within these areas. 

This is done through the unique movements that the battle ropes bring to training, especially as they make heavy use of either combined or alternating dynamic movements (using both sides of the body at once or at short intervals). 

To visualise this, the difference between the movements in battle ropes training is similar to that of the breaststroke or front crawl in swimming. However, the body is loaded with the weight of the wave rather than water, which is a fresh challenge altogether. 

The weak parts of the body are challenged by these movements, and in turn grow stronger through regular practice! 

#19 - Fast Workouts 

battle ropes benefits: fast workouts

Last but not least on our list of battle ropes benefits is a low-key but still completely relieving point. 

Who doesn’t enjoy fast workouts? They may be high-intensity if you choose HIIT or circuit training, but even when you perform a 30-minute alternating wave exercise you can feel the benefits of battle ropes (including fat loss and an increase in muscle mass). 

So if you’re someone who doesn’t have an infinite amount of time to spend on working out, battle ropes will be your saving grace. 

Whether you perform a high-impact or low-impact exercise, you will still be rewarded for your hard work in a short amount of time. There’s no excuse to give up on getting lean this summer!

Before you go!

Hopefully, now you have a good grasp on all of the most well-known battle ropes benefits out there! 

Looking to start a new and exciting career in fitness? If so, go ahead and download our latest prospectus, or check out our Level 3 PT Diploma.

[subscribe:28]

Written by Chloe Twist

Fitness Content Executive, OriGym

Join Chloe on Facebook at the OriGym Facebook Group

Chloe graduated with a BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing from Liverpool John Moores University and prior to OriGym worked at J&R Digital Marketing Agency on the Liverpool 'Female Founders' series. Since joining the company, she has become a qualified Personal Trainer and advanced Sports Nutrition Specialist. Chloe’s professional interests intersect content-development and the world of online fitness, especially across social media and YouTube, and Chloe has herself contributed pieces on fitness and weight loss to sites including the Daily Star and The Express. Outside her day-to-day role, Chloe enjoys playing the guitar, gaming and kettlebell training. 

Recommended Posts

Download Our Guide to Starting an Online PT Business From Home

Download Our Guide to Starting an Online PT Business From Home