Jumping rope is no longer just a thing for kids in the schoolyard or Rocky. More and more people are joining this practice. Personal trainers and coaches of Crossfit around the world include it in their training sessions, and in this article, we are going to explain why.
Benefits of jumping rope
There are so many that it's hard to know where to start, but here we go:
- It's a very convenient sport because you can do it at any time and place. Also, the necessary equipment takes up very little space and is easy to transport. It's ideal for bad weather days when you can't go out for a run, but want to train your aerobic capacity.
- It's a very complete cardiovascular exercise. The muscles and tendons of your legs, arms, and core will be strengthened with this discipline.
- It helps improve concentration. You must stay focused to keep up with the desired rhythm and speed without tripping.
- Reduces stress while releasing endorphins. Great after an intense day.
- Improves breathing. You need good breathing to endure, and gradually you will perfect it.
- Helps maintain a healthy heart. Doctors recommend jumping rope as a way to prevent heart diseases.
- Increases speed. Practicing rope jumping allows you to increase your stride and be faster in this and other disciplines.
- Develops coordination. You will need it more and more as you add complexity. Your arms and legs will need to work well together.
- Does not require being in good physical shape. Except for injuries, anyone can practice this discipline with the goal of improving their abilities.
- Adds fun to training sessions. By progressively increasing the complexity of routines and combining it with other sports, training will no longer be boring. You can forget about going for a daily run.
- Helps prevent injuries because it strengthens the muscles.
- It's an inexpensive sport. As you have seen, it has multiple benefits for the little investment it requires.
Does jumping rope help you lose weight?
Weight loss is often the most sought after when choosing and practicing a cardiovascular exercise. Did you really think we were going to leave this benefit off the list? Here you have an extra advantage to the 12 we have already told you. Yes, jumping rope can help you lose weight, but no discipline is miraculous. Consistency is needed. Moreover, for weight loss, it is necessary to have a caloric deficit (burn more calories than you consume) and for this, you will need to maintain a good diet and an active lifestyle.
Not everything is achieved with the training session no matter how demanding it is. Additionally, there are always other factors that also count when it comes to seeing results on the scale -our hormonal state, for example-. But don't worry, with effort, it's likely you'll be pleasantly surprised the next time you weigh yourself, and if not, you'll surely have noticed many physical and aesthetic improvements thanks to the jump to the Rope. It's not all about the kilos. Although sometimes it's hard to accept, you can look much slimmer and leaner even if your enemy the scale says otherwise.
How many calories are burned jumping to the Rope?
According to different studies conducted by specialists, jumping rope can burn between 300 and 450 calories in 30 minutes. It all depends on the pace and intensity of the workout. But also on each person, as we mentioned in the previous section.
What to consider when choosing a Rope
We should be clear about what our goal is when practicing jump rope: Train strength? Or rather gain speed? The weight of the Rope should be different depending on the answer to these questions.
A light rope will help us maintain a faster pace, and a heavier one will require more effort. We can always get one that allows us to add weights to increase difficulty when it suits us.
It is also important that the handles, besides being comfortable, rotate 360º to prevent them from getting tangled. We must also consider the thickness of the rope: the thicker it is, the more resistance. And, of course, the size of the Rope should be adjustable. It's not the same if you are 1.80 m tall or 1.50 m. Especially if you practice crossfit, it should be a resistant Rope. Steel ones will be your best option.
| Rope | Description |
| Rope fast Bee Rope | Rope made of aluminum with double bearing and keyless, it is the only self-adjusting Rope in the world. Ergonomic design for a good grip. Extremely fast and light. |
| Rope Rook | Rope fast, technical, and light for functional training. Aluminum handles and double bearing for smooth rotation without friction. Cable PVC-coated steel: durable, precise, and long-lasting. Ergonomic, non-slip, and self-adjusting design. |
| Rope Sphinx | Rope made of plastic with double bearings. Fast and lightweight. Perfect for beginners and professionals. |
| Rope Insigne | The Rope fast Insigne from Picsil is a hybrid jump rope designed to adapt to various workouts and skill levels. It combines the speed of a fast Rope for cross-training, the resistance of a weighted Rope, and the precision of a crossover Rope, allowing athletes to enhance their performance in all disciplines. |
| Rope ABS | It is a Rope jump rope designed for functional training, cross-training, and boxing, focused on improving speed, agility, and coordination. Its construction in ABS and PVC-coated steel ensures durability and protection. |
| Rope ABS-B | Rope designed to develop speed, quickness, agility, and coordination. Rope made of PVC-coated steel for maximum protection. Made in ABS, with a swivel system to facilitate the passage of the rope. Grip screw on the handle for security during jumping. Specific for boxes due to its adjustability. |
| Rope Anne | Rope jump rope made of aluminum with double bearings and option to add weights. Ultra-fast and ultra-lightweight. |
Tips and tricks for jumping correctly
Even though kids do it recklessly and don't get hurt, for adults, jumping has its tricks. You should keep certain tips in mind to avoid injury and get the most out of it.
- Move only your wrists.
- Adjust the rope size. To do this, step on the center and stretch until the handles reach your chest.
- Land softly, with slightly bent knees and on the balls of your feet. This will prevent a greater impact than necessary (if the floor is rubber with a concrete base, even better... a box is the ideal place).
- Keep your back straight and the core active. Reduce tension and risk of injury in the spine.
- Don't jump too high. Ideally, jump a few centimeters, to being able to go at an adequate pace and endure longer without getting tired.
- Train in intervals. To make it more fun, you can include jumping to the Rope within a Tabata or a HIIT workout.
- Combine it with another type of training. For the best results, it's always better to combine cardiovascular exercises with strength exercises. The Rope is a very complete discipline, but it won't help you, for example, with muscle hypertrophy.
- Warm up before starting. Yes, it is necessary to prepare the joints and muscles before an exercise of this demand.
Routines with the Rope
Now we provide you with 5 routines with them:
Routine 1 (beginners)
Tabata 2 or 3 times:
- 20 seconds simple jumps
- 10 seconds rest
- 20 seconds jumps with foot lift
- Put on a Tabata playlist on your favorite platform and get motivated to jump!
Routine 2 (beginners)
AMRAP 20 minutes:
- 50 jumps with one leg
- 20 squats
Routine 3 (intermediate)
EMOM 15 minutes:
- 60 Double unders
- 60 repetitions in 1 minute, rest the remaining seconds until completing the minute and start again.
Routine 4 (advanced)
HIIT 10 intervals – 1 minute rest between intervals:
- 20 boxer step
- 10 knees to jumping jacks
- 20 double unders
- 10 triple unders
- 25 jumps right leg
- 25 jumps left leg
Routine 5 (advanced)
Pyramid double unders + burpees:
- 5 double unders
- 3 burpees
- 10 double unders
- 3 burpees
