Getting fit with ropeflow

There’s a fitness craze called ropeflow that’s the core element in building over 20 exercise communities all over the country and its American inventor David Weck calls the expansion a phenomenon. Weck, 51, created ropeflow in 2004 and it wasn’t until 15 years later that coach Armand Bajacan introduced the part-jump rope, part-dance routine here. At the height of the pandemic last year, ropeflow got a lot of online attention and Giselle Lim, who represented the Philippines in soft tennis at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, found it the perfect way of getting fit.

Lim, 47, sought out conditioning coach Rey Camarillo to teach rolling the rope in one-on-one lessons and before long, was hooked to the point of actively building ropeflow communities. Lim, whose husband Ricky is Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation president, started with three ropes and now has a collection of 54. With ropeflow, she has dropped her weight from 154 pounds to 120.

Weck says ropeflow makes the body smarter and the thinking process clearer. “It’s partial to efficiency,” he says. “The workout appeals to the active aging and the youth alike. You roll the rope without jumping up and down with it. Some moves are like a puzzle to figure out but once you’ve learned it, it’s like riding a bike. We’ve got a zero frustration rule where you look for different patterns that you can do, build reps, get into the flow, make discoveries, evolve your own routine and transition seamlessly.” A biomechanist with a background in Chinese medicine, Weck describes the rope as a democratic tool. “You’ll find a rope anywhere,” he says. “You learn to roll the rope and flow with it. It’s utilitarian. You can do it slowly, deliberately and adjust the intensity. We weaponize the rope, like cutting through the air. It’s the greatest form of exercise as the foundation of martial arts and everything else in sports. Because we live in a linked world, it’s easy to communicate how to make the most out of ropeflow.”

Lim says a kiddie rope sells for as low as P500. The ropes in the cosmic series go for P3,500 each with a weight of 650 to 750 grams and a thickness of 16 millimeters. A typical length is 8.5 feet. There are RMT (rotational movement training) ropes that are 14 millimeters thick weighing 400 to 500 grams and for beginners, 10 to 12 millimeters at 200 to 350 grams. “We have local suppliers of flow ropes but materials are from Australia or New Zealand,” says Lim. “For my first year anniversary, I released Brazilian ropes for my Rope For A Cause project. I’ve been donating ropes to all ropeflow communities. The ropes I make for the communities are Kermantle 10 millimeters, 220 grams. In the Philippines, you can buy ropes from flowropesph, ropeflow project, flowineasy, winding ropes, roar ropes and ropeflowph. Abroad, you can check out WeckMethod RMT ropes in the US, octomoves in Lithuania, way of the rope in UK, ropeflowizm in Italy, Slush Ropes in the US owned by Beyah del Mundo who was born in the Philippines.”

Lim says the fundamental patterns of rolling the rope are the underhand figure 8, overhand matador, dragon roll and sneak. Rolling the rope involves moving the shoulders, legs and hands, promoting rhythm, timing, balance, core strength and coordination with the left and right sides of the brain. It’s fun to do. Bianca Razon, 15, says she uses ropeflow to train for football and futsal in her Cagayan de Oro community. Ropeflow will be featured in a PlayItRightTV episode to premier Nov. 28 on YouTube and Facebook with Weck, Lim, Camarillo and Razon as guests.