Jumping Ropes

Get Up and Jump Rope



Jumping Rope is a portable workout that can provide a moderately intense, high-impact cardiovascular workout and assist you in maintaining or improving both health-related and skill-related fitness components.



What are the benefits?
Health-related fitness benefits of jumping rope include improved cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance and body composition. Skill-related fitness benefits include improved coordination, speed, power, balance and agility. Jumping rope is an ideal option when inclement weather drives your workout indoors. For travelers, jump ropes are an inexpensive, easy to pack and lightweight to carry as an exercise alternative.

According to one source, 10 minutes of jumping rope is equal to 30 minutes of running at a 5.7 mph pace. It is also estimated to be an efficient calorie burner at approximately 12 calories per minute for a 150 lb. person jumping at 120 turns per minute.

How to begin?
Start with as little as 60 seconds of continuously jumping rope. As you increase conditioning you can gradually increase your time spent continuously jumping. Once you are better conditioned, you can continue to work out in either a continuous fashion by increasing time, or in an interval fashion by interspersing jumping rope with periods of walking, marching or stepping. As you continue to advance, you can also incorporate more advanced jumping patterns.

Beginner pace - 30 to 60 turns per minute
Intermediate pace - 60 to 120 turns per minute
Advanced pace - 120 to 180 turns per minute

What do you need?
A jump rope and an area that allows plenty of room to swing the rope without interference. Cushioned athletic shoes are also recommended.

Who should do it?
Since continuous jumping rope is a moderately intense, high-impact workout, beginners should start slowly mixing shorter bouts of jumping with longer periods of lower-intensity options such as walking or marching in place. Since it is a high-impact activity, it is not recommended for those who experience joint discomfort.

Training Tips
The following tips will help you jump safely and effectively.

o Start slowly and take breaks between jumping intervals when you become winded.

o March in place or step up and down on a step in an interval fashion to maintain a cardiovascular workout.

o Keep your upper arms down at your side and swing the rope using your wrist and forearm.

o Try to stay light on your feet and keep a slight bend in your knees to lessen jarring.

o To progress toward more advanced jumping patterns, practice swinging the rope off to one side of the body with both handles in one hand to maintain the rhythm of jumping.

o Stretch before you begin to jump to lessen tightness in your calves.

o As you jump, concentrate on aligning your hips directly under your shoulders and over your feet. Often calves get tight because they are taking on most of the workload for every move. Stay relaxed, move from your center, and avoid landing on tense legs, ankles and feet.


Thanks to Shri Shenoy Seshagiri