While they might look intimidating, the battle ropes are a simple workout tool that everyone can use. You’ll train the muscles in your upper back, arms, abs, back, glutes and if you incorporate jumps, lunges, and squats, you can also work your legs!

Having trouble reading the infographic? Read the benefits below!

Andrea Franco, In-Shape’s Director of group training, says, “Battle ropes are an amazing tool to improve your conditioning and burn lots of calories. It is a great full body exercise that is low impact and great for HIIT-style workouts!”

To start Franco recommends, “Resting twice as much as you work.”

What does that look like? Try 20 seconds of work and 40 seconds of rest. Or 30 seconds of work and 60 seconds of rest.

Franco says, “As you build up your endurance, you can reduce the work to rest ratio to 1:1 or 30 seconds work and 30 seconds of rest. You could even add intensity by working for 30 seconds and resting for only 15 seconds.”

1. You’ll work new muscles (or old muscles in new ways!): You can wave, slam or whip the battle ropes to move in many directions to increase shoulder mobility, range of motion and work different muscles.
2. You have two handgrips to choose from: Try holding them overhand like a handshake or underhand like you’re holding an ice cream cone to change it up.
3. You’ll HIIT your goals: we’ve talked a lot about HIIT (high-intensity interval training) a lot on the blog and for good reason. This type of training provides health benefits that regular cardio/aerobic training does not and you guessed it, battle ropes are a fantastic way to incorporate HIIT into your routine.
4. You’ll get a total body workout: The battle ropes aren’t just a cardio exercise using the arms. You can challenge many different muscles for a total body workout based on how your move the ropes, your grip, and your distance to the anchor point.
5. You’ll have an arsenal of moves to choose from: You can incorporate lunges, squats, jumps, lateral movements and much more to add intensity. Feel like being a total beast? Try adding a reverse lunge or a squat while waving the battle ropes.
6. You’ll work your brain too: The alternate wave motion usually used with the battle ropes challenges your entire brain to work together to make it happen!
7. You’ll have fun: Use the ropes to change up your usual routine. They’re exciting, challenge, fun and feel more like a game than a workout.
8. You’ll train imbalances or unilateral dominance: With a rope in each hand, you’ll notice how each side of your body handles the challenge. One side might be stronger, or more coordinated than the other. Using the ropes consistently over time will help you even out those differences!
9. You’ll get stronger: They’re heavy: Trust us this is a good thing! This resistance will strengthen your abs, arms, biceps, triceps, shoulders, quads, and glutes (ok your whole body!).
10. You, yes you, can do it! They’re for everybody and every body. Yes, they are heavy. But there are so many different ways to use them, you can cater it to your fitness level.