Whether you’re a regular gym goer or someone who is just casually interested in fitness, you’ve probably come across battle ropes. Fitness videos of people flinging ropes conjure up images of powerful superheroes and the wave-like movement of the ropes can be almost hypnotic in their own right.

While battle ropes are certainly Instagram-worthy, they can also be integral tools in both high-intensity and low-impact workouts—how you choose to incorporate them into your fitness routine only depends on your personal fitness goals. Let’s dive into the nine battle ropes benefits.

In addition to battle ropes, there is plenty of useful equipment to consider when you walk into a gym. Look at the cardio area and you’re likely to see:

• Treadmills
• Ellipticals
• Stationary Bikes
• Stair Climbers

Then you turn to the strength section and are confronted with:

• Dumbbells
• Barbells
• Weight Machines
• Cables

There are also exercise balls, mats, and a variety of benches. If you’re in the gym or building your own home gym, how do you know what to use to help you reach your fitness goals?

A great place to start is with battle ropes.

Battle rope exercise benefits are extensive—if you’re looking for a high-intensity workout, battle ropes can be powerhouses when it comes to improving your rotation and multiplanar endurance. They can also be incorporated into a low-intensity cool-down to help your body decompress after a grueling workout.

In fact, battle ropes can be used to reach a variety of goals, including:

• Improving power, strength, and mobility
• Building lean body mass
• Sculpting muscles
• Increasing aerobic capacity and cardiovascular endurance
• Enhancing mental stamina

But, of course, when it comes to the benefits of using a conditioning rope, that’s only skimming the surface.

One factor that limits gym-goers’ enjoyment of exercise is repetition—running on a treadmill for thirty minutes while starting at the same spot on the wall can often discourage gym-goers from returning to the gym with enthusiasm.

While there are people who love running and can do it all day, some of us require a bit more variety.

Enter battle ropes.

Battle ropes are unlike anything else you’ll find in a gym or HIIT facility. Even the exercises themselves drip in versatility: An exercise like alternating rope whips will target your upper body as your feet and hips stay planted on the floor, while lung slams, which involve lunging to one side and slamming the ropes to the floor, provide a more full-body workout.¹ 

To that end, variety isn’t just the spice of life, it’s also a way to spice up your exercise routine and infuse a sense of fun in your workouts.

Having fun is important, but if you’re going to add something to your workout you also want it to be effective. After all, it can be fun to play Candy Crush for an hour, but it’s not going to help you get in better shape.

Thankfully, battle ropes are as effective as they are fun (if not more so). In a study where women in their thirties engaged in battle rope training for two months, they were found to have noticeable results in the following categories:²

• Weight – The intensity of the movements and the ability to target certain muscle groups in the lower and upper body promoted fat burning among the group.
  

• Flexibility – Battle ropes can also be used in stretching exercises and cool-downs, which were shown to have an overall effect on muscle flexibility.
  

• Arm endurance – When using battle ropes, your arm muscles are continuously moving, which can improve muscle endurance and strength in the upper body.
  
• Self-image – An effective full-body workout is bound to lead to full-body confidence, right? Battle ropes’ ability to target multiple muscle groups and improve physical stamina can have incredible benefits—and not just on the body, but the mind too.

No matter the workout you choose, battle rope exercises elevate your heart rate to help promote calorie burning and fat loss.

For many forms of cardio, you’d better have at least half an hour carved out. That isn’t the case for a battle rope workout. Battle rope workouts are a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This means you’ll work hard for short periods of time, likely no more than five minutes between rest periods.³

Since HIIT training takes less time, it can be easier to work into your routine. It also comes with added benefits, such as:⁴

• It’s good for your overall heart health.
• It can be easier (and potentially safer) for some people than more moderate cardio exercises.
• It can help you to continue to burn calories even hours after you’ve finished exercising.

Wondering, what do battle ropes work? Many cardio workouts focus on your lower body, which makes sense. When you run, ride a bike, or climb stairs, it’s your legs that propel you. However, battle ropes are primarily driven by your upper body, which makes them a great alternative for anyone struggling with lower-body injuries or anyone who simply wants to give their legs a break.⁵

However, battle ropes aren’t limited to the upper body. Your lower body will still be needed for stabilization. Additionally, since there are a variety of battle rope exercises, you can spread the burn throughout your whole body and utilize muscles that may not often get used in normal strength training. As a whole, battle rope exercises stimulate muscles in your:

• Core
• Arms
• Shoulders
• Back
• Glutes
• Quads

Adding moves like lunges or squats into your routine can also help enlist the help of your lower body during the workout.⁶ 

You should be getting an idea of how battle ropes can help you from a cardio standpoint, but what if you’re more interested in building muscle and strength? They can help you with that too.

Since the ropes are weighted, many exercises require the core and arm muscles to propel them forcefully. And again, utilizing different exercises can shift the focus onto different muscles.

Does this mean battle ropes will make me shredded? That depends. To get a shredded physique you need to focus on building muscle and burning fat. Battle ropes can help on both fronts. However, you’ll still need to focus on nutrition and ensure your strength training is well-rounded.

Maybe your hip hurts when you run. Maybe moving your shoulder over your head to swim causes pain. Injuries happen even when we have the best of intentions.

One benefit of battle ropes is that they’re low-impact and gentle on your joints. That means you’re less likely to injure yourself while performing a battle rope exercise, but still able to accelerate your heart rate for health-inducing benefits.

As you know, battle rope exercises target muscles throughout the whole body, from your chest to your glutes. But it also provides a few benefits to your body’s most complex organ—the brain.

If you’ve ever tried to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time, you’ll know that coordinating different movements on each side of your body requires a good deal of focus. Additionally, pushing through muscle fatigue and the various movements used in battle rope exercises can help improve your focus and overall mental stamina, as well as your body.

Muscle imbalance. If you know the term, you know it’s something that you want to avoid. Some muscle imbalance in most people is probably inevitable, but you don’t want to have the right arm of Thor and a left arm that looks like a fettuccine noodle.

Since battle ropes isolate your arms, they can help you notice any imbalances you may be dealing with. This can help you address any disparities before they affect your workouts long-term, and it can help you avoid overcompensating on one side or the other, which can often lead to injury.

There’s no point in denying it—battle ropes make you feel like a master warrior training for the next world-saving battle—and there’s a reason why battle rope posts blow up so quickly on social media.

They make you look cool!

And while aesthetics may not be the first benefit you consider when planning your workout routine, one of the reasons we exercise is to feel more confident in our bodies—and battle ropes can do just the trick.

Implementing a battle rope exercise routine on a regular basis can build your strength, enhance your mental and physical endurance, and improve your mobility and flexibility for full-body battle rope workout benefits. If you’re looking to champion the battle rope, Tru Grit has you covered.

Our weighted battle ropes come in two different sizes, and when combined with our battle rope anchor, they’re the perfect counterpart for any home-gym owner looking to optimize their workout. The nylon straps are easy to grip and the industrial fibers ensure you’ll have this workout staple for years to come.

If you’ve been sleeping on battle ropes training, it’s time to wake up. Elevate your fitness with Tru Grit—this is just the beginning.

Coach. Battle Rope Exercises And Workouts To Get You Ripped. https://www.coachmag.co.uk/full-body-workouts/3781/battle-rope-exercises-and-workouts-to-get-you-ripped 

Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development. Effect of Battle Ropes Training in Some Components of Health Fitness and Vision of the Body Image of Women Aged (30-35) Years. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Drsuhad-Almusawi/publication/341100114_Effect_of_Battle_Ropes_Training_in_Some_Components_of_Health_Fitness_and_Vision_of_the_Body_Image_of_Women_Aged_30-35_Years/links/5ead4f19a6fdcc7050a1ad8a/Effect-of-Battle-Ropes-Training-in-Some-Components-of-Health-Fitness-and-Vision-of-the-Body-Image-of-Women-Aged-30-35-Years.pdf 

Arthur D’Amato, MS. Battle Ropes: Gimmick or No? https://arthurdamato.wordpress.com/2017/10/11/battle-ropes-gimmick-or-no/ 

Men’s Journal. 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Interval Training. https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-interval-workouts/ 

Livestrong. How to Use Battle Ropes to Build Power, Strength and Cardio at Once. https://www.livestrong.com/article/13724080-how-to-use-battle-ropes/ 

In-Shape. 10 Benefits of Battle Ropes. https://www.inshape.com/blog-events/blog/10-benefits-of-battle-ropes 

AskMen. Why It’s Time You Started Training With Battle Ropes. https://www.askmen.com/fitness/workout/why-it-s-time-you-started-training-with-battle-ropes.html