Exercises · shoulders

Battling Ropes

A rope conditioning exercise using alternating arm waves to train the shoulders, forearms, and core.

shouldersdeltsropebeginnercompound

Secondary muscles

forearmscore

How to do it

  1. Anchor your stance with feet about shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly.
  2. Hold one rope end in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms in front of you.
  3. Brace your core and lift one hand as you lower the other to start the waves.
  4. Keep alternating your arms quickly to send continuous waves down the ropes.
  5. Maintain the slight knee bend and steady torso as you keep the waves even.

Form cues

  • Move arms fast
  • Keep chest tall
  • Brace your core
  • Make even waves

Common mistakes

  • Standing upright with locked knees
  • Swinging the whole torso instead of the arms
  • Letting the waves become uneven or stop
  • Lifting the shoulders up toward the ears

Breathing

Breathe steadily throughout, exhaling with the arm drive and inhaling as the arms switch.

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