LEARNING THE ROPES

Lend your training a new edge by climbing, curling and dragging your way through 10 of the best rope exercises, each one easily worked into your functional circuits. Discover a versatile training tool for forging upper-body muscle that will do far more than merely make you look swole. Hold on tight, now

01 \ REVERSE PLANK CLIMB 4-6 REPS

Lie on the floor, holding a vertical rope in both hands. Dig your heels in and pull yourself up ( A), staying in plank position. When you’re nearly upright ( B), reverse it and slowly lower down to just before the ground. That’s one rep.

03 \ HEMPING THE ROPE 10MIN

Stand on a bench, holding a rope with a weight at the end ( A). Curl it up, hand by hand. Raise each hand to your chin ( B), then lower. “Reel” the weight up to your stomach, then reverse. Follow each minute of work with one minute of rest.

02 \ PLANK CLIMB 2-3 REPS

Stand with your back to the rig, holding a rope at shoulder height. Lean forward until your head almost touches the rope ( A). Staying in a plank, lower yourself, hand over hand ( B), until you can’t maintain the plank. Now climb back up.

04 \ INVERTED ROW 10-12 REPS

Double a rope over a pull-up bar and hold each side at shoulder height. Hang back with straight arms ( A). Row yourself up ( B) until your hands touch your chest. Pull with flared elbows to fire up your traps and rear delts.

05 \ STANDING PRESS 10-12 REPS

Double the rope around something solid. Bring both ends up to your shoulders ( A). Lean back until the rope is taut and your weight is on your heels. Press upward to stand tall ( B), then lower down. This one is tough.

07 \ AT ROW 10-15 REPS

Put a rope through a kettlebell’s handle. Stand over it, grasping both ends and hinging at your hips ( A). Row the weight towards your midline ( B). The rope gives more ROM and a bigger squeeze at the top to stimulate muscles in your back.

09 \ THREE-POINT PLANK PULL 4 SETS EACH ARM

Tie a weight to the rope and assume a press-up position at the other end, holding it in one hand. Row the weight in ( A) to your torso ( B). Once it reaches you, run the rope out and repeat.

06 \ TRICEPS EXTENSION 6-10 REPS

With the rope over a pull-bar, hold the rope in each hand and go into a plank. With your arms out, walk your feet back ( A). Bend your elbows, lowering your head towards the floor ( B). Extend your arms and press back up.

08 \ SEATED PULL AND RUN 45SEC ON, 15SEC OFF, 10MIN

Attach a weight to a long rope, then sit down at the other end and reel the weight in, arm over arm ( A). Once it reaches you, stand up and run the rope back out to full length ( B).

10 \ BIG BOY BATTLING ROPE SLAM 30SEC ON, 30SEC OFF, 7MIN

Double your rope around a fixed object, with a 2ft box halfway along the rope. With the rope ends in both hands ( A), whip them up and over the box ( B). Slam them down the other side and repeat.