Mixed martial artists have sung their praises for a while, because they're arguably the best single source of exercise for full-body strength and endurance. But now other sports' athletes – including weekend warriors – have discovered battle ropes.

You have probably seen them at the gym: long, thick, heavy ropes that look as though they would be more at home on a Napoleonic Era frigate than in a modern fitness center. Battle ropes are usually anchored to a wall or sturdy beam, and vary in length from 30 to 100 feet long.

Athletes whip, slam, wave and shake these heavy cables about, and in so doing work out their abs, arms, shoulders, and legs – simultaneously – all the while racking up bonus points for a thorough cardio routine. High intensity interval training with battle ropes can improve aerobic and anaerobic capacity after just four weeks, and burn more calories per minutes than squats.

There are dozens of not hundreds of battle rope exercises, and part of the charm is crafting a routine that fits your individual intensity and goals. Here are five to get you started:

• The Basic Wave: Tuck your elbows into your sides and alternate pumping your arms up and down, creating alternate waves in the rope. When you’re ready to step up the difficulty, switch to a double wave, where your arms move in tandem.
• Alternate Wave: Stand facing the anchor point with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Grab one end of the rope in each hand so that your palms face in. Raise one arm to shoulder level and then quickly lower back to start, raising the other arm to shoulder level as you do so. Continue alternating as rapidly as possible without losing form.
• Shoulder Circles: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Grasp the rope with palms facing down, lift arms over your shoulders, and move your arms in circles. Perform clockwise circles for 30 seconds, then counter-clockwise for another 30 seconds.
• Power Slam: Stand with feet hip-width apart and grasp the ends of the rope in each hand. Bring both arms up overhead, and then forcefully slam the ropes down into the ground, lowering into a high squat as you do. Straighten up to return to standing and repeat.
• Star Jump: Stand in a narrow squat and grab one end of the rope in each hand. Jump up, kicking your legs out to the sides and swinging arms – and the ropes – out to the sides and over your head. Land softly in a squat position, with hands in front of your hips.

As in weightlifting, maintaining proper form while using battle ropes is important, and to neglect this is to risk injury. If you feel your form is suffering, take a breath, or a break, and recuperate before continuing.

Sources: Mens' Fitness