Welcome to another lesson here on Kettlebell Movement. Today we are using a new piece of equipment, the battle rope! The beauty of this piece of equipment is that it can teach you some basic kettlebell movements, while putting very little stress on the joint. With that said, don’t think that low stress on the joint will make the training any less challenging, the battle rope can be as difficult as you want to make it. With the rope, you will learn how to use your body as a single unit to create a powerful whipping action that will start at your feet and move all the way through your hands and into the rope.
You want to make each wave as fluid as possible, I often see people chopping each wave down, with very little fluidity into the next wave. Keep the frequency consistent and use your abs and lats to pull the weight back down, which will send the wave shooting down the rope. Become one with the rope and develop efficiency at the movement so that you can maintain the exercise even as your heart rate climbs. Much like with kettlebell training, you will need strong grip and abs for this exercise.
In today’s video, I am going to show you both the two handed wave and the one handed wave, each performed with one end of the rope in hand. To mix things up and add greater challenge, I will soon progress you to holding both ends of the rope, one end in each hand. This will allow you to perform two waves at the same time, and even graduate up to the core-busting alternating wave. The idea today is to get the basic movement down and develop the powerful whipping action that will get that rope moving. Try to find a consistent frequency and wave length. Develop efficiency in the move. This kind of training can also be great for anyone with shoulder or back injury, as it allows you to develop strength through resistance without ever lifting any real weight. Make sure you aren’t holding your breath as you perform the waves, I seem to prefer breathing every three to five waves, depending on the speed and my level of exhaustion.
If you are planning on buying a rope, the diameter and length will be very important. The flexibility of the rope will also change the way it feels. Many of the nylon ropes are very stiff and as a result are more challenging and provide less of a fluid feeling. I prefer cotton ropes, as I am using in the video. Shoot for anything from 1″ to 1.5″ in diameter and at least 50′ long, for the most versatility. Once you have a rope, you will find there are many other uses for it in your training than just waves, so bang for your buck, you can’t go wrong. The only thing you will need is space in your gym or outside to use it! Thanks for working out with me today.
Peter Hirsh
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