Battle rope slams are part of functional training, giving you a colossal boost to your agility and strength. This exercise works a range of muscles in your body, giving you a dynamic burn with just one workout.
In addition, it is also considered a complete cardio, helping you burn a significant number of calories in just one movement. Not just that, it trains your body for stability as well as core strength. Learn the correct technique, benefits and muscles worked in this guide to crush your battle rope slams in the gym!
For effective and complete functional training, there’s 1 tool at the gym that’ll be your new best friend – the battle rope. These thick, heavy and long ropes are designed to activate your full body muscles, giving you the kind of burn that keeps you sore for days.
There’s a range of battle rope workouts you can do to keep yourself fit and agile. But like with every exercise, there’s a proper way of doing battle rope slams as well.
What Is the Correct Technique of Battle Rope Slams?
New to rope slams? Make sure you abide by the correct form and technique to get the best gains.
Here’s a step-by-step rundown on what to do:
- With your battle rope secure to the ends of a wall or hook, stand at the other end of the rope
- Grab the ends of the rope with your arms shoulder-width apart
- Stand with your knees slightly bent
- With a neutral back and core braced, fully extend your hips and slam the rope on the ground
- Pushing your hips slightly forward, stand straight again, slam the rope
- Then lower down again, repeating the motion
- Perform this movement continuously for 1 minute
Battle Rope Workout Routine – According to Your Fitness Level
| Level | Routine | Frequency | Rest Time | Additional Workouts | Estimated Calorie Burn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 3 sets of 20 seconds battle rope slams (40 seconds rest) | 2-3 times/week | 1-2 minutes between sets | Light jogging or brisk walking for 20 minutes, Resistance band squats (2 sets of 10 reps) | 50-70 calories for the session |
| Intermediate | 4 sets of 30 seconds battle rope slams (30 seconds rest) | 3-4 times/week | 1 minute between sets | Moderate jogging for 30 minutes, Dumbbell deadlifts (3 sets of 12 reps each leg) | 100-150 calories for the session |
| Advanced | 5 sets of 45 seconds battle rope slams (15 seconds rest) | 4-5 times/week | 45 seconds between sets | Intensive running or cycling for 30 minutes, Kettlebell swings (4 sets of 15 reps) | 200-300 calories for the session |
Important Tips
- Before you start any workout session, always do a 5–10-minute warmup to get your blood pumping
- Make sure you drink plenty of water during your workout to stay hydrated
- Amp up your workout’s intensity gradually – this is called progressive overloading
- After your workout, make sure to do your cool down routine
- If you’re a complete newbie, make sure to hire a personal trainer for guidance and consultation
What Muscles Are Worked During Battle Rope Slams?
Primary Muscles
- Anterior And Rear Delts: The front and posterior delts are responsible for the up and down movement
- Arms: Your biceps and triceps are heavily engaged in generating power
- Core: Your core is responsible for stabilizing your body and keeping your back neutral
- Uppers Back: This includes your lats and rhomboids, and are worked as you slam the rope down
Secondary Muscles
- Chest: While the pecs aren’t actively working, they are engaged during the slam
- Legs: Your quads, glutes and hammies actively work as they support the upward and downward movement during the rope slams
- Forearm and Grip Muscles: These muscles are worked as you hold the ropes during the workout
Gym Gear - Wear the Right Workout Clothes
Since battle rope slams are a dynamic movement, you need to make sure you've got the right gear on. This means your active wear should be high-performance, stretchable and highly breathable to support your movement.
Lower Body
- For men, it's best to wear gym shorts with inner compression layer or gym tights.
- For the ladies, a workout legging or compression shorts are perfect.
Upper Body
- For the guys, tanks, t-shirts and stringers will do.
- For the girls, a sports bra, tank top and tee would be perfect.
5 Benefits of Battle Rope Slam Workouts
It Is a Full Body Workout
One of the best things about battle rope slams is that it is a full body, comprehensive workout. From working your shoulders, traps and upper back to your glutes, legs and calves – rope slams are a dynamic workout that engage your muscles from top to bottom. If you’re running out of time, go for a battle rope workout rather than skipping the gym.
Love battle ropes? Try out jump ropes for a quick cardio.
It Boosts Muscular Endurance
While most gym rats focus on muscle building and strength training, they rarely ever train for muscular endurance. This is where battle rope slams can help them. As battle rope slams have to be performed consistently, they push your muscles towards growth, training them for endurance. The repetition of the movement along with the weight of the battle rope builds muscular endurance, giving you strength for your daily functionality as well.
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It Helps You Burn Calories
Since battle rope slams are a high intensity workout, they help you not just sweat but also burn a lot of calories. They’re considered one of the best cardiovascular exercises as they get your blood pumping throughout your body. While burning calories, they also improve the oxygen flow in your body. As a result, you’re on the right path to your fat loss journey.
Burn calories to shed some extra pounds with our 10 minute HIIT routine.
It Enhances Your Balance and Coordination
Rope slams are a full body workout. A vast range of your muscle groups are working at the same time – from your shoulders all the way down to your calves. This promotes a healthy balance and coordination in your body, boosting your daily functionality – keeping you fit beyond the aesthetics!
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It Allows You to Relieve Your Stress
There’s no doubt about it – exercising helps you release stress. There are multiple studies that prove working out helps you deal with stress, anxiety and even depression. The full body activation combined with the act of slamming itself helps you relieve your stress. So if you’re stressed after a long day at work or just feeling all your emotions piling up, go for a 10 minute rope slamming session to immediately feel better.
Learn more about how exercise boosts your mental health.
Key Takeaways
In conclusion, battle rope slams provide you with an effective full body workout. This robust workout can be tailored according to your fitness level, helping you kick off your fat loss journey efficiently.
By working multiple muscle groups at a time, this exercise not only strengthens you, but also builds your endurance, agility and mental wellbeing. Like with any exercise, always start slow with focus on your technique and then work your way up!
FAQs
What muscles do battle rope slams work?
Battle rope slams work a wide range of muscles at the same time including your front and side delts, upper and lower traps, middle back muscles, lats, biceps, triceps, core, chest, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves.
Can battle rope slams help with weight loss?
If you’re trying to burn fat then one of the best exercises you can do is the battle rope slam. It helps you lose weight as it is a full-blown cardio. According to several studies, battle rope slams burn around 100-150 calories per 10-minute slamming session. Remember, this varies based on your workout routine, exercise intensity, frequency and body weight. This number is just an estimated figure.
What are the benefits of battle rope slams?
Battle rope slams are a great way of boosting your strength, agility, endurance and overall fitness. This exercise works your upper back and core muscles. It helps you lose fat (especially when paired with the right nutrition) and allows you to gain lean muscle mass. So if your goal is to get lean and toned, then battle ropes are a great addition to your workout routine.
Can battle rope slams tone your arms?
Since battle rope slams work your biceps, triceps, shoulders, forearms and even elbow flexors up to some degree, battle rope slams can tone your arms and help you build lean muscle. In addition, battle rope slams are also an intense cardio workout, meaning you’re burning calories and fat with each slam. However, it is important to note that for any exercise, spot reducing fat is not possible. This means that if you’re trying to lose fat in a spot, that just won’t be possible unless you lose weight all over. So, if you want to reduce arm fat, you’ll have to burn more calories, go in a calorie deficit through nutrition and engage in cardio as well as strength training such as rope slams to burn fat and get toned.
