Getting fit doesn’t just have to be just about going on runs or heading to the gym. One of the best ways to get fit is by jumping rope. It’s such an underrated exercise and requires only a skipping rope to do so you can do it anyway with enough space.

Jumping rope is a great way to work on your cardio, endurance and burn some calories. It’s a versatile exercise that you can basically do anywhere, anytime. With only a rope in hand, you can burn some serious calories, get the heart rate up and have fun.

5 Benefits of jumping rope

Jumping rope comes with an array of benefits that you’ll see if you consistently add it to your workout routine. Here are 5 pros of doing so:

1. Versatile

There are two different ways jump rope is versatile:

Time

If you’re short on time or just want a quick and efficient workout, then instead of heading to the gym or going for a run, consider picking up a skipping rope instead. You can use it anywhere, as long as you have enough space overhead to swing the rope as well as a surface that it won’t get caught in.

If you’re planning on jumping on concrete, then consider using an impact or yoga mat to absorb the impact.

Intensity

You can adjust the intensity level based on your fitness or skill. For those who are new to this, you can slow down the number of jumps you do per swing or aim to get a certain number of jumps in a row before stopping. For those who are more experienced, you’ll aim to do fast skips or even add some double unders and other tricks in there to keep it challenging and interesting.

2. Improves cardiovascular health

Jumping rope is so good for your heart health that in Australia, they have the Jump Rope for Heart, run by The Heart Foundation. It increases your heart rate and keeps it high the entire time you’re exercising. So, even a ten-minute workout is great for those wanting to keep active and moving every day.

3. Improves coordination

Jumping rope requires some concentration. You need to coordinate your hands and legs and know when the rope is passing under you to jump. With practice, it’ll improve your hand-eye coordination until jumping rope feels like second nature and you can find your rhythm easily.

4. Burns calories

Like we mentioned before, jumping rope can burn some serious calories. According to Harvard Health Publishing, the average 125-pound person can burn 226 calories in 30 minutes by jumping slowly or 340 at a faster speed. A 155-pound person can burn 281 and 421 calories respectively while a 185-person will burn 335 and 503 calories at a slow and fast pace.

5. It’s fun

Exercise doesn’t have to be laborious or intimidating. The best way to exercise is when you’re having fun. Not only will it mean you’re more likely to stick with it but wouldn’t you rather spend your time having fun than not?

Jumping rope is great because it’s skill-based, meaning that you can learn new tricks and skills with the rope. It keeps things interesting, it keeps challenging you, not to mention it’s something that you can do solo or with friends. There are so many ways to level up your jump rope skills such as:

• Skipping faster
• Skipping with one leg
• Criss-cross
• Double-unders, where the rope spins twice around your body in a single jump
• Criss-cross double unders
• Triple-unders, where the rope spins thrice around your body in a single jump
• Double-dutch (using two ropes) – will require two people to turn the rope for you.
• And there’s many more! It’s hard to get bored when there’s so many ways to change it up.

How to get the right length

If jumping rope is something that you want to try, then you need to ensure that your rope is the correct length for your height. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself tripping on it if it’s too long or not being able to jump over it if it’s too short.

Stand in the center of the rope with both feet together. Hold the rope up by the handles towards the shoulders. The area where the cable and the handle meet should be at the top of your underarms; that’s how long your rope should be. If your rope is too long, then cut the extra length off or tie knots to shorten it.

Final notes

Jumping rope comes with many benefits. Incorporating it to your workout routine will mean burning more calories, improving your cardiovascular endurance, heart health and coordination, not to mention, having fun while doing it. In a short period of time, you can really amp up your exercise and make a difference to your health and fitness.