Many of us have two images of jumping rope: the first is young girls performing maneuvers like double Dutch during recess. The second image is of fictional boxing legend Rocky Balboa sweating in a dank gym jumping rope to prepare to fight his next opponent. This second image inspired me to incorporate a jump rope workout into my routines at an early age. They are an inexpensive piece of equipment, easy to store and you don’t need a lot of space to use it home either indoors or outdoors.
Intense Jump Rope Workouts
Even if you’re in good cardiovascular shape jumping rope is an intense high impact activity. You can think of it as a combination of running and box jumping. The basic movement is a skip using both feet at a moderate pace, but this is only the beginning – there are a number of variations that will work your body in different ways (source). From the two-foot skip try the jogging in place version. This variation requires more coordination, but will set you up well for jumping with only one foot at a time. You can perform ten minutes of jumping with the basic two foot jump or alternate between all the variations. Alternate between jumping and short rests until you complete the workout. Jumping rope can also be part of circuits that combine weight training, body weight exercises and cardio machines. Below is a sample workout I’ve used to good effect:
Jump Rope Workout
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Each exercise is performed for 30-45 seconds as a continuous circuit. except the jump rope which can be performed in 200 repetition sets. Repeat the circuit two to three times to start. You can substitute other exercises to fit your goals.
- Sit-ups
- Push-ups
- Flutter Kicks
- Pull-ups (see our beginner to advanced guide for home and gym)
- Jump rope
Fitness Tips to Get Your Best Jump Workout
The first order of business is to find a decent jump rope. You don’t need a fancy one, but you want something durable. You can choose a weighted option and there are ropes that keep track of your repetitions. To get the proper length for jump rope workouts stand on the middle of the rope. While holding the handles pull the rope taut. The proper length will have handles about at your armpits. Adjust the rope until have this length (source). Whether you’re just using your rope to warm up or for an intense workout you’re ready to get jumping!
Mike Phelps
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