What is the difference between outside and inside battle rope circles?

In outside circles the hands rise together up the middle, separate at the top and come down the outside, with the right arm turning clockwise and the left counterclockwise. The Battle Rope Inside Circle reverses that path, so the hands rise up the outside and come together at the top. Both work the shoulders in a similar way, and doing both in one session evens out the work in each direction.

How big should the circles be?

Aim for circles that run from about hip level up to shoulder height, with the hands meeting in front of the chest at the top. Smaller, faster circles raise the tempo, while larger ones ask more of the shoulders, but the circle should never be so big that the shoulders shrug or the torso leans back.

How long should a set of outside circles last?

A good starting point is 15 to 30 seconds of work followed by 30 to 60 seconds of rest, for 3 to 5 rounds. Lengthen the work interval once you can keep the circles smooth and even to the end of the set.

Why do my ropes keep hitting each other?

The ropes collide when both arms circle in the same direction or when the hands cross over each other in the middle. Keep the arms mirrored, keep a little slack in the rope, and let each hand trace its own circle on its own side of the body.

Can outside circles be used as a warm-up?

Yes, a slow, light set with smaller circles is an easy way to warm up the shoulders before upper-body training. At full speed and for longer intervals the exercise becomes conditioning work rather than a warm-up.

Battle Rope Outside Circle

What Is the Battle Rope Outside Circle?

Battle Rope Outside Circle is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the upper back, chest, core, forearms and legs. It is an intermediate-level movement, because the shoulders have to keep driving a large, smooth circle for the whole set while the trunk and legs hold a steady athletic stance.

Instead of whipping the ropes up and down as in standard Battling Ropes waves, you move both arms at the same time in big mirrored circles. The hands rise together up the middle, meet in front of the chest at about shoulder height, then sweep apart and down the outside toward the hips before coming back in. The right arm turns clockwise and the left arm counterclockwise from your point of view, which sends a spiral down each rope and keeps the two ropes from hitting each other.

The front and side of the shoulders do most of the lifting, while the muscles around the shoulder blade and the rotator cuff control the arm as it travels out and down. The chest helps bring the hands together at the top, and the grip, lower back, core and legs work without moving to hold the stance against the pull of the ropes. It is the mirror of the Battle Rope Inside Circle, which travels the same path in the opposite direction, and many trainers program the two together so both directions get the same amount of work.

Outside circles suit people who want conditioning that also builds shoulder endurance and control through a large range of motion, and they fit well as an interval station in a circuit or as a finisher after upper-body work. If keeping the circle smooth is hard, start with slower, smaller circles, or build basic shoulder endurance first with Arm Circles and the Dumbbell Lateral Raise. Because the arms stay long and the hands pass through shoulder height every rep, a client with shoulder discomfort may do better with standard waves at waist height.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Deltoid: Primary
Infraspinatus: High
Upper Trapezius: High
Erector Spinae: Medium
External Oblique: Medium
Flexor Carpi Radialis: Medium
Pectoralis Major: Medium
Rhomboid Major: Medium
Serratus Anterior: Medium
Gluteus Maximus: Low

Instructions

Loop the rope around a sturdy anchor at its midpoint, then stand facing the anchor holding one end in each hand.
Step back until there is a little slack in both ropes, then set your feet about shoulder-width apart.
Bend your knees and hips into a quarter squat, keep your chest up and brace your core.
Start with your arms long, elbows softly bent and hands just outside your hips, with your shoulders drawn down and back.
Draw both hands in toward each other in front of your hips, then raise them together up the middle until they meet in front of your chest at about shoulder height.
At the top, sweep the hands apart and out to the sides, then down the outside back toward your hips. Your right arm turns clockwise and your left arm counterclockwise from your point of view.
Flow straight into the next circle without pausing, driving each circle from the shoulders so a spiral travels down each rope.
Keep your legs, hips and torso steady and breathe rhythmically while the arms do the work.
Continue for the set time, then lower the ropes to the floor under control.

Common Mistakes

Circling both arms the same way
If both arms turn in the same direction the ropes cross and slap together, so keep the arms mirrored, right arm clockwise and left arm counterclockwise.
Circling from the wrists
Bending the elbows and making tiny circles with the hands takes the shoulders out of the job, so keep the arms long with a soft bend and drive the circle from the shoulders.
Shrugging the shoulders
Letting the shoulders ride up toward the ears loads the neck and upper traps, so keep them drawn down and back through every circle.
Pulling the rope taut
Standing so far back that the rope is tight leaves no slack for the spiral to form and pulls the shoulders forward, so start with a little slack between you and the anchor.
Leaning back as you tire
Standing tall and leaning away from the anchor shifts strain to the lower back, so stay in a quarter squat with the chest up and the core braced.
Letting the circle flatten out
Late in the set the circles often collapse into short up-and-down chops, so slow down slightly if needed to keep a full, round path.

Injuries

Battle Rope Outside Circle is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The rope is light and there is no impact, but the arms travel through a large circle many times in a row at speed, so the usual strain points are the front of the shoulder, the upper traps and neck, and the forearms and wrists. The lower back can also complain if you lean back against the ropes as you tire.

Keep the shoulders drawn down and away from the ears, keep a soft bend in the elbows, and stay in a quarter squat with the chest up and the core braced rather than leaning back. Leave a little slack between you and the anchor so the rope never pulls your shoulders forward, and hold the rope firmly but without squeezing hard. Warm up the shoulders and wrists before the first set, and keep the top of the circle at about shoulder height, since raising the hands higher adds shoulder load without adding much to the exercise.

To regress, make the circles smaller and slower, shorten the work interval, or practice the pattern without a rope using Arm Circles. Standard Battling Ropes waves keep the hands lower if the circling path bothers the shoulder. To progress, lengthen the work interval, speed up the circles or use a thicker, heavier rope.

Stop the set when the circles turn ragged or your shoulders start to hike toward your ears, and stop the session if you feel pinching or sharp pain in the shoulder, clicking with pain, or pain in the elbow or wrist. Burning shoulders and heavy breathing are expected; joint pain is not.

Overview

Primary Focus: Shoulders
Equipment: Battle ropes
Modality: Cardio
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between outside and inside battle rope circles?: In outside circles the hands rise together up the middle, separate at the top and come down the outside, with the right arm turning clockwise and the left counterclockwise. The Battle Rope Inside Circle reverses that path, so the hands rise up the outside and come together at the top. Both work the shoulders in a similar way, and doing both in one session evens out the work in each direction.
Q: How big should the circles be?: Aim for circles that run from about hip level up to shoulder height, with the hands meeting in front of the chest at the top. Smaller, faster circles raise the tempo, while larger ones ask more of the shoulders, but the circle should never be so big that the shoulders shrug or the torso leans back.
Q: How long should a set of outside circles last?: A good starting point is 15 to 30 seconds of work followed by 30 to 60 seconds of rest, for 3 to 5 rounds. Lengthen the work interval once you can keep the circles smooth and even to the end of the set.
Q: Why do my ropes keep hitting each other?: The ropes collide when both arms circle in the same direction or when the hands cross over each other in the middle. Keep the arms mirrored, keep a little slack in the rope, and let each hand trace its own circle on its own side of the body.
Q: Can outside circles be used as a warm-up?: Yes, a slow, light set with smaller circles is an easy way to warm up the shoulders before upper-body training. At full speed and for longer intervals the exercise becomes conditioning work rather than a warm-up.