Battle Rope Exercises


Battle Rope Basics

Battle ropes are a grueling exerciser that effectively combines strength and cardio training. A battle rope can burn fat with ease and is a great way to incorporate cardio if you’re not a fan of running. If you are looking to build muscle and explosive power, performing exercises, such as those described below will get you these results – and more – from your new battle rope.

As with any new piece of gym equipment, you should first make sure you can do the basic fundamental exercises before you try and engage in an intense HIIT workout with your Battle Rope. There are a variety of exercises you can do with your Battle Rope. Before starting any exercise however, make sure the rope is properly secured to the anchor point. Your anchor point should be strong enough to take the force that will be placed on the rope.

Always ensure you have plenty of space around you when using this product.

EXERCISE DURATION

To enjoy an intense HIIT workout with your battle rope, we recommend choosing 5 of the below 20 exercises and repeat each exercise twice for a 10 minute workout, or four times for a grueling 20 minute workout. These can be longer or shorter depending on your level of fitness. 

Depending on your level of fitness, we recommend the following workout times for exercise and recovery:

If this is your first time using a battle rope, then we suggest you start with only the first four exercises in this list. While these a still a mighty challenge, they are the most straight-forward battle rope exercises and will serve as a good introduction to these fitness trainers.

battle rope exercises

Battle Rope Exercises

1. Alternate Waves

  • Stand upright, with your feet about shoulder width apart.
  • Hold one end of the rope in each hand, and brace yourself with your core tightened.
  • Bend your knees slightly and lift one arm upwards, creating a wave-like movement throughout the rope.
  • As you bring it back down, power your other arm upwards.
  • Keep performing this alternating wave-like movement as fast as you can for the designated time.

2. Up and Down Waves

  • Stand upright, with your feet about shoulder width apart.
  • Hold one end of the rope in each hand, and brace yourself with your core tightened.
  • Bend your knees slightly and lift both arms upwards, creating a wave-like movement throughout the rope.
  • The rope should move in one smooth wave-like motion here, rather than alternating like the last exercise.

3. Side to Side Waves

  • Begin this exercise with your feet approximately hip-distance apart with both your knees and hips slightly bent and your core tensed. 
  • Hold the handles of the rope in both hands, keeping your hands together at approximately waist-height.
  • Begin by moving your arms from side to side in unison. The ropes should form a lateral wave as you do this.
  • Continue sweeping your arms from side to side. The fast you go – and the closer you stand to the anchor point – the more difficult this exercise will be.

4. In and Out Waves

  • ‘In and Out Waves’ is quite similar to ‘side to side waves, only time, instead of moving your arms in the same direction (side to side) together, you will move both arms in (towards your stomach) together and out (away from your stomach) together. It’s the same movement you’d do if you were trying to get someone’s attention with both hands!
  • With your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and tense your stomach. 
  • Whip your arms in and out as fast as you can to create a wave motion with the ropes.

5. Kneeling to Standing Waves

  • Start this exercise with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Holding the handles of the rope in front of you, being with alternating waves.
  • Once you’ve got the rope motion nailed down, get into a kneeling position.
  • Stand up, kneel down, stand up and repeat  – all while continuing with that alternative wave motion.

6. Power Slam

  • Begin this exercise with a rope in each hand, with your feet approximately shoulder width apart.
  • Bend your knees and tense your stomach. 
  • Start by whipping both arms up and down in sync with each other, slamming the ropes down with full force to the ground.
  • Continue to keep your knees bent throughout the exercise.
  • An important tip to note here is that as you extend the rope upwards, breath in. As you bring it downwards, breathe out.

7. Ultimate Warrior

  • With your side to the anchor, stand upright with your feet about shoulder width apart.
  • Put the handles of the ropes together and hold the ropes with both hands.
  • Tensing your core, begin this exercise by lifting your arms up and down with as much force as possible.
  • The rope should move in one smooth wave-like motion here.

8. Upper Cuts

  • Begin this exercise by standing with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart, holding the handles of the rope in each hand, so that the ends are pointing in an upwards direction. Keep your hands at around hip-height to start this exercise.
  • The purpose of this exercise is to create an uppercut-like punching movement. Punch upwards, across your body and it should create a diagonal wave with your battle rope.
  • From the starting position, shift your weight to the right as you punch your left arm upwards and across your body, bringing your left hand up to shoulder-height.
  • Next, return your left arm back to the starting position and in one fluid motion, transition your weight to the left side and punch upwards across your body with your right arm.
  • Keep on punching this way at a maximum intensity for the duration of this exercise.

9. (Anti) Clockwise Circles

  • Begin this exercise with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart with both your knees and hips slightly bent and your core tensed. 
  • Hold the handles of the rope in both hands.
  • Move your hands in a circular motion so that movement is created through the rope, all the way to the anchor point.
  • You can move your hands (a) clockwise together; (b) anti-clockwise together; (c) one hand clockwise, the other anti-clockwise.

10. Alternating Lunge Wave

  • Begin this exercise by standing with your feet around shoulder-width apart. 
  • Hold the handles of the rope in each hand. Bend your knees and hips slightly and tense your core.
  • Begin by alternating your arms in an up/down movement to create a wave motion throughout the rope.
  • Once you’ve nailed down the wave motion, take a step backwards with your right foot and get into a lunge position. In the lunge position, your right knee should come close to or touch the ground. 
  • Return to the starting position, then go back into a lunge, this time on your left side.

11. Alternating Jumping Lunges

  • This exercise is a modification of exercise number 9, but is a lot more taxing.
  • Start this exercise with the alternating wave. 
  • Take a step backwards with your left leg and go into a reverse lunge position.
  • Following this, take a jump upwards into the air and switch legs, so that you land with your right leg extended behind you.
  • Keep alternating legs while continuing the alternating wave motion with the rope.
  • Always try and make sure that your back leg is lunged straight, parallel to your front leg to maintain good form.

12. Hip to Hip

  • Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
  • Hold one end of the rope in each hands. 
  • Shift your weight to the left and bring both hands to your left hip. Lean forward slightly.
  • Your feet should point slightly to the left, with your left knee bent to support most of your weight.
  • This is the starting position for this exercise. With one swift movement, bring both of your arms upwards and across your body in an arc-like shape as you shift your weight from the left side of your body to your right.
  • You should now be in the starting position, but on the right side.
  • Reverse the motion and return to this position on the left side again. Repeat the exercise, throwing the rope quickly from left to right.

13. Russian Twists

  • Sit on the ground and bring your knees towards your chest. Your heels should be resting on the ground in front of you.
  • Grab the handles of the rope and position your hands on the outside of your left hip.
  • While doing this, keep your hands together and the ropes moving in synchrony for the entirety of the exercise. Once you’re ready to continue, lean backwards ever so slightly so that your core is tensed and engaged.
  • Once you’re ready to begin, sit backwards slightly so that your core becomes engaged. Lift your heels about 5cm off the ground.
  • In one fluid motion, throw both arms upwards and over your body so that the rope goes over your legs to your right hip.
  • Repeat the same motion, bringing your hands back to your left hip.
  • Continue to whip the rope over and back like this for the duration of the exercise.

14. Plank Raise

  • Get into a full plank position, with your left hand on the ground and the stance of your feet wide.
  • Grab one end of the rope with your right hand.
  • Make sure that you keep your core and hips steady, allowing the movement to come from your shoulder.
  • Ensure that your core is continuously engaged and solid.
  • With your body now resting on your left hand, use your right hand to start creating waves with the rope.
  • The waves may not seem large, but the effects this movement will have on your core and shoulders will be exceptionally tiresome.
  • Once you have completed your desired number of reps on one side, even it out by training the other.

15. Jumping Jacks

  • Start this exercise with your feet slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
  • Hold the handles of the rope and begin doing jumping jacks, bringing the rope up and down as you jump.

 Need some extra motivation to try these exercises?

Send us a video of you performing the exercises listed above and we will send you a free RPM Power® product as a reward for your hard work!