Battling ropes

Battling ropes
Battling ropes at an outdoor gym in Sweden

Battling ropes (also known as battle ropes or heavy ropes) are used for fitness training to increase full body strength and conditioning.[1][2] They were designed by John Brookfield in 2006, who developed the system around his backyard.[2][3] The battling rope can be alternatively used as a resistance training technique. After its development, Brookfield taught the system to Special Forces, the Cincinnati Bengals,[4] and the Olympic wrestling team.[3] Since then, the training system has expanded to mainstream gyms.[5]

With one battle rope per upper extremity, battling ropes work out each arm independently, overcoming strength imbalances.[6] It also reduces orthopedic load on joints.[4]

Battling ropes are thick, heavy and strong in order to give significant resistance,[2][5] and there are numerous types of ropes used.[2][6] The ropes typically have two common diameters (25 mm and 44 mm) and common standard lengths (5 m, 10 m, and 25 m).[2] Some battle ropes now have a flexible metal core, making them heavier, shorter and allowing the user to move during training without being restricted by an anchor point.[7]

  1. ^ "To Level Up Your Strength-Training Workout, Embrace the Battle Rope". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  2. ^ a b c d e Panday, D. (2013). Shut Up and Train!: A Complete Fitness Guide for Men and Women. Random House Publishers India Pvt. Limited. p. 247. ISBN 978-81-8400-524-0. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  3. ^ a b "Why Battling Ropes? Original Creator Answers All Questions. Interview with John Brookfield". Dragon Door. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  4. ^ a b "The Power of Ropes". training-conditioning.com (in Italian). 2012-08-30. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  5. ^ a b Intenicola, Dorene (2015-05-25). "'Battle ropes' could be the next trendy workout". Business Insider. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  6. ^ a b Reid, Trevor (2018-07-24). "A Beginner's Guide to Battling Ropes". Men's Health. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  7. ^ "Hyper Rope an ACE Integrated Fitness Training Model Workout". American Council on Exercise. 2020-04-01. Retrieved 2022-10-15.