Unlike a lot of other CrossFit style jump ropes on the market right now this particular option – the heavy jump rope from Rope Fit – looks like it’s as big around as a tree trunk and isn’t designed for speed at all, but instead for strength and endurance.
Where other CrossFit style jump ropes go with lighter and lighter cable systems that are practically razor thin and designed to crank through the zone when you are using them this particular option isn’t going to be breaking any land speed records anytime soon.
The lightest version comes in at 4 pounds (4 pounds!) which just goes to show you how seriously this jump rope takes helping you build your strength, your endurance, and your overall cardiovascular athleticism.
Training Purpose
Not at all for the faint of heart, this jump rope is an absolute monstrosity when stacked up against speed rope systems and is something else entirely.
A lot of people describe using this jump rope as like wrestling with a boa constrictor, and the first time that you try it out for yourself you’ll probably find the comparison to be pretty spot on. Anyone that uses this rope while training is definitely looking to build up their muscle mass, to build up their strength, and to build up their speed through pure power.
Heavy duty across the board, don’t be surprised if your arms, your shoulders, and your core begin to tire before your legs even start to get a little wiggly when you use the Rope Fit heavy rope. Keep pushing through the pain, however, and you’ll be on your way to some major athletic breakthroughs.
Cables
As we mentioned above, you aren’t going to find any flimsy or lightweight cables with this particular set up.
The Rope Fit heavy jump rope is made 100% from braided poly dacron rope, with absolutely nothing else except for the “handles” that are made out synthetic materials to protect your hands and your skin from rope burns and blisters.
Available in a variety of different sizes (as we mentioned above, 4 pounds is the lightest weight rope you can get your hands on from Rope Fit with 8 pounds being the heaviest), most beginners are encouraged to start off with a 4 pound option and then work their way up to the bigger and beefier contenders.
Handles
Again, the handles on this particular jump rope aren’t handles in the traditional sense of CrossFit style jump ropes but instead are nothing more than synthetic material wraps over the very ends of the rope itself.
They aren’t exactly the most comfortable thing in the world even still, which is why it’s probably not a bad idea to get your hands on a quality pair of gloves (lightweight for sure but something to go between your skin and the rope itself) if you are serious about avoiding blisters.
You’ll still develop calluses – and you’ll definitely develop more muscle mass in your hands, your wrists, your forearms, and throughout your upper body – but at least you won’t chew through your skin as often as you would have going “raw”.
Action
The action on this jump rope is slower, more methodical, and definitely a different pace than what most people using a jump rope during their cardio or CrossFit training are used to.
Just trying to move this rope through the motions is going to take quite a bit of power and precision, and you shouldn’t be surprised at all if your balance is a little bit off and your timing needs some readjustment.
However, combining a rope like the Rope Fit heavy jump rope with a speed rope – and using them back to back (heavy rope first, speed rope second) can have you turning in some pretty impressive times when you get down to the lighter materials and the speed focused options.
Ideally you would use this as a training tool to pack on speed, muscle, and power but it works wonders as a warm-up solution to get the blood flowing, too.
Versatility
You’ll be able to use this heavy jump rope anywhere, at any time, and on any surface without having to worry about it coming apart at the seams.
The entire system is self-contained into a single braided rope and is definitely up to the task of being used outdoors. There’s no amount of abrasive surfaces that are going to chew through (or even damage) this rope anytime soon.
Athletes of all levels can make the most of this Rope Fit heavy jump rope as well. You might not be able to crank through exercises with this jump rope at first but it’s going to get you great results.
Resizability
There aren’t a lot of re-sign the options you’ll have with the Rope Fit heavy jump rope, though it does come in two different sizes to dial in the right length (generally) for most athletes.
The 9 foot long Rope Fit heavy jump rope is intended for most athletes of average height all the way up to 6 feet while the 10 foot long Rope Fit heavy jump rope is intended for any athlete over 6 feet tall.
You could technically cut the jump rope to a more precise size and then shrinkwrap your own handle on the end, but most people aren’t going to go to those lengths.
Value
Incredibly affordable for everything it brings to the table, this heavy rope is going to totally transform the way you train from top to bottom. It really works best in conjunction with a speed rope as well – and its affordable price tag guarantees that you don’t have to feel like you are spending too much money on both of them.
Final Thoughts on the RopeFit Heavy Jump Rope
All things considered, the Rope Fit heavy jump rope is definitely going to have you feeling as though you stepped backwards into a time machine and are training the way your grandfather might have.
This is very much an “old-school” approach to building strength, to building power, and to building speed but no one can argue with the fact that it gets the job done (often times better than more modern solutions).
The Rope Fit heavy jump rope is highly recommended.