What Are The Health Benefits Of Jumping Rope?

Although activities such as running have got all the favour in the fitness industry for it's cardiovascular benefits, jump roping has always been the cardio of choice for those who are privy to the secret that this intense form of cardio is extremely beneficial for a variety of health reasons.  More so than jogging and running!

With no need for you to require any special equipment and the fact it can practically be carried out anywhere providing space permits, jump rope is a great alternative to jogging/running or any other form of cardio work.

Rapidly increase your cardiovascular endurance & increase your lung capacity greatly!

It's widely known and scientifically proven that doing 10 minutes of jump rope is equivalent to jogging for 30 minutes straight!  This amazing revelation was first recognised by the legend Bruce Lee himself who was a big fan of this form of cardio which he implemented himself to stay in amazing shape throughout his lifetime.  Unlike running you are forcefully using your muscles to leap against gravity whilst the constant motion of the wrist turning can really workout your arms and especially your forearms after a period of 5 minutes of moderate speed jumping.  To put it simply, if you can jump rope for 10 minutes straight then you can run for 30 minutes with no problem at all, possibly more!  With your heart rate being put through it's paces whilst jumping your lungs will be working overtime to get oxygen round the body which over time improves your lung capacity and endurance extremely quick, even faster if you implement a HIIT workout as part of your skipping.

Burn those bad boy calories easily!

If you want to burn calories fast, and I mean FAST then jumping rope is the best form of cardio you could possibly perform. With as many as 1000 calories being able to be burnt in the space of 1 hour no other form of cardio can offer such a burn in a short period of time.  In conjunction with a controlled diet and weight lifting regime you can get in great shape fast. You only have to look at professional boxers who implement jump rope as an important part of there training for not only hand and eye coordination but to stay lean and trim all year round.  Simply, you want to lose weight fast?  Get a jump rope!

Plyometric benefits to help with athletic performance

As a form of cardio it's great, but as a form of plyometrics it's amazing! Combine the two and what do you get? Exactly! Many athletes integrate jumping rope in to there workout as it's a great form of plyometric exercise that helps you move faster, jump higher, improves coordination, balance and so much more.  These improvements benefit any form of athlete whether you be a basketball player, baseball player, soccer player or any other sports player.

Cheap to boot!

The best thing of all?  Jump ropes are extremely cheap, some can be picked up for as little as a few pounds or dollars.  What other form of cardio equipment that can offer so many benefits be found for such a  low price. Not only are they cheap but you can take your rope anywhere so there really is no excuse to fit in a workout anywhere, no matter how busy you are.  If you got 5 minutes to spare then you know what to do!

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How Many Calories Does Jumping Rope Burn?

Jumping rope at a moderate pace (60-80) skips per minute can burn anywhere between 11 -15 calories.  This number is an average and the final result willd epend on how much weight you are carrying as well as how long you keep your heart rate high whilst jumping that period of time.

If you can turn up the heat and get in the range of ( 100-120) skips per minute you can expect to burn anywhere between 20-25 calories, give or take. Again this is an average number and it can vary depending on your body weight.

For those with a higher percentage of body fat and weight you will find those number can be drastically higher whilst those whor are relatively fit may find that they really need to crank up there intensity or integrate a HIIT routine to really burn those calories up.

The legend himself Bruce Lee was a big fan of jump rope and it was his view that 10 minutes of jumping rope at 120 spm burnt as many calories as 30 minutes of moderate jogging.  If your goal is to lose weight fast then be sure to incorporate a jump rope routine for at least 15 minutes daily 5-6 days a wek whilst on a calorie restricted diet.  I guarantee you will see results fast!

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What Are The Best Jump Rope Workouts To Lose Weight Fast?

So you got your new rope or are looking for some of the best workouts possible to get that heart going to burn fat and lose weight fast?  Well, luckily for you I have a compiled a list of 3 of the best jump rope workouts created by myself and the crew that are sure to have begging for mercy.

I must point out that all 4 of these workouts are considered HIIT ( High intensity interval training) which if you are not aware of is the best form of cardio you can get to burn fat and keep your metabolism going throughout the day.  Enjoy!

Try to incorporate one of these routines 4-6 times a week whilst also keeping an eye on your calorie intake. To stay toned and gain small muscle gains integrate a weight training regime 2-3 times a week.  You will find you will lose weight fast and look great in no time!

Jump Rope Workout No. 1

This workout will will focus on getting that heart rate up and keeping it there whilst giving you a 30 second break every minute.  Ideally you want to do this for 12 reps, 1 rep is a 1 minute jumping rope session and 30 second break.  You can do this for longer if you have the energy but you will find this is just right for those looking for a quick 15 minute HIIT workout.  Try to keep  that 1 minute of skipping intense as possible, I suggest skipping at a moderate pace for 30 seconds and the remainder of the 30 seconds going as fast as you can.  It will go something like this:

30 second warm up - (Start of workout only)

1 Rep:

Step 1) 30 Seconds moderate pace

Step 2) 30 Seconds fast pace

30 second break - ( Repeat from step 1 for next rep)

Jump Rope Workout No. 2

OK, this is a variant of a very popular workout known as the sliding scale which is great, but this is better.  It is essentially the same as the sliding scale with the difference being we are working up rather than down.  You will first start with 1 minute jumping rope, then a 30 second break, then on to 2 minutes jumping rope, then 1 minute break etc etc.  You do this for as long as you can, most will barely get to the 10 minute mark, other who are more experienced may go well past 30 minutes.   This will tire you out so make sure you got the reserves to accomplish this! To make it more challenging you can split your jumping rope time between moderate and slow pace just like workout 1 but most will find for this routine a standard pace will suffice in giving you results.

30 second warm up - (start of workout only)

1 minute jump rope

-30 second break

2 minute jump rope

-1 minute break

3 minutes jump rope

-1 1/2 minutes break

(Continue for as long as possible)

Jump Rope Workout No. 3

Our previous 2 workouts were simply timed based workouts, it's entirely up to you what tricks you use to even further elevate your heart rate.  The whole point of HIIT is to elevate your heart rate for a controlled period of time and letting it rest for another, repeating this for a period of time is what gives you the HIIT effect.  For this 3rd workout we will be incorporating running on the spot for half the break time whilst the other half will have us walking on the spot.  You will be wanting to keep the  jump roping itself between 100-120 skips per minute.  This is an intense workout and only the more experienced skippers can accomplish this.  Give it a try and you will see what I mean!

30 second warm up - (start of workout only)

1 minute jump rope 100-120 skips per minute

30 Seconds running on spot, knees high as fast as can

30 Seconds walking on spot

1 Rep (Repeat for 10 - 12 reps) 

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At What Age Can Kids Start Jump Rope?

Most kids naturally start jump roping from an early age whether it be at school with friends or out playing with friends.  There really isn't no age restriction as to who can jump rope, once the skill is aquired it is just like riding a bike!

Skipping as it's called by young ones can not only be fun but extremely healthy too.  In a world where obesity is a growing problem, especially in the US, skipping encourages kids to not only have fun but stay healthy too.

For those parents or adults wanting to teach a child to enjoy this excellent form of cardio you should start off slow teaching them the basic jump where both feet leave the floor per skip.  Once this is down to a tee other more intricate tricks can be accomplished which will not only be fun for the child but allows them to develop a great sense of achievement which is crucial in reinforcing a positive mental attitude.

If you really want to go old skool you could always go back to the playground skip whereby 2 turn the rope nds kids take turns jumping in completeing as many skips as possible. Who said you have to get old! Join in the fun!

Who said your too young too start!

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