If you are into fitness, conditioning, and whole-body workouts, then you might want to consider training with “conditioning ropes.” A conditioning rope can be a very effective and versatile part of your workout routine. Let’s take a look at the new FILA Accessories Conditioning Rope and see what it brings to the health table.
No instructions for how to use the rope are included, but from the pictures on the box you can get the basic idea: grab each end of the rope that is anchored around some object and move your arms up and down so that the rope makes sine wave shapes. There are lots of variations you can try: you can move both arms up and down at the same time or alternate. You can add in jumps or burpees at intervals. You can change the length of each round and the number of rounds. Because the ropes have weight, it takes a lot of effort to keep the ropes in motion and the movements can work your entire body. And there’s actually more you can do with conditioning ropes than just making sine wave shapes–for example, you could loop the rope through a weight and pull it like a sled, or loop the rope over a bar and use the rope for climbing exercises. A quick search on the Internet for possible exercises will make you a conditioning rope convert.
The FILA Accessories 18’ rope describes exactly what comes in the box: an 18’ conditioning rope, 1.5" in diameter, with each end of the rope sealed off in a vinyl wrap to protect your hands and help you get a better grip on the rope.
One advantage of this rope is that it is made of synthetic fibers, not natural fibers, so it won’t shed all over your floor.
But note that even synthetic fibers won’t stay pristine–they will “fuzz” and look worn over time. I made a pic of a side-by-side comparison after just a few workouts, so you can see how these ropes will wear. Also, the company states very clearly that this rope should not be used for climbing–this was disappointing, since you would normally throw one end of the rope over a pull-up bar and use the rope for grip strengthening hangs or L-sit climbs, etc. Not being able to use the rope for climbing is a limitation.
However, I have to say that I was not expecting the rope to wear this much so quickly. In fact, as shown in the picture, the rope is showing signs of actual damage after just a few intense workouts–the inner rope material is bursting through the outer rope wrapping in multiple places. These are from workouts on a mat over concrete. I don’t know how this will affect the life of the rope, but it does not give me confidence.
So, all in all, the rope damage after just a few workouts concerns me. Also, 18’ is the shortest conditioning rope I’ve ever seen. Not being able to use this rope for climbing suggests that the rope has limits to its strength and durability, as also suggested by the bursting of the rope innards after a few workouts. So I can only really recommend this rope if you want to take it on travel (the rope weighs just under 10 pounds) or for occasional use if your workout area is of limited space.
- Pricing and Availability on Amazon: FILA Accessories 18’ Conditioning Rope
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