Not only do ropes come in all shapes and sizes, but they can also be used in a variety of ways.
While some creative minds choose to decorate household items with sisal ropes, sailors, on the other hand, appreciate the safety value of strong lines as they anchor boats to harbour. And if we inspected our day to day activities a bit more closely, we may find that ropes have been playing a part in tieing our lives together.
As a leading supplier of Ropes in the United Kingdom, we receive orders for different sorts of ropes every day. And we speak to customers to understand how they are utilising our products so we may understand how to continue to deliver on our promise of superior quality.
During these friendly conversations, we discovered that our client base is among one of the most active groups of people you’ll come across. As a tribute to the support we’ve received over the years, we decided to put together a list of “rope” sports and activities you can enjoy today.
We hope you give one of these ten fun activities a try. And let us know if you have any other inventive uses of ropes.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #1 – Tug of War
Much more than a summer camp event, tug of war is the ultimate team sport. On one side of the tug of war rope, eight pullers pull against another team of eight – one person goes down the entire team falls.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to one of the oldest competitive events in the world. The sport requires a sound centre of gravity along with upper and lower body strength.
The legs, being the strongest muscles in the body, are used to generate force. Tug of war athletes are trained to transfer the power generated in their lower extremities through their arms and hands. Plus, a rope pull requires mental concentration as much as physical strength.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #2 – Rope Jumping
You have seen boxers jumping rope, and you may have partaken in the exercise. The activity is a fun way to loosen up and burn calories. While some debate over whether the activity should be considered a sport, we can assure you that is its one of the most cost-effective full body workouts you will come across, all you need is a jump rope.
How to Jump rope
- Select a rope which allows you to skip without risk of you getting tangled up. To gauge if you have the right rope, make sure it is tall enough to reach your shoulder when folded in half.
Also, choose a jump rope with a grip you feel comfortable with.
- Hold the handles of the rope in each hand. Bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle and extend your arms away from your body.
- Swing the rope over your head and under your feet as you skip.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #3 – Bungee Jumping
With a bungee cord and the right technical guidance, you can experience the adrenaline rush that comes from jumping off a bridge.
Bungee jumping is an activity where participants lunge from lofty heights while attached to a large elastic bungee cord.
Quite often people will choose what type of structures to jump from based on personal preference. And enthusiasts may decide to travel to iconic destinations so they can say they have absorbed some the world’s most beautiful sites while dangling upside down from hundreds of feet in the sky.
Structures which you may choose to leap from include bridges, buildings, cranes, helicopters, hot air balloons and much more.
As more people try the thrill of bungee jumping, companies are exploring unique ways of free falling and rebounding. If you can work up the nerve, bungee jumping just might the excitement you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.
Want to learn more about this activity? Click on the following link: Learn what we Know About Bungee Jumping for Beginners.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #4 – Zip-lining
We especially love this entry on our list when it a part of a ropes course. Ziplining involves participant attaching themselves to a freely moving pulley which slides down a sloped stainless steel cable.
There isn’t much to it. If you can get over a fear of heights, you merely need to listen to the guidelines of your organiser, get strapped in by a professional instructor, then fall to enjoy the ride.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #5 – Mountain Climbing
With a dedicated team and plenty of effort you too can climb the tallest mountain so long as you bring along the right equipment. Don´t forget to pack the right shoes, harness, axe, headwear, and that’s right, ropes!
Mountain climbing (or Mountaineering) can be viewed as extreme hiking since the sport pushes its athletes physically, mentally and emotionally.
Climbers are forced to deal with harsh conditions as temperatures drop the higher they ascend. Unpredictable terrain, treacherous icy conditions, brutal winds, and unforeseen circumstances challenge participants the closer they are to their goal.
Plus, it may take several weeks to reach the summit of a mountain.
It is worth noting that the dangers of mountain climbing are real. It is not uncommon to lose one’s fingers or toes to gang green. Death is also a constant possibility for those who do not plan carefully.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #6 – Tightrope Walking
Tightrope walking is captivating. It can be a nerve-wracking sight to watch talented performers traverse distances from great heights as they maintain their balance on a thin wire. We hold our breath hoping endless hours of training will prevent a momentary loss of stability.
You may often find these performers walking with a balancing pole, umbrella or freehand. And to make things interesting, you may be treated to a juggling act or a performance which adds complexity to the task of maintaining one’s centre of gravity on a thin rope.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #7 – Battle Ropes
Depending on the size of your gym, you have probably come across a few fitness enthusiasts getting in shape with ropes. Typically fixed to a hook bolted on a wall, battle ropes have become a common feature of intense workouts for those looking for a fun way to build muscle and burn fat.
More and more athletes are raising their level of performance through independent workouts that train their arms, core and legs, without relying on heavyweights and machines.
An essential facet of the ropes is that they merely need to be anchored to a fixed object (tree, pole, hook etc.), and you’re only a few whips or swings away from working up a sweat.
Feel free to slam, twist and alternate as you exercise. These cords are proof that, with ropes, you can do much more than make knots.
How to use Battle Ropes:
Want to learn how to get started with ‘rope-activity’? We have an entire article which explains everything you want to know about battle ropes.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #8 – Slacklining
Slacklining is similar to tightrope walking as one has to balance their body while walking across a raised single piece of webbing that is attached between two anchors.
Becoming a more popular feature in parks around the world, slacklining differs from tightrope walking because of the material traversed and the tension applied to it. As the name indicates, the flat webbing is tensioned much less that tightwires, allowing for participants to more easily step across with the momentum of a bounce.
The activity is relatively more straightforward to pick up, especially when compared to tightrope walking. Many teenagers like the idea of trying out slacklining due to the nature of its accessibility.
As long as you can find two adjacent trees with sufficient distance in between them, you are ready to try out this equilibrium challenging activity.
As you become more proficient at the activity, consider adjusting the tension between anchors.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #9 – Arts and Crafts
You may be surprised to learn the number of items in your home which can be brought to life with some imagination and strings of sisal ropes.
Garden aficionados are using ropes to decorate flower pots Dreamcatchers are being styled with colourful cords. And homeowners are protecting the legs of wooden furniture from their cats by reinforcing their surface with ropes.
Browse Pinterest to check out all the wonderfully creating designs people are coming up with.
ROPE SPORT/ACTIVITY #10 – Rope Climbing
Believe it or not, rope climbing was an Olympic sport right up until the Los Angeles Olympics of 1932. In this event, competitors were judged based on the speed and style in which they raced to the top. However, most of us are familiar with the activity either through previous gym class experience. And if not, rope climbing has been a feature of famous movies like the Mission Impossible” series.
How to Climb a Rope:
- firmly hold the rope with both hands.
- Be sure to place one hand over the other.
- Clap the rope between your thighs and feet.
- Extend the top hand higher on the rope and use it to grab the rope again tightly.
- Loosen your feet as you pull your body upwards, dragging your knees toward your chest.
- Clap your thighs and feet around the rope again to hold yourself in place as you reach upwards on the rope with the other hand.
- Repeat until you reach the top of the rope.