Rope Climber
An endless rope you pull down hand over hand against resistance, like climbing a rope that never runs out, mainly working your lats and biceps.
- Primary muscles
- Lats, Biceps
- Secondary
- Upper back, Forearm flexors, Abs
- Logged as
- Session: time, plus what the machine shows, such as distance and calories
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Why do it
The rope climber gives you rope-climbing work without the height: you pull an endless loop down hand over hand against an adjustable resistance. It's one of the few cardio machines that works your back and arms more than your legs, and it trains your grip hard along the way. That makes it a good partner for leg-heavy cardio, but your forearms often give out first, so start with short bouts.
How to do it
Stand or sit facing the endless rope, set the resistance and grab the rope with one hand above the other.
Pull the rope down hand over hand, reaching up with one hand while the other pulls down to your chest.
Keep your core braced and your elbows close; your legs keep you steady, so do not sway.
Lower the resistance for the last minute. Log resistance changes as you make them and copy the meters of rope pulled from the display at the end.
Common mistakes
Pulling with the arms only
Short arm pulls tire your biceps fast. Reach high and pull down to your chest with your back.
Swaying your body
Rocking makes every pull different. Brace your core and keep your legs still.
Resistance too high
A heavy setting can finish your grip in a minute. Start lower and raise it once your rhythm is steady.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
