Is your team ready for the low ropes course?
A low ropes course is a ground-based obstacle course designed to encourage team building and personal development. It is different from a high-ropes course in that a high ropes course is constructed in trees and requires a safety harness.
Rope courses have been used in military training since the days of the ancient Greeks. Back then, these courses were used for training extremely fit individuals. Since the 1980s, these courses have evolved considerably. Modern courses incorporate sophisticated safety and belay systems using wire rope, frictional devices, and climbing harnesses to manage risks.
Low ropes courses consist of a series of obstacles designed to challenge teams and individuals to work together.
Rope Course Benefits
Ice-Breaker
These activities are designed to break down barriers and reduce self-consciousness. They are often based on a sequence of events, instead of a defined task. Ice-breaker activities are a good way teams can know each other better. Participants are placed in positions where they are challenged to break out of their comfort zone and try new things.
Group Initiative
These activities involve ground-based obstacles that challenge a team to pool their resources and work together to find solutions. Problem solving games are important because success can only be achieved once every member has contributed to the outcome.
Trust Building Activities
These activities are designed to provide team members the opportunity to demonstrate their trust in others. This is achieved through a series of sequenced actions, including activities like the Trust -Fall, which is an exercise where one person falls and trusts other team members will catch them.
Low Ropes Course Elements
These activities focus more on the physical aspect of team building. A series of cables, ropes and obstacles are set 12-18 inches from the ground. This activity tests a person’s physical strength, stamina, balance, agility and flexibility. Participants will be faced with the fear of falling, failure, and the fear of losing control. These activities are designed to make team members coach each other through their fears and work together to complete the tasks at hand.
Though these activities may be fun and exciting, the purpose of these courses is to meet developmental and team building goals. These courses are designed to explore team interaction, problem solving and leadership. Some common outcomes of participating in a ropes course are:
- self confidence
- team cooperation
- decision making
- communication skills
- positive risk-taking
- leadership skills
- goal setting
- employee motivation
- social cohesion
As Larry Lipman of Fun Team Building says, “The #1 benefit to a low-ropes course is outcomes, such as team building and trust building, are immediate and last a lifetime.”
Fun Team Building Works With Atlanta Ropes Courses
Fun Team Building with Larry Lipman can help your teams learn to work together as one unit. Give Larry a call today at (770) 333-3303 to schedule your low ropes course teambuilding!