Battle ropes, the thick, heavy ropes now commonly seen at the gym, are becoming very popular among fitness centers in the U.S., according to Yahoo News.
The secret is that using the battle ropes maintains the intensity of the workout while still making it engaging and fun.
Using the battle ropes is also reportedly an efficient workout routine as it touches on all part of the body.
“It’s a little like running with the upper body,” stated Jonathan Ross, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise.
“It’s not just using different muscles but training muscles in different ways.”
Exercising with the battle ropes also helps you focus on posture and coordination, according to Ross, who is also a Washington D.C. area-based trainer and author of the book “Abs Revealed.”
Efficient use of battle ropes has been proven to be a huge positive for your health and overall workout routine. A study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research reportedly showed that a 10-minute session of rope training resulted in high heart rates and enough energy expenditure to increase cardio respiratory fitness.
Some gyms have even dedicated a class to battle ropes.
“It’s great core training,” stated Donna Cyrus, senior vice president of programming at Crunch.
“The abs, back and gluten are all engaged. Obviously there’s toning to the upper body and it burns a lot of calories.”