Introduction
Battle ropes are one of the best ways to train your upper and lower body while simultaneously burning a ton of fat. In this article, we will give you some battle ropes exercises to fry fat, while also saving time, by by taking you through some battle rope exercise that gives you a HIIT workout. Let’s dive in!
What Is HIIT?
High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is a form of working out where you switch between near-maximal intensity and moderate intensity activities. This type of training is shown to directly impact fat loss in hours after working out, but also help retain skeletal muscle mass and even stop some age-related muscle mitochondria decline
Traditional HIIT training is usually done on something like a stationary bike. You go all-out for a short period of time, following it up with short rest periods, and continuing that cycle for the prescribed number of sets, usually lasting around 15 minutes. That’s HIIT. But, if you get more creative, you can do HIIT with just about anything—your own body weight, kettlebells, jump rope, and yes, battle ropes.
Battle ropes are perfect for HIIT for a couple of reasons. First, they allow you to instantaneously switch tempo, which is something treadmill, for example, doesn’t allow. Second, battle ropes are extremely intensive by nature, which means you won’t be able to do them for long no matter what type of training you do, so it might as well be HIIT. Also, they are very fun to do, which is something you can’t really say about 45-minute incline walks on a treadmill.
One Battle Ropes Tip
Here is a quick tip. If you want to make the workout harder, get closer to the anchor. This will force you to create bigger waves, which means you will have to use more energy and raise your arms more.
And never workout with ropes fully tight, it can ruin your shoulders. So with battle ropes, the more slack, the better.
Battle Ropes HIIT Routines
Classic Battle Rope HIIT
This one is straightforward, you go all out for 30 seconds, following it up with a 10-second rest. Nothing fancy, but very effective. You can choose whichever battle rope exercise you want, and something simple as alternating waves will do.
Do that for 10-15 minutes, and you will be dripping in sweat, lying on the floor, trying to catch your breath.
Alternating Waves to Double Arm Slam
Do alternating arm waves for twenty seconds, and then follow it up with double arm slams for 10 seconds. You should do alternating arm waves with medium intensity, and the double arm slams with full power.
To make them even harder, as soon as you finish alternating waves, take two steps forward. Getting near the rope anchor will require you to swing higher in order to make the slam, exerting more energy. Once you finish double arm slams, take two steps back, and continue to alternating waves again.
Continue doing this for 10-15 minutes.
Outside Circles To Double Arm Slams
Follow the same principles as shown above. You do 30 seconds of outside circles, and then follow up with 10 seconds of two hand slams. Of course, take two steps towards the anchor to make those slams harder.
Side Slam To Double Arm Slam
Stand facing the anchor sideways. You should hold the rope like you would hold a baseball bat, with one arm, turned up, and the other one turned down. Slam the rope towards the floor for 20 seconds.
Immediately after that, turn towards the anchor, take two steps forward, and continue going all-in, doing double arm slams for 10 seconds.
Then immediately after that, two steps back, turn the other way and perform side slams with your other side. So if you started turned right, you now turn left.
Continue doing this for 10-15 minutes, always alternating sides. A killer workout, you will see.
Alternating waves To Bodyweight Burpees
Combine 30 seconds of alternating waves, with the old-school bodyweight cardio king-burpees. Continue for 15 minutes, if you can!
You can switch burpees with squats, lunges, jumping jacks, squat jumps, or even kettlebell swings, to your liking.
The Big Combo
This workout combines everything from above, and will absolutely torch calories, helping you unravel that six-pack. Here’s how to do it:
- 20 seconds alternating waves
- 10 seconds two-hand slams
- 20 seconds outside circles
- 10 seconds two-hand slams
- 20 seconds inside circles
- 10 seconds two-hand slams
- 20 seconds side slam left
- 10 seconds two-hand slams
- 20 seconds side slam right
- 10 seconds two-hand slams
Rest 60 seconds, and repeat 3-5 times.
3 Challenging Battle Ropes Workouts
Here are three great workouts that are built around battle ropes. These battle rope training exercises are a great way to improve overall cardiovascular endurance as well as helping to develop strength in the back and arms in an original way.
Warning: Intense Exercise Ahead!
Workout A – Russian Mountains:
3 x 10 Box Jumps
3 x10 Knee Tucks
3 x 10 Burpees
10 Minute Battle Ropes / Plyo:
20 seconds of normal battle rope waves / 20 meter sprint (run, come back – 2 x 10 meters)
10 full burpees
Workout B – Multiple Ends
Do six rounds as fast as possible of the following:
- 10 Knee Tuck Jumps
- 10 Battle Rope Waves with both hands
- 10 Burpees
- 10 Planks
- 10 Battle Rope Large Waves
- 400 Meter Run
Workout C – Sonic Wave
Do the following every minute for 10 minutes:
Wave the Battle Rope as fast as you can for 10 seconds.
Do 10 Rounds of 10 Battle Rope waves with both hands, 5 pushups, 5 burpees, 50 meter sprint at top speed.
Recovery – 3 minutes light jogging.
Twenty seconds of battle ropes with both hands / 10 knee tuck jumps, 10 x-jump burpees
10 x 30 seconds run fast
30 seconds run slow
Battle Rope Tips Recap
- Keep your feet shoulderwidth apart.
- Starting from your standing position you should then be bending your knees of both your legs
- Modify the effect on your muscles by moving from side to side and even using the ropes in a lunge position.
- Keep your back slightly arched throughout the exercise session – do not round it.
- Start with a rope that is 30 feet long and 1.5 inches thick.
- Experiment with different motions and directions. Try moving the ropes in circles and from side to side. Then advance to trying double waves. But be patient. Getting mastery over the ropes takes plenty of practice!
- Don’t just think of the ropes as a finishing off exercise. This dan be an intense exercise that can actually be the main course of your training session rather than just a side dish!
- Work with different amounts of slackness in the rope to vary the resistance level.
- Mix up rope training with body weight exercises. For example, you could do 30 seconds of rope training and the drop the ropes and get down into the pushup position. Pump out a dozen reps of pushups and then go back to another 30 seconds of rope training.
- Vary your distance from the anchor to get active recovery. For example, you can move further away for intense exercise periods and then move closer to the anchor to get a period of active recovery.
- To build strength and power in your core, throw in some rope slam where you simultaneously slam both ropes to the floor.
- You can also use the rope for horizontal training to develop metabolic endurance and strength. Vary the rope length, weight and thickness.
- Keep you gaze fixed on the horizon ahead of you.
Conclusion
We hope you appreciate the benefits of battle rope exercises, in particular battle ropes HIIT workouts, for getting in shape. You will achieve fat burn by following the battle rope HIIT routines from above. That will mean you will be more likely to do them often, which is the only way to get in shape. The battling rope is one of the best forms of exercise for weight loss, and if your gym has a station, we warmly encourage you to start using it in your next workout. They are a relatively cheap piece of fitness equipment so you can also consider buying one for your home gym if it is practical.
If you feel like a total beginner in this kind of workout, you can check our guide on how to use battle ropes and learn the major benefits of this exercise. You may also consider personal training to allow a personal trainer to give you the optimum workout routine for your fitness goals.
