Using battle ropes is a fantastic full-body exercise: in addition to forcing you to engage your core, your entire body will need to kick into gear to stabilize you. On top of that, your heart rate will shoot up while your fat melts away. Here are two variations to start out with.
- Hold the ends of the ropes at arm's length so they are extended out in front of your hips.
- Keep your hands close together, about one foot apart.
- Bend into a semisquat position.
- Engage your core.
- Explosively raise both hands straight up into the air until they are about eye level.
- Bring your hands back down to hip height.
- Rapidly repeat this motion for one to two minutes.
- Rest and begin the next set.
Try to do three sets, with rest in between. Each week, challenge yourself by extending the time of each set.
- Hold the ends of the ropes at arm's length so they are extended out in front of your hips.
- Keep your hands approximately shoulder width apart.
- Bend into a semisquat position.
- Engage your core.
- Begin by raising your right arm explosively. As it is descending, begin raising your left arm explosively. This should be a fluid motion that sends waves down each rope.
- Keep alternating your arms for one to two minutes for one set. Challenge yourself by adding time each week to each set or simply by speeding up.