Tag fitness rope

Benefits of Fitness Rope Training

The biggest benefit to rope training is to increase your strength, improve your endurance and your power. You will find that after training with heavy ropes you will be quicker, stronger and more agile. Which is one of the reasons why is that when pro athletes use this form of training they notice a huge difference when it comes to game time!

The other huge benefit of rope training is that you will notice a difference in your aerobic capacity. Rope training incorporates cardiovascular training with high intensity training by combing intense short sessions which are repeated several times. This is a great exercise to help improve your lungs ability to take in more air. If you have lung problems consult with a doctor before attempting this type of exercise and get their advice on how best to start off.

Fitness rope training is a full body workout and incorporates your entire trunk. There is no need to have to perform more exercises afterwards. It really is one piece of equipment that targets your whole body from head to toe.

As well rope training is just plain fun, it is the perfect exercise to take up if you are bored with your regular routine. Training with ropes is perfect for beginners to pro athletes and for anyone regardless of age. It is simply a matter of adjusting the length and weight of the rope to suit each person. This makes rope training perfect for a family fun filled exercise routine.

The nice thing about this type of training is that you can adapt it to suit your needs. If you have trouble standing you can easily kneel down or sit on a stability ball. For more advanced moves try squatting or lunging as you control the ropes. Plus don’t forget that you can use your heavy rope for climbing or pulling movements.

Fitness Rope Choices

When buying a fitness rope you want to take a few things into consideration. There is more to buying a rope than meets the eye and first off you need to realize that there are different types of rope.

• One of the best rope choices is one made from premium double braided nylon. With a double braided rope you essentially have two ropes in one, with one being braided over the top of the other. This type of rope is very strong, durable and soft and comfortable on your hands. They are a nice heavy rope that will not shed making them great for indoor or outdoor use. The only downside to this type of rope is its price. They tend to be on the expensive side but don’t forget they will last for many years.
• The Manila rope is probably the one that you are more familiar with. This type of rope resembles the ropes you would have used at school! A Manila rope is a tough rope that is great for taking the kind of abuse rope training can place on it. This type of rope is also more affordable making it the number one reason why many people start off with this one. It is important to note that a Manila rope may tend to shed and is recommended for using outside and it can be a little rough on your hands. Take these points into consideration before making your final buying decision.
• A middle of the road rope would be one that is made from polyester and polypropylene fibers. This type of rope is very strong and durable. It is also much softer than a Manila rope and does not shed so can be used both indoors and outside. Ropes made from polyester tend to be lighter making them a good choice for beginners, seniors and children. Price wise they are right in the middle between the cheaper Manila ropes and the more expensive double braided ropes.

If you purchase a rope specifically made for rope training then it will normally have handles or covered ends on it. If you purchase a length of rope from your hardware store it will have rough edges on the ends. If you know what you are doing, the polyester and nylon ropes can be cut clean on the end and then sealed with a flame. A simple knot at the end will also stop your rope from fraying loose.

When selecting your rope try to pick a rope that is not too heavy for you but one that still has a thickness of 1.5 to 2 inches. The most popular length is 50 feet but 25 foot ropes are still long enough for you to get a great workout with. Some people prefer to purchase a longer length of rope and then tie knots in it. As your ability increases you can easily make the rope longer by untying the knots. As length increases, so does the intensity of strength to move it.

Fitness Rope Training Summary

Rope training goes by many names and you may see this type of training advertised as:

• Undulating training
• Power training
• Battle Rope training
• Rope training exercises
• Fitness ropes

Just remember that they all mean the same thing and would possibly have exercises with different names. Whether you are looking for something to add to your exercise routine or are just in the mood to try something new rope training may be your perfect choice. Your only cost is that of the length and type of rope and you are ready to go.

It is quite easy to find videos online that will instruct you on the basic movements of rope training exercises. Or you can purchase rope training DVD’s where you can follow along.You can train by yourself, with a partner or make it a family activity.

Heck you can even invite your neighbors over and have a friendly tug of war game in your backyard. But, hint, hint, do it after you’ve done your rope training for two to three months first so that you’re ready to kick-butt and impress.

To help you get started right, be sure to read the article titled “Rope Training – for Fitness Nuts and Newbie’s Alike” found at http://myfitnessnut.com/rope-training-for-fitness to give you other important details not found in the article above.

Also to get a jump start on bodybuilding, go to http://MyFitnessNut.com and get a free subscription of the My Fitness Nut Newsletter for up to date tips and bodybuilding resources that the whole family can use to get fit and stay fit for life.

Rope training is serious business. From 6 year old’s on the playground to the military that’s guarding the countries we live in; rope training has its place in the form of fun, exercise and the ability to increase intense strength and endurance in professional athletes.

It can be as high of intensity of a workout as you want it to be and your total piece of equipment is a rope, a place to tie it, or a workout partner capable of holding on to the other end… and your motivation to make it move.

When you do rope training for even a few weeks it will help you to increase your endurance, build muscle and burn fat; and depending on your body type, burn fat at a rapid rate.

Rope Training Exercises

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters regularly use ropes as part of their training routine, along with kettlebells and sandbags amongst other things that we’ll get to in another report. All of these training methods help increase muscle strength and endurance while also helping to increase your speed and timing responses when in the ring.

Another popular form of rope training is the more traditional jumping with a rope. We wanted to include this here as it is a fantastic way to increase your fitness level and even a short time spent jumping can expend lots of calories.

Beginners Jump Rope Training

Remember when you were a child you probably jumped rope with your siblings and friends. This is still a wonderful exercise to do today. If you are short of time and money then jumping rope for exercise is one of the best ways to start getting healthier and losing weight.

As with any exercise when first starting out you want to take it easy and not over do it! There is no point in pulling a tendon or worse in the sake of getting fit. Slow and easy wins the race every time.

If you haven’t picked up a jump rope in years you should try jumping for approximately 30 seconds or around 50 repetitions; less if feel this is a bit much because some is better than none and you can always grow from wherever you are starting.

30 seconds and 50 reps would be classified as one set. Aim to complete three sets each time you workout. As this becomes easier for you increase the time to 60 seconds and then to 90 seconds and allow yourself only 30 seconds to rest before starting the next set. Work up to four or five sets three times a week.

As you become more advanced at jump rope then increase the time you spend jumping to 20 minutes each session. Your goal is to have each set last between two to five minutes completing five sets each workout. To get the best benefit try not to rest too long in between sets. Aim to do these five times a week.

Moving On to the Future…

Today rope training encompasses more than just jumping and makes use of different types of ropes. The ropes used are known as heavy or battle ropes and come in varying thicknesses and lengths.

Heavy ropes were traditionally used by men because of their weight, however today you will see more ropes being used by women as well. This is because this form of training is excellent for overall conditioning, strengthening and of course weight loss.

Basic Rope Training

There are many ways you can utilize ropes into your exercise routine. You can use ropes to make waves, for pulls, slams, climbing, jumping and even for dragging around. If you want to increase your lung capacity this is the perfect method to use. Your lungs will easily be burning after a workout.

When starting a rope training program you will come across hundreds of exercises with different terms. Below we have listed a few exercise moves that are commonly used in this type of training program.

• Shuffle Waves
• Hand Pulls
• Rope Twists
• Seated over the shoulder pulls
• Drag Pull
• Around the World
• Grappler Throw

Getting Started with Rope Training Exercises

All you need is one thick rope to get started and you don’t have to go out and buy a brand name sports training rope either. You can just visit your local hardware store and purchase a manila rope that is about 1.5 to 2.0 inches in diameter and 50 feet long. A manila type rope is very strong and sturdy and can take the excessive pounding that you are about to commence on.

You are also going to need a way to secure the rope so you can use both ends. If you have a large tree in your backyard this would be perfect. You can simply wrap the rope around the tree trunk. You may be able to work out with another person who can hold the rope in the middle, providing they are strong enough to hold onto it.

Whatever methods you choose ensure that the rope is secure and safe. Another idea is if you have a sturdy pole in your basement that you can wrap or secure the rope too.

Mind you we have also seen people use the ropes unsecured. You just lay out the length of rope and then start making waves with it. Just be careful that the end doesn’t flay around and whip someone or something.

Make Waves with Your Training Rope

Making waves with your rope is one of the easiest ways to get started. You simply hold onto the rope and start moving it up and down with your arms until you see the wave motion happening. Be sure to stand with your feet firmly on the ground about shoulder width apart. The more motion you make with your arms the quicker your heart rate will increase.

It is best to start out doing a timed session of about 30 seconds, doing this for a beginner is really going to tax your arms and your breathing. As your ability improves you can increase the duration of each session or increase your speed.

A slam move is similar to a wave other than you hold your arms high above your head before slamming the rope down. You can perform this move with both arms or alternate your arms. Again start with a short session and increase the duration over time.

If you are new to rope training or interested in learning more, see the “Benefits of Rope Training and Fitness Rope Choices” article. That article will help you get more out of your rope workouts and what type of rope you might want to be starting out with. Be sure to subscribe to the http://MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter To be kept up to date with the latest information on health and fitness.