An exercise bar and cord assembly having a cavity or nest at each end of the bar for connection with a snugly fitting cord emplacement block. The exercise cord, stoppered with a plug in conventional manner, is connected to the block, extending through a tunnel within it. The block may be shaped in any of several ways and a strapped handgrip connection block will serve the purpose. Emplacement channels or slots are optionally present in both the bar and the block. If the block has an axially symmetrical neck, it may be rotated so that the channels are misaligned for improved cord retention. Two modes of exercise are defined in terms of the cord's anchoring means—that is, whether its ends or a mid-portion of it.