4 Rip training exercises for beginners

Learn how to set up your Rip Trainer anywhere, anytime, and learn some basic moves to get you on your way to making your body your machine! Build a strong core and get your cardio workout in at the same time.

The Rip Trainer utilizes a lever bar and resistance cord that can be hooked onto just about any stable anchor, indoors or out, with a simple anchoring carabiner. It will provide a unique mix of rotation, core stability, control, power, strength, mobility, metabolic conditioning, and balance and coordination challenges.

Who should use it?

It’s a perfect workout, whether you’re just getting started on a fitness routine or you’re a professional athlete. The Rip Trainer is versatile in every aspect. As you begin to build strength and endurance, you can increase the resistance with various changes to foot and hand positions, a heavier resistance band and anchoring the carabiner at high, neutral and low positions.

The beauty of the Rip Trainer is that it cannot be outgrown. Your workouts will get more intense as you increase strength and stamina. Some of the best places to hook up a Rip Trainer are on a fence post, tennis court, stable weight equipment unit at the gym or wrapped around a tree at the park.

The Rip Trainer Kit comes with a 4-pound lever bar that collapses into two sections, a medium-resistance cord and a carrying bag. You can take it anywhere. It’s convenient to set up, portable and compact, and gives you an all-over workout no matter where you are.

Targets: Core, legs

• Adjustment: Both palms down at midzones (halfway point from the center connection).
• Position: Facing away from anchor point.
• Start: Extend arms at chest height, feet shoulder width apart.
• Movement: While engaging core, slowly return the bar to chest.
• Focus: Shoulders should be down and back, and core engaged. Ensure the bar is straight out at chest height.

Targets: Core, arms, back

• Adjustment: Power hand: right palm up in zone 4, which is just above the center connection on the black rubber handles. Base hand: left palm down in “zone 1” which is at the very bottom of the lever closest to the resistance cord.
• Position: Facing away from the anchor point
• Start: Extend right arm forward, left hand underneath right elbow. Left foot is forward in an offset stance, with right heel slightly lifted.
• Movement: Bring your power hand (right) to your shoulder, while the base hand (left) moves away from the anchor. Strike overhead with right arm and bring the left hand underneath the right elbow.
• Focus: Ensure core is engaged at all times. Aim to a high overhead target to avoid scraping the resistance cord on the shoulders.

Targets: Core, shoulders, legs

• Adjustment: Both palms facing down in the midzones of the lever (center of each black rubber handle).
• Position: Facing the anchor point.
• Start: Arms bent with elbows at rib-cage level, feet shoulder-width apart.
• Movement: Simultaneously lower hips down and back while extending arms toward the anchor point. Squeeze glutes and extend hips, pulling the bar to chest level.
• Focus: Ensure core is engaged and shoulders are down and back throughout the movement. Keep knees in alignment with ankles, as well as with ears, shoulders and hips. Take precautions not to overarch your back.

Targets: Core, legs, shoulders

• Adjustment: Power hand palm down (right) in zone 4 (just above the center connecting point on the black rubber handle) and base hand (left) in zone 1 at the base of the lever; palm up with the bar in a vertical position.
• Position: Facing the anchor point.
• Start: Keep right arm straight with right hand slightly behind the right thigh, feet shoulder-width apart and hips dropped down and back.
• Movement: Simultaneously squeeze glutes and extend the hips, reaching the right hand toward the anchor. Pull the left hand toward the left shoulder. Drop hips down and back for a low strike, sweeping the bar down toward the ground past your heel.

More on workouts

Yoga exercises the support your immune system
5 Toughest races to run
5 Workouts that burn more calories in less time