Fancy a new hobby?
Looking for a new way to keep active and improve your fitness? Perhaps you’re bored of your current workout routine, or you’re searching for something a little cheaper than your gym membership. Here are a few creative ways to get some exercise – and all you need is some rope!
SKIPPING
Who doesn’t like skipping? It’s great fun for all ages.
- easy to do and can be done just about anywhere
- makes a great warmup or is a workout in itself
- do it independently or with others
- only need a short length of rope so isn’t too pricey!
WHICH ROPE IS BEST FOR SKIPPING?
Our Bealmaster rope is primarily used for rock climbing. As much as we highly recommend climbing as a great way to exercise in itself, there’s plenty of other things you can do with this rope for a fraction of the price and even from the comfort of your own home.
Bealmaster is perfect for skipping because this rope is robust, easy to handle, and has just the right amount of stretch.
As a general guide, we recommend about 2m for a child, 2.4m for a short adult, and 3m for a taller adult. Or why not order a few metres and have a big skipping rope for two people to hold?
If you’re unsure how much rope to order, just remember that a rope that’s too long is a bit more difficult to skip with but one that is too short is just impossible. So, if in doubt, order a little extra.
BATTLE ROPES
Battle ropes offer a demanding but very rewarding workout. We sell these ropes to boot camps, army training facilities, and gyms all over the place.
- full body workout
- improves your speed, strength, coordination, and endurance
- good investment – battle ropes are very robust and tend to last a long time
- fat-burning and muscle building workout
- plenty of routines and moves out there for you to try
WHICH ROPE IS BEST FOR BATTLE WORKOUTS?
Manila is a traditional material used to make sturdy, strong battle ropes. As this is a natural fibre, we seal the ends with rubber to stop the manila from fraying and untwisting. A thick piece of manila is sure to last you a long time, but we’d advise at least looking at other material options if you’re planning on using your battle rope outside. This is because manila wont cope that well in the rain and will swell if it gets wet. You should also make sure the rope is dry before storing or it may start to biodegrade.
We also make synthetic battle ropes which can withstand all weather types if you’re training outside. Our braided polyester battle rope is a great choice for indoor workouts too as it wont shed like natural fibres will.
ROPE FLOW
You might not have heard of rope flow before, but this is a very rapidly growing hobby. Take a look at a video about it here:
- improves core strength, balance, and coordination
- versatile – no need to do the same boring workout each time
- only need a short length of rope so doesn’t cost a fortune
- can be done just about anywhere
- great way to ease back into exercise after an injury
- the sport is closely tied into mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation – has improved the wellbeing, focus, and mental health of many participants
WHICH ROPE IS BEST FOR ROPE FLOW WORKOUTS?
As this pass-time continues to grow, lots of businesses are starting to pop up selling high-end flow ropes. But between you and me, theses products can be very expensive. Rather than going somewhere that will charge you an arm and a leg, grab some of our braid on braid rope which is much more affordable and equally as good for the job.
Our braid on braid (BOB) is used to by many rope flow hobbyists. It’s easy to handle, flexible, and knots very easily. Most people go for size 14mm or 12mm.
SCRAMBLE NETS
Scramble nets are tonnes of fun – and not just for kids! While they commonly appear in family gardens, childrens’ play parks and school playgrounds, scramble nets are also a go-to for army assault courses, fitness boot camps, and more.
- suitable for children and adults
- fun and interesting
- improves agility and climbing skills
- makes a great DIY project (if you’re building your net from scratch)
- long lasting
- looks great in family gardens
WHICH ROPE IS BEST FOR SCRAMBLE NETS?
In most cases, we use our hardy hemp rope to build scramble nets. It looks like a natural material but is actually synthetic, meaning you get a classic-looking net which is long-lasting and wont biodegrade or shed fibres.
You could order some rope and get cracking at making your own scramble net – but beware. They are much harder than you’d think to make, take a lot longer than expected to build, and use far more rope than most people realise. But don’t worry because we can make one for you!
All our nets are custom made, so we don’t have a set price. Give us a ring if you’d like to discuss ordering one and we can knock up a quote for you.
SLACKLINING
Slacklines are one of those things that look easy but are actually rather challenging. Walk in a straight line across a length of rope – how hard can it be? Well, find out for yourself!
- improves your balance, coordination, and core strength
- improves concentration and focus
- fun way to gain some confidence
- makes a great project – if you practise regularly you’ll be surprised how fast your balance improves
- can adjust for all abilities – have a short slackline a metre off of the ground, or a longer one to practice flips and tricks on
WHICH ROPE IS BEST FOR SLACKLINING?
25MM TUBULAR TAPE FOR SLACKLINING
We stock Edelrid slackline here at ropelocker, which is CE and UIAA approved for climbing use. You can fix up your slackline as tight or loose as you want, but this particular rope is designed to have a little bit of a spring to it, which means you can practise impressive jumps and tricks.
GYM CLIMBING ROPES
Rope climbing is so simple – just grab hold and clamber your way up! But it’s also incredibly demanding and provides a great workout. And let’s be honest, we’ve all wanted to give it a go!
- improves strength and endurance
- great for your core
- challenging but rewarding – if you practice regularly you’ll make great progress
- skills gained are applicable to many other sports like rock climbing, gymnastics, and even dance
- versatile – add eye splices, hooks, tulip fittings and more
- lots of room for improvement – learn to do tricks or upgrade to a more challenging rope (generally the thicker the rope the harder it is to grip)
WHICH ROPE IS BEST FOR GYM CLIMBING ROPES?
This synthetic material is very durable and is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Hardy hemp has quite a soft texture so it’s not too harsh on the hands compared to some of our natural ropes, like manila or sisal. It also holds knots well if you’d like to tie one in your rope.
Natural hemp is pretty similar to our hardy hemp. They both look and feel almost identical, although hardy hemp generally lasts longer as it’s not a natural product. However, natural hemp is still a popular choice which has been used for years in gymnasiums, assault courses and more.
Our standard gym ropes come in 36mm rope (for hardy hemp and natural hemp) with a galvanised hard eye at one end and sealed with rubber heatshrink at the other. But as we make these to order, if you’re after something a little different (a precise measurement or with something else fitted on the end for example) just contact us before ordering.
So, if you’re looking for a new way to get fit, perhaps all you need is a length of rope and a bit of motivation. Which workout do you fancy doing?