When it comes to fitness and exercise, too often the advice is aimed at people that are looking to lose weight.
And while a healthy weight is essential to many aspects of wellness, there’s more to fitness than just weight loss.
One of the things you can do to improve your health, longevity, and overall athleticism, is to improve your conditioning.
And the best part is that you can do it with minimal equipment and time commitment. All you need is a jump rope.
In this article, we’ll look into the benefits of using a jump rope, how it improves conditioning, as well as the proper way to use it. We’ll also include a couple of workouts you can get started with as a beginner.
Benefits of jump rope workouts
Here are some of the benefits of jumping rope.
Promotes weight loss
Let’s get the big one out of the way. Like most other forms of exercise, if you do it consistently, jumping rope can help you burn a ton of calories.
Assuming you’re also following a proper nutrition plan, skipping ropes can help you lose weight.
Improves athleticism
According to one Italian study, jumping helped young soccer players improve coordination and balance, as well as strength and power. Overall, it helped improve their soccer skills also.
Even if you’re not into soccer, improving your power and coordination will help you perform better in any other sport that interests you. It will also help you move better in your everyday life in general.
Increases bone density
Bone strength and density provide support and balance for your body. They also promote better posture and help you enjoy activities like playing sports and dancing. Bone mineral density can also reduce your risk of osteoporosis as you get older.
There’s evidence that suggests that jumping rope can help increase bone density.
A 2017 Hong Kong study found that jumping rope or performing other plyometric exercises may increase bone mineral density in adolescents, especially in the lower extremities.
Improves cardiovascular fitness
Arguably the biggest benefit of jumping rope is that it can improve your cardiovascular fitness. Better cardiovascular conditioning has many critical benefits when it comes to your overall health and risk of chronic disease.
It can help strengthen your heart and improve the efficiency with which it pumps blood. Better conditioning also means a lower risk of high blood pressure. It can also raise your good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL).
Not to mention, jumping rope, or any other form of strenuous exercise can significantly improve your quality of sleep.
You can do it anytime, anywhere
The best thing about jump rope workouts is that you can do it anytime, anywhere. You don’t need access to a gym, a running trail or path, or expensive home equipment like a treadmill.
All you need is a jump rope, and around 15-20 minutes of time a few times per week.
In the following section, we’ll look at a couple of jump rope workouts that are suitable for beginners.
Best jump rope workouts for beginners
Now, that we understand the benefits of jumping rope, let’s look at how you can get started.
Before you jump in (pun intended), make sure to grab a jump rope online or at your local sports store. For an added boost in energy to help you get through the workout, you can also try our clean pre workout supplement, made with only premium, non-GMO ingredients.
15-minute beginner jump rope workout
20 bodyweight squats to warm-up.
Then do 10 rounds of the following:
- 1 minute of jumping rope
- 30 seconds rest
20-minute beginner jump rope and bodyweight workout
Start with a 1-minute warmup doing bodyweight squats.
Then do 5 rounds of the following:
- 30 seconds jumping rope
- 30 seconds rest
- 30 seconds bodyweight squats
- 30 seconds rest
- 30 seconds jumping rope
- 30 seconds rest
- 30 seconds push-ups
- 30 seconds rest
How to jump rope correctly
If you’re brand new to jumping, then you want to make sure that you do it with proper form to minimize your risk of injury.
Here are a few key things to keep in mind.
- Keep both your hands equidistant from the center of your body
- The movement should primarily come from your wrists
- Keep elbow and shoulder movement to a minimum
- Keep your jumps 1-2 inches off the ground
- Don’t tuck your knees too far back
- Maintain a slight bend in your knees
While we call it jumping rope, think of it more as a hopping movement off the ground. The biggest thing to remember is that you want to minimize the impact on your knees and ankles.
How often should you jump rope?
The frequency of your workout depends on a few other factors. You should consider your current fitness levels, as well as any other fitness goals you want to prioritize.
For example, if you also want to increase muscle mass, then you should do strength training during the week as well. So, depending on your time availability, you might do something like three days of weightlifting, two days of jumping rope, and one day of mobility and stretching.
But generally, if all you’re doing is jumping rope, then you can do it 5-6 times a week, as long as you’re doing it with proper form to protect your joints. To further strengthen your joints, you can also take Naked Collagen, sourced from pasture-raised European cows.
