How many days a week do you leave the gym feeling you still have some gas left in the tank? This guilt proves that you didn’t go hard enough in the gym. Although training to mechanical failure in every (or any) workout is not necessary for strength, endurance, or muscle gains, it is one of the most satisfying feelings at the end of a workout.
While there are several ways of hitting failure, only a few are as effective as going all-out on a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise. Nothing beats the gratification of being drenched in sweat and knowing you gave the workout everything you had, and now it’s up to the strengths gods to bless you with your well-deserved gains — after you please them with a balanced meal and sleeping for at least seven hours.
Battle ropes, also known as battling ropes or heavy ropes, are full-body training equipment found in a gym’s functional training area. Battle ropes were invented by John Brookfield in 2006, and he designed a training program around them to improve overall fitness and functionality. The program gained traction, and he was roped in (pun intended) by the Special Forces, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the USA Olympic wrestling team to incorporate the battle ropes into their training routines. So, if you thought battle ropes were a fad, think again. The Special Forces use them to create killing machines.
In this article, I take you over the four best ways to build your own DIY battle ropes, including the things you must consider before beginning your do-it-yourself project. You will also learn why the battle ropes should be a part of your training regimen, their benefits and disadvantages, who should use the batling ropes and who should not, and much more. So, sit tight and read on.
Why DIY Battle Ropes?
A battle rope exercise usually doesn’t last more than two minutes. Many endurance athletes think that since they can run and swim for hours, they can make battle rope exercises last much longer. However, since these are weighted ropes, the battle ropes are a combination of muscular and cardiovascular strength and endurance. Most people start experiencing lactic acid build-up within the first 10 seconds of a battle rope exercise. The pump and the fatigue get so intense by the time the stopwatch hits 30 seconds that only a few can make it over the 60-second mark while maintaining a high training intensity.
Battle ropes are a safe training tool that most exercisers can use. They are unintimidating and have a shallow learning curve, making them suitable for beginners. Plus, they are one of the best exercises to build explosive upper-body strength.
If you’ve been following our DIY home gym guides (you are not a true gym rat if you haven’t), you probably know that most DIY gym projects require experience with power tools and craftsmanship. However, this isn’t true for the DIY battle ropes. Battle ropes are among the easiest DIY gym projects. The main challenge with DIY battle ropes is to get the rope dimensions and weight right. Depending on the material availability, you can complete a DIY battle ropes project within 15 minutes.
Things To Consider While Making DIY Battle Ropes
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of DIY battle rope projects, here are the things you must consider before starting:
Weight of the Battle Ropes
Battle ropes come in different shapes and sizes, and each manufacturer might deliver slightly different specifications in hopes of gaining an edge. However, the ropes typically have two standard diameters, 25mm (0.98 inches) and 44mm (1.73 inches). Feel free to make a battle rope that goes up to 2 inches in diameter. The thicker the rope, the more challenging it will be to hold onto it.
Length
Commercial battle ropes generally come in three lengths — 5m (16.5 feet), 10m (33 feet), and 25m (82 feet). Longer and heavier ropes are more demanding. An 82-foot rope might sound like a lot, but remember that you will wrap the rope around the anchor, effectively reducing the rope’s length in half. If you don’t apply enough force on a 25m battle rope, you might not be able to send the waves down to the anchor, which can eliminate the momentum. Remember, we want to restrict momentum in strength training exercises, but it can be our friend in cardiovascular exercises. Since battle ropes combine the two, the torque can help you transition into your next rep.
Anchor
In most commercial gyms, a battle rope is anchored to a loop bolted into the floor. However, this might not be possible for people who train in their homes. Folks who train at home can anchor the battle ropes around a tree or a sturdy elevated object. Remember, unsmooth surfaces can wear out the rope quickly. If you don’t have access to a suitable study anchor point for the battle ropes in your home, you could loop it around a heavy dumbbell’s or kettlebell’s handle. Avoid using a light dumbbell unless you plan to use it as a wrecking ball.
Storage Space
This is usually an afterthought for most people building DIY battle ropes. A 100-foot-long battle rope looks like a coiled anaconda, and it takes up a significant amount of space, something most people training at home might not have. You must consider the storage space before making DIY battle ropes. Also, you shouldn’t keep the battle rope in your backyard. Exposure to rain, dew, snow, and sunlight will speed up its deterioration.
4 Best DIY Battle Ropes Ideas
Here are the four best ways to build battle ropes at your home:
1. Nylon Rope
Nylon Rope Battle ropes in commercial gyms are made of different materials. Some use nylon and polydacron, whereas others use polyester. There is no right or wrong material. You can choose whichever sturdy materials you can get your hands on. We will use nylon for this example, as it is easily accessible in most…
