The Benefits Of Jumping Rope

When you think about jumping rope, 1 of 2 images probably comes to mind little kids doing Double Dutch in the schoolyard, or Rocky Balboa in his headband training for the big fight.

But jumping rope is also a great way for anyone of any age to ramp up their workout and lose some weight while having fun. The best thing about jump rope is its versatility. The fitness benefits are wide-ranging, it improves your cardiovascular health, coordination, and agility.

It’s also an impactful way to burn calories in a short amount of time, which can help with your weight-loss goals. The great thing about jumping rope is that you can do it almost anywhere and it’s an inexpensive piece of equipment.
 
You Can Burn Calories Quickly:
As an exercise that gets your heart pumping right away, jumping rope is an effective way to burn calories, either on its own or as one part of a workout. “Jump rope is right up there with running, cycling, and swimming for calorie burn. An adult who weighs 150 pounds and is jumping at what we would consider an average pace would burn roughly 12 calories per minute, which is a pretty nice burn, and comparable to running at a pace of an 8½-minute mile.” Combined with a healthy eating plan, these high-intensity bursts of cardio can be a potent part of your weight loss journey.
 
The Perfect Level Of Impact:
The very act of leaping off the ground (whether playing hopscotch, jumping rope, or simply jumping up and down) is good for your bones research has shown that exercises involving jumping can increase bone mineral density in premenopausal and postmenopausal women, which can reduce the risk for osteoporosis. But at the same time, jumping rope provides less of a harsh impact on your knees and ankles than running, with good form, the body is only leaving the ground for an inch or two; also, when you land on both feet the force is dispersed, whereas a runner is essentially lunging, landing on one side and leaving the ground with significantly more height.
 
It’s A Full-Body Workout:
While jumping rope is particularly excellent for legs, the entire body gets a good workout, says Koopman. “All the ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the feet and ankles are utilized as well as the quadriceps and calves,” additionally, the wrists and forearms control the movement of the rope. The whole body needs to stay aligned so the core, back, and shoulders need to be turned on. jumping rope is particularly beneficial for strengthening the calf muscles and improving the elasticity of the surrounding tendons and fascia, which in turn decreases your risk of lower leg injuries.

Improves Balance And Agility:
Though you may feel a bit clumsy when you first try jumping, you’ll eventually, ahem, get the swing of it, and the benefits will be big, especially as you age. “Coordination is so important, the ability to arms and legs in different ways stimulates the brain, and it also improves agility, which is the ability to change direction easily,” These are skills that translate well to real life, whether you’re racing down a city street, or running after your dog. “With older people, increased agility and balance can also prevent falls.
 
A Basic Beginner Workout:
Both trainers want to make it clear that no one expects a beginner to jump rope for more than a few minutes at a time. In fact, jumping rope is best as part of an interval workout. We would never encourage a beginner to get out there and try to jump for 10 minutes because they're going to fatigue very quickly and there’s a risk of injury.” Instead, he recommends alternating it with other moves, such as squats, push-ups, and planks.

There are dozens of variations to eventually try in jump rope, but here are some basics to get you started. Try each move for about 30 seconds, then rest with 30 seconds of the side swing before doing the next move. Add about 10% more time to each set each week. Both trainers recommend practising without the rope first.