If you love using battle ropes at the gym but they're way too bulky to have at home, you'll love these new Tone It Up Toning Ropes [1] ($30). Available at Target, Toning Ropes are much lighter and shorter than battle ropes but can be used in the same way. These 12-pound Toning Ropes are also uniquely stretchy and bungee-like, so they can also be used like resistance bands for sculpting moves like rows and presses. This means Toning Ropes can be used for both cardio and strength training.

Ready to try out these new Toning Ropes? Tone It Up trainer Stef Corgel [2], NSCA-certified and a Barry's Bootcamp trainer [3], created this Toning Ropes workout for POPSUGAR, which should take about 25 minutes to complete. She said the purpose of this pyramid-style workout is to increase your total-body muscle endurance [4], which means you'll be able to perform more reps of a given exercise without fatiguing.

For a pyramid workout, you gradually increase the amount of time you're performing each exercise, then gradually decrease the time. Corgel added that although it may seem like your arms are doing most of the work, using these Tone It Up Toning Ropes will challenge your supporting muscle groups, including your core and lower body, as they statically stabilize your upper body.

Toning Rope Endurance Pyramid Workout

Equipment needed: Tone It Up Toning Ropes

Directions: Before beginning this workout, warm up with five arm circles [5] forward and five backward, five plank walkouts plus a push-up [6], 10 bodyweight squats [7], 10 good mornings [8], and 10 jumping jacks [9].

Then perform six rounds of all exercises listed in the chart below with your Toning Ropes for the amount of time indicated. Rest 10 seconds between exercises and 30 to 45 seconds between rounds. Since this is a pyramid workout, for the first round, complete all five exercises for 20 seconds followed by a 10-second rest. For round two, perform each exercise for 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest, and for round three, complete 40-second intervals followed by a 10-second rest, climbing the pyramid. For the last three rounds, go back down the pyramid working for 40, 30, and 20 seconds for rounds four, five, and six, respectively.

After this workout, cool down with a quad stretch [10], a side stretch [11], a wide-legged forward bend [12], a runner's lunge [13], head to knee [14], and a figure-four stretch [15].

1. Alternating wave
2. Reverse fly
3. Double wave
4. Jumping jack
5. Overhead triceps extension

Pyramid:

Read on to learn how to do each exercise.

Related:

I Tried a Menstrual Cup and a Menstrual Disc — Without Question, the Disc Wins Out [16]

Alternating Wave

• Holding a Toning Rope in each hand, begin in an athletic stance, with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width distance apart, squatting down slightly. Make sure you're far enough away from the ropes to create a little tension while still being able to keep your weight shifted back in your heels with both feet flat on the ground.
• Engage your core and keep your spine straight to stabilize your upper body.
• Begin to slam down the ropes, alternating right and left sides. The ropes will make an alternating wave pattern.
• Perform alternating waves for 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest for round one, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round two, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round three, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round four, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round five, and 20 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round six. Rest for 30 to 45 seconds between rounds.

Reverse Fly

• Begin in an athletic stance, with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width distance apart, squatting down slightly. Make sure you're far enough away from the ropes to create a little tension while still being able to keep your weight shifted back in your heels with both feet flat on the ground.
• Hold a Toning Rope in each hand with your arms extended in front of your chest. Fold slightly at your hips so your torso is leaning forward, keeping your back flat.
• With nearly straight arms, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, engage your core while pulling the Toning Ropes out wide slightly lower than shoulder height. Then bring the handles back to the starting position.
• This counts as one rep. Focus on pinching your back muscles together with every rep.
• Perform reps for 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest for round one, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round two, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round three, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round four, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round five, and 20 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round six. Rest for 30 to 45 seconds between rounds.

Double Wave

• Begin in an athletic stance, with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width distance apart, squatting down slightly. Make sure you're far enough away from the ropes to create a little tension while still being able to keep your weight shifted back in your heels with both feet flat on the ground.
• Hold a Toning Rope in each hand with your arms extended in front of you.
• Relax your shoulders, keep your spine straight, and engage your core as you raise both arms above your head and quickly slam down the ropes with both hands, making a wave pattern with the ropes. You may feel your hips start to raise up in your squat, but only allow yourself a few inches of wiggle room, so you never fully stand up.
• This counts as one rep.
• Perform double waves for 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest for round one, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round two, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round three, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round four, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round five, and 20 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round six. Rest for 30 to 45 seconds between rounds.

Jumping Jack

• Stand with both feet together. Make sure you're far enough away from the ropes to create a little tension while still being able to keep your weight shifted back in your heels with both feet flat on the ground.
• Holding a Toning Rope in each hand by your sides, jump your feet and arms out wide so your body makes an X shape. Then simultaneously jump your feet together and lower your hands to your sides. It's like a regular jumping jack [17] with added rope resistance.
• This counts as one rep.
• If this bothers your shoulders, do one arm at a time, or drop the ropes and just do regular jumping jacks.
• Perform jumping jacks for 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest for round one, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round two, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round three, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round four, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round five, and 20 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round six. Rest for 30 to 45 seconds between rounds.

Overhead Triceps Extension

• Stand facing away from the rope attachment, with one foot in front and one foot behind for lower back support, keeping your spine neutral.
• Hold a Toning Rope in each hand with your palms facing in toward your body.
• Keeping your core engaged and shoulders relaxed, begin with your elbows bent at 90 degrees and the Toning Rope handles by your ears.
• Straighten your arms overhead and bend your elbows back to 45 degrees to complete the rep.
• Perform reps for 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest for round one, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round two, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round three, 40 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round four, 30 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round five, and 20 seconds followed by a 10-second rest for round six. Rest for 30 to 45 seconds between rounds.