Issue 068
October 2010
That massive cord lying on the gym floor? It’s a power rope and it can make you a better fighter.
Just like kettlebells, sledgehammers and the many other strange objects you might find in a well-equipped gym, ropes - often referred to as ‘power’ or ‘Battle’ ropes (which is a brand) - are a useful training tool that can help improve your strength and endurance.
Workouts with ropes are based around the principle of ‘dynamic effort’, which basically means lifting something heavy as fast as you can. So they’re perfect for fighters, but they’re extremely popular with athletes from sports that require quick bursts of ‘explosive’ strength too, such as wrestling and football.
Roping yourself in
The rope is laid flat along the floor and fastened to a secure anchor point. You can use either a single rope held in one or both hands, or loop the length through the anchor and hold an end in each hand. There are several ways to use it but the most commonly seen method is an up-and-down whip that creates a wave-like motion in the rope.
By planting the feet firmly and using the upper body to get the rope moving, you’ll experience a total body workout that quickly highlights any weaknesses in your cardiovascular endurance. Power ropes are usually used for a short period of time as part of a circuit, but those who’ve got the gas have been known to stay on them for a solid five-minute round.
FIGHTER-FRIENDLY POWER ROPE EXERCISES
Double wave
By lifting the arms up and sharply bringing them down, the rope will flick off the floor and form a wave. By rhythmically jerking the arms up and down you’ll get a constant motion going in the ropes, not to mention a hefty workout for your shoulders.
Alternating wave
Just like the double wave, the alternating wave sees the rope whipped up-and-down, but as one hand goes up, the other goes down. Perfect for developing punching power and endurance in the shoulders.
Thumbs-up wave
By switching the grip of the ropes from a ‘handshake’ grip to a ‘thumbs-up’ grip, you’ll hit the muscles at the front of the shoulders in a whole new way. Thumbs-up waves are great for building endurance in the clinch.
Oblique blasters
By taking the hands from one side of your waist to the other, you’ll cause the rope to ‘snake’ across the floor. It sounds simple, but it’s a killer abdominals workout.
POWER ROPE BUYING GUIDE
Types
There are many different types of ropes, but they barely differ in terms of functionality. Some ropes are sold exclusively for the purpose of exercising, but it is possible to obtain suitable ropes from other sources that would work just as well.
Thickness
A rope should be no less than 1.5” thick. Thicker ropes are harder to grip and weigh more, so are best suited to the more experienced athlete. The thicker the rope, the harder the workout.
Materials
Ropes are usually made from manila, polyester or hemp. Manila and hemp ropes tend to shed fibres so are best suited to outdoor work, while polyester is generally considered more durable and has a longer lifespan. Polyester is also non-abrasive and less likely to cause rope burns should you experience a ’user error’.
Length
The length of the rope depends more on the space you’ve got to work out in than anything else. A longer rope will make it harder to get a consistent wave going and therefore increase the difficulty of the workout, but most ropes are bought with the size of the gym in mind. The rope should ideally be a minimum of 15 feet long.
Securing
A solid anchor point is essential to stop the rope from flying around as soon as you begin the whipping motion. A handle drilled into a wall or the floor is best, but it is possible to create an anchor with a heavy kettlebell or similar large weight, eliminating the need for any permanent fixtures.
