The Methodology and Science Behind the Battling Ropes®

The basics of the Battling Ropes® can be broken down into three main categories of training, but is not limited to only these three methods:

1. The velocity or wave method. Individual or partner training.
2. The pole or push/pull method. Vertical or horizontal.
3. Multi-plain strength component (i.e. pulling back on the rope while pressing upward).

The Battling Ropes® Training System is a unique one of a kind training system which forces the athlete to use velocity and the athlete must be able to maintain velocity to be successful. Simply put, velocity is the combination of strength and speed together.

Unlike training where momentum is used, velocity is high output and gives the athlete no time to rest.

Velocity is seldom discussed or understood and even less implemented into training routines. Unlike training where momentum is used, velocity is high output and gives the athlete no time to rest physically or mentally. For example, let’s look at the hummingbird. Most people have seen the speed and intensity that the wings move on the hummingbird. This intensity of the wings must be maintained to keep the bird in flight. This is a form of velocity being used with momentum being non-existent. Another form of velocity is the cheetah as it runs and maintains velocity chasing its food in the wild.

John is often times asked if power is the same thing as velocity. They are quite different and often power is mistaken for velocity. A simple example of power would be someone hammering railroad spikes on the railroad. When the person swings the sledgehammer and strikes the spike explosively they are using power. Once the spike is struck with the hammer the user must reset for another strike. As he swings the hammer and strikes the spike he must reset over and over again.

Wrestlers Working the Ropes

With this in mind, velocity would be like an arrow shot out of a crossbow where as long as the arrow can maintain velocity it continues to travel. Another simple example in training would be an athlete training with a kettlebell. When the athlete swings the kettlebell he uses power as he thrusts and swings it forward and upward. Once the kettlebell reaches its height gravity takes over and momentum is used as the kettlebells travels back towards the ground. In fact, the kettlebell swing or snatch relies on a high percentage of momentum. Once again, true velocity training uses no momentum but forces the athlete to use total output to be successful.

With this understood the Battling Ropes® Training System helps the athlete to be able to train or compete at a higher level of intensity for longer durations of time due to the ability of being able to maintain velocity. The Battling Ropes® training actually has seven different concepts or elements to the training with the first being the ability to maintain velocity and the second element is the ability to maintain strength without the use of momentum or the use of gravity.

This system is extremely vast and has many levels of improving and countless ways to up the intensity. It is also important to understand that the training system is very easy to measure your workload capacity and very easy to track your improvement. The Battling Ropes® can be used to simply train or also be used to compete with others.