7 Body Weight Moves and 7 Battle Rope Moves To Get Your Heart Pumping

Join me in trying out some of my favourite ways to get the heart pumping using two of my very favourite tools- your own body weight AND (of course) battle ropes!

Lateral Bear Crawl with Shoulder Taps: Fire up that brain power! Begin this exercise in a bear position (shoulders over wrists, hips over knees), ensuring that you have a neutral spine and knees are close to the floor. While maintaining a neutral spine (draw your belly button in) start to move laterally using bilateral movement (opposite arm and leg moving simultaneously) for 3 or 4 steps. Pause, tap each shoulder and repeat in the opposite direction.

Rotational Stationary Lunge Pulse: Start this exercise lunge position with the front leg bent at 90 degrees (watch that front knee doesn’t sneak over your toes!). Place you hands at your ears, or rest them on your hips. As you lower you back knee as close as you can to the floor, begin to rotate through your torso, so that your body begins to turn toward the outside of your front leg. Remember to keep your shoulders back and your abs pulled in to create a lot of support and stability through your core! Want more? Maintain depth in your lunge by only coming up ¾ of the way!

Stationary Curtsy Pulse & Pull: Begin this exercise with your front foot turned out to 10-O’Clock, or 2- O’Clock. Sweep your other foot behind so that you are in a turned out lunge position. With a slight incline through your torso, pull your abs in and raise your arms above your head. As you lower your back knee as close as you can to the ground begin to pull your arms down from above you, bringing your shoulder blades together. Pick up the pace to make this one extra cardiovascular!

Inchworm Push-ups & Step-outs: Begin by standing up tall with your arms raised about your head. With your feet planted, walk your hands out in front of you to a high plank position. From here, perform a push-up from your toes, or modify this by dropping to your knees for your push-up. Make sure you maintain length in your spine throughout your push-up, drawing your belly button in and leading with your chest (keep your gaze a few feet in front of you on the floor to help maintain a neutral spine). Following your push-up, step each foot out, and then back in, and walk your hands back up so that you finish in a proud standing position.

Kicking Tricep Dips: In a supine position (facing the ceiling) face your hands toward your feet and lift your hips up off the floor. As you start to bend your elbows and engage your triceps, draw one knee in toward your chest while pointing your toe. As you come back up from your tricep dip, extend your leg with a flexed foot, as though you are pushing away something very heavy. Make sure to really extend your leg, and try not to let it drop toward the floor!

Twisted Slow Climbers with Toe Plank: From a strong high plank position draw each knee in toward the opposite elbow at a pace that challenges you. After you have done this once, maintain a neutral spine while shifting your weight onto your toes and then back through your heel before you start your slow twist again.

Triple Bear Hops: Begin this exercise in a bear position (shoulders over wrists, hips over knees), ensuring that you have a neutral spine and knees are close to the floor. From a standard bear position hop your feet from one side, back to centre, and then to the other side. Try to keep your knees as close to the floor as possible, and challenge yourself with your pace!

Single Rope Vertical Waves with Lateral Hops: Using a single 50’, 1.5” battle rope, begin this exercise in a wide squat position (anchor through your heel and stay low). As you hop laterally, begin moving your rope up and down with vertical waves. Hop to the side as much as your space will allow but remember to keep both sides even. You can modify this exercise for low impact by stepping laterally instead of hopping.

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Full Body Circles: Using a single 50’, 1.5” battle rope, begin this exercise with both hands on the rope. Your goal here is to make as big of a circle with your single rope as possible by bringing the rope as close to the ground and as high above you as possible. This exercise will require you to get low in a squat and then fully extend through your ankle, knee and hip (jump or no jump) at the top of your circle. Don’t forget to do circles in each direction!

Wide Stance Lateral Waves: Using a single 50’, 1.5” battle rope, begin this exercise in a wide squat position or sumo squat position. With both hands on the rope, keep a proud chest and move your waves laterally while staying low in your stance. This is a great rotational exercise for getting the heart pumping!

Single Arm Jump Slams: Using a single 50’, 1.5” battle rope, begin this exercise with your rope in one hand and lower yourself into a squat position. Aim for triple extension as you come to the top of your slam, bringing the rope as high as you can. At the bottom of each jump, switch hands to trade off which arm is performing the slam. To modify this exercise for no jump, extend by simply coming up to your toes.

Reverse Lunge Outside Circles: Using a doubled 50’ 1.5” battle rope, begin this exercise from a standing position. Circling your arms away from the centre of your body, step back into a reverse lunge and hold this position for approximately 4-6 circles. Step your feet together and then step back with the other leg into a reverse lunge again and repeat.

Sumo Squat In-Out Waves: Using a doubled 50’, 1.5” battle rope, begin this exercise from a sumo squat position. Anchor your squat through your heels and draw your belly button in. With a proud chest (ribs down, abs engaged) begin your in-out waves by bringing your ropes together without crossing. As your ropes are moving in and out, start to move your squat up and down.

Lateral-Sumo-Lateral Alternating Waves: Using a doubled 50’, 1.5” battle rope, begin this exercise from a sumo squat position. Begin your alternating waves, and start to shift your weight toward one side, keeping your weight through your heel and pushing your hips back. While maintaining your alternating waves, shift back to a sumo squat position, and then over to the other leg to repeat. 

By Lisa Tomlinson