Volume 4, Issue 6, June – 2019 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Effects of Battle Rope Training in Individuals with

Sedentary Lifestyle
Chaitrali S Panchabhai Madhur S Kulkarni
Under graduate student Assistant Professor
CMF’s College of Physiotherapy CMF’s College of Physiotherapy
Pune, India Pune, India

Abstract:- There is an increase in the sedentary expenditure per unit of time. (Fountaine, CJ and Schmidt,
population day by day which can potentially contribute 2015)
to ill health and evolving forms of exercise like the
battle rope training which provides more results in less Ropes create a dual-force dynamic effect, one that
time can induce interest in the sedentary population. uses the force of gravity and the force created by rope
The study was aimed to investigate the effects of battle waves to amplify and improve all of the human systems
rope training on the upper extremity endurance, lower physiological response. Battling rope protocols are used for
extremity endurance and VO2 max on sedentary lifestyle a variety of training goals including increasing strength,
after four weeks of intervention on a population of an power, local muscular endurance, and agility. It’s a
urban city in India. challenging way to target weight loss and body fat
reductions through increased energy expenditure. BR
This Experimental study encompassed thirty exercises are said to stimulate high levels of energy
participants fulfilling the eligibility criteria; fifteen expenditure as compared to the energy expenditure seen
participants performing battle rope training sessions during traditional resistance exercise. Also, increased
and fifteen participants in the control group. The cardiovascular demand could be helpful for improving
outcome measures assessed were Push up test, Wall sit maximal aerobic capacity and metabolic health (Ratamess,
hold times and Vo2 max. Nicholas A, et al. 2015)

A statistically significant difference was seen in Battle ropes results in less injuries because there is a
push up test, wall sit hold times and Vo2 max in both constant connection to the two force producers and it can
groups but was more affected in the group performing be as explosive or dynamic as the individual is able to
battle rope training exercise. produce force, thus creating the opportunity to grow
endurance, strength, power, and skill without a ceiling
The study concludes that battle rope training is (Aaron Guyett ,2016)
effective in improving upper extremity endurance,
lower extremity endurance and VO2 max on sedentary Unlike the relatively static movement of lifting and
individuals as compared to conventional training. lowering a barbell, using battle ropes is a dynamic, ever-
changing form of movement that has the added benefit of
Keywords:- Battle Rope Training, Push Up Test, VO2 Max, showing you whether you're doing the movements
Sedentary Lifestyle. correctly. The ropes can be whipped, slammed, or dragged,
but among the most popular are undulating movements that
I. INTRODUCTION cause the ropes to move in waves. Battle rope workouts
work the muscles in your abs, back, and glutes, and you can
Sedentary lifestyle is one of the major causes of incorporate movements, such as jumps, lunges, and squats,
various lifestyle diseases nowadays. Effects of a sedentary that work your legs too(Jonathan Ross, May 25, 2015)
work life or lifestyle can be either direct or indirect. One of
the most prominent direct effects of a sedentary lifestyle is Nowadays lack of time for exercise is the biggest
an increased BMI leading to obesity. A lack of physical constraint which refrains individuals to undergo daily
activity is one of the leading causes of preventable exercise routine. Battle rope training is a newer form of
death worldwide (Lopez AD, Mathers CD, et al. May 2006) exercise which can be performed relatively in less time and
may give the desired outcomes. But there is paucity of data
Battle rope (BR) training has increased its popularity regarding this exercise form. Very few studies has been
from past few years. Such evolving forms of exercise will done in this regard (Fountaine, CJ and Schmidt,
incorporate interest in exercise training which targets 2015)(Ratamess, Nicholas A, et al. 2015)(Aaron Guyett
multiple muscles at the same time. ,2016)(Chen, wei-han, wu, heuy-June, October
2018)(Calatayud, J Martin Calando, Benítez, 2015) and
Battle rope training is a High-intensity training which hence the need of this study arises.
consists of undulating a rope with the upper body. It
provides a vigorous-intensity cardiovascular and metabolic
stimulus, as demonstrated by elevated heart rate and energy

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Volume 4, Issue 6, June – 2019 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
II. RESEARCH METHODS Exercise variations used were:

The study was an experimental study, conducted in  Shoulder circles

Pune region in India. After obtaining approval from  Double waves
institutional ethical committee, subjects were identified and  Alternating waves
initially 45 subjects were selected. They were screened  Alternating wave-squat jump
using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)  Alternating wave-lunge jump
(Hagströmer M, Oja P, et al. 2006) and Physical Activity
Readiness Questionnaire and You (PAR-Q AND YOU)( Group B being the control group was given
Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living, conventional exercises. The exercise protocol begun with a
Health Canada, 1998)among which 30 subjects fulfilling warm up session which included spot jogging, shoulder
the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. rotations, wrist rotations, torso rotation, hip and knee
Procedure was explained and written consent was taken in general movements. The protocol included supervised 30
the language best understood by them. Pre-treatment seconds of each exercise with a 30 second rest interval
assessment tests (pushup test, wall sit hold times test and comprising 3 sets of each exercise. A cool down session of
VO2 max) were done and subjects were divided into 2 5-10 minutes was performed after the workout. The
groups (15 in each group) by random allocation method. workout session lasted up to 30 minutes.
Vitals (HR, RR, and BP) were assessed prior and after
every exercise session. Participants were given prior Exercise variations used were:
instructions regarding proper clothing and footwear and
were advised to maintain appropriate diet and hydration  Pushups
throughout the study.  Plank
 Squats
Group A was given battle rope training which begun  Lunges
with a warm up session which included spot jogging,  Burpees
shoulder rotations, wrist rotations, torso rotation, hip and
knee general movements. The exercise included supervised Battle rope training whereas Group B which was the
2 sets per session initially up to 2 weeks progressing to 3 control group, was given conventional exercises (Ebru
sets per session after 2 weeks each lasting for 30 seconds calik-kutukucu, sema savci, et al. 2014). Post treatment
with a rest interval of 30 seconds after each set. A cool assessments tests were done and statistical analysis was
down session was performed for 5- 10min after the workout done.
which included hamstring, quadriceps, calf, shoulder and
biceps stretches. The workout session lasted up to 20
minutes.

Fig 1:- Flow Chart of Procedure

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Volume 4, Issue 6, June – 2019 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Inclusion criteria for both groups:  Wall Sit Hold Times:
Wall sit hold times test was administered to measure
 Males and females between 20-25 years old. the lower extremity muscle endurance. The participants
 Sedentary individuals those who had categorical score were given proper instructions and demonstration prior the
from Low to moderate level based on International procedure. The test was administered with subjects
physical activity questionnaire. Standing comfortably with feet approximately shoulder
 Fit to participate in exercise program based on PAR-Q width apart, with their back against a smooth vertical wall.
AND YOU Slowly sliding their back down the wall they assumed a
 Willing to participate in exercise program. position with both their knees and hips at a 90-degree
Exclusion criteria for both groups: angle. The timing started when one foot was lifted off the
ground and was stopped when the subject could not
 Recent injuries or persistent pain that would refrain the maintain the position and the foot was returned to the
subject from doing certain exercises in the HIIT ground. After a period of rest, other leg was tested. The
protocol. total time in seconds that the position was held for each leg
 Recent fractures. was recorded according to the ACSM guidelines
 Cognitive disorders. (Tomchuk, D. 2011) (Nolan, Russell Patrick, 2011)
 Having any associated illness which will restricts or
alter the exercise performance  Estimated VO2 Max
There were no dropouts in the present study. All the Estimated VO2 max (Ur J Appl Physiol. 2004)
15 participants from each group completed the 4 week
protocol without any dropout. It was calculated using the following formula:

 Outcome Measures: Vo2 max= HR max/HR rest x 15.3mL/kg/min

 The Pushup Test: III. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS & RESULTS

The pushup test was administered to measure the
upper extremity muscle endurance. The participants were Statistical analysis was done by Win pepi and Primer
given proper instructions and demonstration prior the software. The data was entered into excel spreadsheet,
procedure. It was administered with male subjects starting tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis. Various
in standard down position and female subjects with statistical measures such as Mean, Standard Deviation
modified knee pushup position. The subject was asked to (SD), tests of significance such as paired t-test and
raise the body by straightening the elbows and return to the Wilcoxon and Mann Whitney test. The results were
down position until the chin touches the mat. The stomach concluded to be statistically considered significant with p
should not touch the mat. The maximum number of value<0.005
pushups performed consecutively without rest is counted as
the score. The test was stopped when the client strained  Results:
forcibly or was unable to maintain the appropriate
technique. The scoring of the pushup test was done based
on the ACSM guidelines (McAuslan, Colin, 2013)

Number of Number of Age(years) p value t value Inference

Group males females Mean ±SD
A 8 7 22.33 ±1.29
1.000 0.000 Not significant
B 5 10 22.33±1.29
Table 1:- Demographic Data of Both Groups

Table 1 shows that since p value is more than 0.05 there is no statistical difference between the ages of participants in both
groups suggesting the baseline data is comparable.

Wall sit hold Wall sit hold Wall sit hold Wall sit hold
Groups Pushup A Pushup B
times left A times left B times right A times right B
MEAN ± SD 8.13±3.02 8.33±3.26 9.46±2.2 9.6±2.44 10.73±2.18 11.6±2.02
p value 0.8 0.87 0.27
Inference Not significant Not significant Not significant
Table 2:- Baseline Comparison of Pre Intervention Values of All Outcome Measures of Both Groups

Table 2 shows that the baseline data of both groups is statistically non-significant and hence baseline is comparable.

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Volume 4, Issue 6, June – 2019 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Groups Pushup test Wall sit hold times(Left) Wall sit hold times (Right)

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

A 8.33±3.27 11.73±3.58 9.47±2.2 18±3.42 10.73±2.18 11.7±2.03
p-value 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001
Inference Significant Significant Significant
B 8.13±3.02 14.33±4.30 9.6±2.44 14.4±2.88 20.68±3.11 15.68±3.04
p-value 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001
Inference Significant Significant Significant
Table 3:- Within Group Analysis of both Groups Pre and Post Intervention

Table 3 shows that there is a statistically significant improvement in both groups after 4 weeks of intervention suggesting
both groups showed improvements in performance of pushup test and wall sit hold times test.

Pushup test Group A Group B p-value t-value Statistical

significance

MEAN±SD 6.2±1.70 3.33±0.98 0.0001 5.67 Significant

Table 4:- Inter Group Comparison of Differences of Mean in Pushup Test Performance between Group A and B

Table 4 shows that there is improvement in the pushup test performance after 4 weeks of battle rope training as compared to
the control group.

Wall sit hold Group A Group B p-value t-value Statistical

times test (left) significance

MEAN±SD 8.53±1.85 4.8±1.52 0.0001 6.04 Significant

Table 5:- Inter Group Comparison of Differences of Mean in Wall Sit Hold Times Test between Group A and B of Left Leg

Table 5 shows that there is improvement in the wall sit hold times test of left leg after 4 weeks of battle rope training as
compared to the control group.

Wall sit hold Group A Group B p-value t-value Statistical

times test (right) significance

MEAN±SD 9.93±2.31 4.07±1.75 0.0001 7.83 Significant

Table 6:- Inter Group Comparison of Differences of Mean in Values of Wall Sit Hold Times Test between Group A and B of
Right Leg

Table 6 shows that there is improvement in the wall post analysis of group A, hence paired t test was applied.
sit hold times test of right leg after 4 weeks of battle rope Whereas, in the values of pre and post analysis of group B
training as compared to the control group. and inter group comparison between both groups, normal
distribution was not present statistically. Hence Wilcoxon
 Descriptive Statistics for Estimated VO2 Max: and Mann-Whitney tests were applied respectively.
For the outcome measure estimated VO2 max, normal
distribution was present statistically in the values of pre and

Vo2 max Group A Group B p-value z sub T

Statistical
significance
MEAN±SD 3.94±1.91 1.48±0.96 0.0001 3.78 Significant
Table 7:- Inter Group Comparison of Differences of Mean in Values of VO2 Max between Group A and B

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Volume 4, Issue 6, June – 2019 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Table 7 shows that there is improvement in the VO2 VI. CLINICAL IMPLICATION
max after 4 weeks of battle rope training as compared to the
control group.  The study can be used to promote fitness in sedentary
individuals as it is an enjoyable form of exercise.
Therefore, statistical analysis showed significant  As it requires less time, this form of exercise can also be
increase in the pushup test, wall sit hold times test and VO2 implemented in working population having active
max of the individuals of group A undergoing battle rope lifestyle.
training after 4 weeks of intervention as compared to group  Since it targets various muscle groups at the same time,
B. it provides more results in less time.

IV. DISCUSSION LIMITATIONS OF STUDY

The present interventional study was done to  Differentiation between Males and Females was not
investigate the effect of Battle Rope Training in sedentary done.
individuals as compared to the conventional exercises. The  It requires bigger space.
values showed significant increase in endurance parameters
like Pushup test, Wall sit hold time and estimated Vo2 max FURTHER SCOPE & SUGGESTIONS
as compared to the conventional group exercise. Decreased
endurance leads to decreased ability of the heart to eject  Increasing the training duration and incorporating a
blood, decreased number of capillaries which delivers progressive overload should assist in the improvements.
oxygen and food to the muscles and decreased size and  The study can be carried out by assessing other outcome
number of mitochondria. The major metabolic measures like hand grip, core endurance and power.
consequences of endurance training are slower utilization  Since battle rope training is a physically demanding
of muscle glycogen and reliance on fat oxidation and less exercise program thorough evaluation should be done
lactate production. The act of gaining endurance through before engaging to this form of exercises
physical activity has been shown to decrease anxiety,
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