Battle ropes are a unique piece of workout equipment, allowing you to add resistance to movement in nearly any direction, activating muscles that would otherwise never be recruited when performing more conventional exercises. Problem is, it’s an equipment that requires plenty of room, which is why most home gyms and even some commercial gyms never use them. The Zest-Up Z-Rope wants to bring the same benefits as traditional battling ropes while taking up minimal space.
Designed to replicate the wave tensions and movement of traditional battle ropes, the handheld equipment uses springs to simulate the rope-like motion, all while coming in a size that looks no bigger than a pair of nunchucks (minus the rope connecting them). According to the outfit, it’s equipped to perform all types of battle ropes movements and get the same results, from basic waves and cross waves to strong waves and everything other movement you like to do. Granted, it probably doesn’t feel exactly the same without the loud sound of the ropes hitting the ground and the sight of the ropes curling through the air, but if they really manage to create the same effect, this definitely makes for an incredibly more efficient replacement.
The Zest-Up Z-Rope is a two-piece handheld equipment, with each piece consisting of a thick, rigid spring attached to a handle. To use it, simply take one piece in each hand and perform swinging motions similar to the way you would swing a battling rope. During use, the springs will recreate the same wave motions you get using the traditional rope equipment, allowing it to provide a similar type of resistance and produce similar burn across different planes of motions. Specifically, the outfit says you can perform 13 different types of exercises using it, all of which replicate standard battle rope movements.
Because there are no real ropes involved, no part of the equipment hits the ground at any time, making it a whole lot quieter than traditional battle ropes. It also takes up very little room, requiring just the same amount of room you’ll require to practice nunchucks if you were a ninja. That means, this is an exercise you can do practically anywhere at any time, allowing you to do battle rope workouts at home, at work, and anywhere in between without creating a disturbance (well, other than the guy swinging with nunchuks in the corner).
The Zest-Up Z-Rope measures 19 x 1.5 inches (length x diameter) and weighs two pounds, so you can strap it to the outside of your pack or squeeze it in a tight corner of a bag to bring it along without adding much heft. The handle and spring parts aren’t detachable, by the way, so you won’t be able to pack it down into a more compact form, either. Still, if it can deliver the same cardio and overall fitness benefits as traditional battle ropes, it definitely makes for a convenient option.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Zest-Up Z-Rope. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $144.