The sun is out for Spring which means… no more soggy battling ropes!
It’s time to get them out and use them with your campers. And, did you know that you can do more than just slam them?
You can do waves, undulations, sitting, kneeling, standing, jumping, planking and more.
Check out these battling rope exercises and be sure to let me know if I missed any good ones:
Regular Rope Slams
https://bootcampideas.wistia.com/medias/1z3bvxcz2r
We should start with the original slam as a reference point.
Tip: Pull the hips back as you slam down.
Single Rope Slams
For campers that struggle with the weight or thickness of a rope, have them use just one end.
Rope Jump Slams
https://bootcampideas.wistia.com/medias/yj1xmd7ztw
Campers mastered the slam? Have them include a jump. Keep the reps in the 10 to 15 range on these.
Rope Squat Undulations
https://bootcampideas.wistia.com/medias/zm5f08mb9e
Rope slams tire you out quickly, for longer rounds of exercise (45+ seconds) have campers do undulations.
Inverted Grip Waves
You can mix up the feel of rope waves, slams and undulations by just changing the grips.
Lateral Rope Slams
Instead of just going up and down with the slams, try going a little side to side too.
Tip: Use your knees as a guide for these. Centre your chest over your left knees as you slam down, then your right, then your left, etc.
Lateral Rope Waves
I know this looks really similar to the Slams, however in the Wave technique I’m try to keep the rope moving in a smooth continuous motion.
Lateral Rope Jump Slams
Kneeling Rope Slams
Get the core and the arms working by dropping to your knees.
Kneeling Undulations
Take Kneeling Slams to the next level with undulations.
Tip: Child not required.
Seated Slams
https://bootcampideas.wistia.com/medias/7vnetbzhwo
Dropping to a seated position restricts the amount of your body you can use once again making the slams harder.
Plank Slams
https://bootcampideas.wistia.com/medias/vgshjs8tdp
Mix up your planks with some slams. You can get two campers to a rope on this one.
Side Plank Pull Ins
https://bootcampideas.wistia.com/medias/hfwcpumh6s
In a Side Plank position pull the rope in with your free arm. Keep going until the rope is piled in front of you.
Alternative: Put a camper on each end of the rope and have them both pulling at the same time.
Jump Lunge Rope Slams
Like slams need to be even harder, let’s include some jump lunges.
Rope Sprints
Need to make sprints harder? Grab a rope!
Tip: These are tough, so keep the distance short. 20 to 30 metres works well.
Plus, try this combo: Rope Sevens
https://bootcampideas.wistia.com/medias/3rk6urqilp
You do 7 reps of each exercise for 7 rounds. The exercises are: Rope Jumping Jacks, Squat Undulations and Rope Slam Burpees.
Alternative: Decrease by one rep on each exercise each round. So 7 reps round 1, 6 reps round 2, etc.
If you haven’t got any ropes, check out where you can get battling ropes locally.
What’s your favourite battling rope exercise to use at your bootcamp? Share with us in the comments below.
Kyle Wood created Bootcamp Ideas in 2010 when he was hunting around on the internet for workout ideas. He ran a successful bootcamp in Victoria, Australia and spends his spare time managing this site, adventuring (or lazying) with his wife and find new ways to make bootcamps even better.
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