Nov 16, 2021

Jump Rope Workouts: Cardio, Fitness, Exercise, Weight Loss

Jumping rope isn’t just for kids. A jump rope is an effective and portable tool you should add to your arsenal of equipment because it can provide both a warmup and a serious workout. A jump rope workout can be a fun and challenging way to get in your cardio when you have to stay in one place. The benefits of jumping rope are many: It’s a killer cardio workout that improves your coordination, boosts your metabolism, and makes you sweat like crazy.

Of course, due to the high-impact nature of jumping rope, you’ll want to make sure it’s a safe option for you if you have any joint-related issues or look for softer surfaces to jump on like turf in a gym.

How to jump rope

You’ve been jumping rope since you were a kid, so you may think that you’ve got it down. But there are some important form cues you should focus on to make sure you’re getting the most out of your workout and cutting down your risk of injury.

Hold the rope with hands at about hip height and elbows slightly bent, keeping your upper arms close to your sides. Your chest should be out and your shoulders back and down. Make your jumps small and land on the balls of your feet.

Jump Rope Strength Workout

Once you have the basics of the jump rope down, use it in your training as a warm up or a stand in for the cardio routine you've found yourself skipping most often. Even though the rope is more engaging than logging miles on the treadmill, you should still keep yourself focused by doing more than just a set period of time or a fixed number of skips, so check out this countdown workout to get started.

Skip on both feet for 10 skips, then shift to your right foot for 10 skips, then your left for 10 skips. Go back to both feet for 9 skips, then right and left for 9 each. Keep dropping a rep until you hit zero.

Picking the exercise that you find more interesting and that you’ll stick with is the most important factor. You can always alternate both activities as an excellent option to provide variety to your exercise routine.