Ropes
New! Spiral Flow Ropes…
Why Practice Rope Flow?
Improve joint health and posture
Rope flow provides a low-impact stimulus to your joints and muscles, safely strengthening them to allow for increased mobility and range of motion. Regular practice with the rope can assist in alleviating injuries and postural problems associated with the western lifestyle, such as tightness in the back from long hours of sitting or tight shoulders from being hunched over looking at a screen.
The movements you can practice with the rope will open up your body by loosening tight, inactive muscles and improving rotation, an essential function of the human body which is often neglected even by those who deem themselves to be fitness enthusiasts.
Carryover to sport and athletic ability
The patterns trained with the rope imitate the most primal human movements. The underhand varieties relate closely to walking and running mechanics, as well as underhand throws, racquet shots or throwing an uppercut. The overhand patterns resemble throwing and punching.
Another key feature is the rotational aspect and the constant shifting of energy from left to right. This is a crucial element to train in order to become more athletic as it trains the body’s fascial slings to work more efficiently. These are responsible for generating power through an elastic recoil-like effect.
Destress
It’s no secret that the modern era can leave many of us unable to switch off and we often find ourselves in a state of general physical as well as mental stress. Constantly overthinking and a lack of mindful attention to the present moment can take a toll on our health in the long term. Reaching the ‘flow’ state can be an excellent way to achieve this. This can thought of as full involvement and enjoyment of the task at hand. Some like to describe it as a form of active meditation – a way to block out unnecessary thoughts and focus entirely on the present moment. This is also facilitated by the challenging nature of the rope, as too easy a task is less likely to induce a state of flow. There are countless ways to challenge yourself and it will even test your creativity with coming up with your own patterns and sequences!
Cardio
Another great benefit is that your heart health is going to significantly improve with regular practice. The nature of the exercise means that you dictate the tempo of your practice, making it a great choice for recovery, warm-ups and full-on workouts alike. It’s also a great choice for people who find that traditional forms of cardio put their joints under a lot of strain. The ‘Thunderbolt’ rope is a lighter rope suitable for all fitness levels but we are working on bringing you bigger size ropes to increase the physical demands of your practice!
Cognitive Benefits
Training with the rope means your brain is forced to coordinate the left and right sides of your body. It could also be said that the rope ‘completes the circuit’ between your hands, so if you are inefficient with your movements on one side of your body you will not be able to perform the pattern smoothly. After thousands of repetitions your body will have learnt to smoothly execute the patterns on both sides of your body. Drilling your non-dominant side is an important part of rope flow philosophy and it aims to even out imbalances between the left and right sides. Being proficient on both sides of your body has many benefits not only in sport for example, but also for your brain. Learning new motor patterns, especially on your non-dominant side, greatly contributes to neurogenisis, the production of new brain cells, and contributes to a healthy brain for people of all ages. Start your rope flow journey and keep your mind sharp!
Have Fun!
Probably the most important reason to take up rope flow. Picking up the rope and taking it for a spin is satisfying and even quite addictive. It’s a great way to move your entire body without it feeling like a workout – it’s up to you how intense to make it. If there’s one thing a lot of adults have forgotten to do, it’s to have fun and play every day. It has tremendous positive effects on mental health and is restorative and truly rejuvenating. One only has to look at children or the animal world to realise that play is a fundamental part of a healthy and enjoyable life.
