Want a fast, effective and intense workout that will have you breaking a sweat in just a few minutes? Then try this rope jumping workout!
Jumping rope is kids' stuff? Garbage! It is so much more! With the jump rope you get in top shape. You train the muscles, coordination, balance, endurance and kill one or two kilos.
Line skipping is easy to learn and you can really practice anywhere. And it's fun, too.
So grab the rope and let's get started with the rope skipping workout.
Table of contents
Why jumping rope is so healthy
The skipping rope is used more and more often in gyms, in the park or in the home gym. No wonder! Jumping rope is a super effective strength-endurance workout that works the entire body.
Similar to jogging, regular training with the jump rope helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system and thus your health. Just a few minutes of jumping rope a day will make your body fit and help you lose weight.
Ten minutes of jumping rope is just as effective as 30 minutes of jogging.
The workout with the rope is not only a great whole body workout, but also challenges the mind. In addition, you also train strength, stability, sense of rhythm and coordination.
And the best thing about the rope skipping workout: It is suitable for every fitness level! So it doesn't matter if you're a beginner or a pro.
The more you swing the rope, the easier it gets. It's best to start on soft ground.
Also, the higher the quality of the skipping rope, the easier your swings will be.
What muscles are used when jumping rope
Rope skipping is a strength-endurance sport. This means you need to build strength and maintain it for a longer period of time or for many repetitions.
When training with the skipping rope, you use different muscles depending on the exercise and intensity. Primarily the leg muscles. But depending on which exercises you choose, core, chest and arms are also trained.
Here is a brief overview of which muscles are active when jumping rope:
- Calf muscle: This muscle becomes active when pushing off and coming up. It is responsible for flexion in the knee joint and for foot drop and rotation.
- Anterior thigh muscle: He is responsible for the straightening from the squat. He also has to do all the work when cushioning and jumping.
- Straight abdominal muscle: An important postural muscle that helps you maintain balance while jumping.
- Back Stretch: Its function lies in the straightening of the spine and the upright posture of the head and is also active during rope skipping.
- Wrist: The rotational movements in rope skipping come from the wrists. There are 16 different muscles involved in this continuous movement.
- Upper arm flexorYou have to bend and stabilize your upper arms when jumping rope. The muscles are therefore under constant tension.
- Deltoid: This is the largest shoulder muscle. It is also under tension when jumping rope and ensures an upright posture.
Nevertheless, jumping rope is not suitable as a substitute for classic strength training.
If you want to build muscles during the rope skipping workout, you should increase the load by using cuffs on the ankles or special skipping ropes with weights in the handles. However, this is significantly more stressful for the joints.
Those who want to train strength-endurance should combine jumping rope with exercises such as push-ups, burpees, sit-ups and squats.
What you need to keep in mind when doing a rope skipping workout
Before you start your rope skipping workout, there are a few important things you should know. As with any other sport, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid injury and get the most out of your workout.
Make sure you have enough space
Make sure you have enough space around you. Clear away everything that could disturb you and also make sure that the ceiling is high enough.
Choose the right shoes
When jumping rope, it is important that you wear sturdy shoes. Preferably ones with cushioning and a high shaft. In addition, you should not jump on a springy surface such as a carpet or lawn.
Warm up properly before the rope skipping workout
As with any workout, you should warm up properly before line skipping. Especially the arms and ankles. Go up on your toes a few times and slowly lower your foot back down. Circle your arms back and forth.
Use the right jump rope
There are many different types of skipping ropes. But which one is best for you?
For beginners, light, thin ropes made of plastic are recommended. Advanced users can use ropes made of steel, brass wire or leather. And for the pros, there are even skipping ropes with integrated weights.
In addition, you should make sure that the handle of your rope has a smooth-running ball bearing.
Regarding the length, you can orientate yourself on the armpits. Stand in the middle of the rope. Your feet are about shoulder width apart. The ends of the rope should reach up to your armpits.
Pay attention to the correct basic technique
Before you start a workout right away, you should first know the basic technique.
- Jump mainly off the front foot and land softly without completely putting the heels down.
- Do not jump too high. A few centimeters are already fully sufficient.
- The legs are always slightly bent.
- The rotation of the rope comes from the wrists and not from the arms.
- Keep your arms close to your body. Shoulders and forearms remain stiff.
- The gaze is directed straight ahead.
Beginners should first concentrate on the basic jump. Once this is in place, other variations can be tried. Increase slowly and gradually, without overdoing it.
Rope skipping workout: The 11 most effective exercises
You have everything you need for the workout and want to finally break a sweat? No problem! Here are the best exercises for your rope skipping workout.
1. simple rope jumping with intermediate jumping
- You jump over the rope with both feet at the same time.
- Before the rope comes forward again, you make an intermediate jump.
- The rotation comes only from the wrists and not from the arms.
- The upper body is upright and the knees are slightly bent.
2. easy jump without intermediate jump
- When jumping rope normally, it's important that you don't jump higher than necessary.
- The rope is in contact with the ground every time it is swung through.
- The upper body is upright and the upper arms are close together.
- The angle between the upper arm and forearm is more than 90 degrees.
- The knees are also slightly bent.
3. rope skipping workout: single leg jumping
- Here you jump with only one leg.
- Pull the second leg up to the back.
- Attention: Danger of tripping! To avoid tripping, you must take the rope wide and make big turns with it.
- The rope again makes contact with the ground with every swipe.
- The knee is slightly bent.
- The upper body is upright and the upper arms are close together.
4. running step as an exercise for the rope skipping workout.
- In this exercise you walk loosely on the spot.
- The left and right foot touch the ground alternately, as in running.
- You swing the skipping rope under your feet with every step.
5. heel taps with the jumping string
- This exercise is similar to the running jump.
- You run loosely on the spot.
- The left and right foot touch the floor alternately.
- Important: Here you touch the floor with your heel.
6. step jump for more coordination
- Every time you jump, you straddle it.
- One leg is straddled forward and the other backward.
- On the next jump you switch legs. The front becomes the back and vice versa.
- The feet always touch down on the floor at the same time.
7. rope jumping backward
- You jump with both feet at the same time, just like in Easy Jump.
- The rope is swung backwards.
- Jump without intermediate jump.
8. rope skipping workout: double unders
- In this exercise, the rope should pass under the feet twice during each jump.
- This is done on both legs.
- You need to jump a little higher and turn faster from the wrists.
9. jumping jacks
- With each jump, open and close your feet alternately. Like doing jumping jacks.
- The upper body is upright.
- The arms rest against the torso.
10. criss cross arms
- Jump with both legs.
- On every other jump, cross your arms and jump over the rope.
- Release the arms. Jump normally and then cross again.
11. criss cross legs as exercise for rope skipping workout
- In this exercise you cross your legs with each jump.
- First, the left foot is in front. Then the right.
- The upper body remains upright and the arms rest.
- The rotation is from the wrists.
How you can lose weight with the rope skipping workout
The workout with the rope is definitely a super endurance workout, where you can burn accordingly much.
Nevertheless, the most important thing in losing weight: You need to consume more calories than you take in. Exercise is a crucial factor here. But a healthy diet is even more important.
A rope skipping workout can definitely bring you closer to your desired figure. The workout is intense. Your whole body works and you quickly raise your heart rate.
Similar to the HIIT workout, you increase your energy consumption within a very short time. So you can definitely add some variety to your workout with rope skipping and speed up weight loss.
However, the actual calories burned while jumping rope depends on many factors. Age, gender, weight, speed and body tension. As a general rule, however, you can say that 10 minutes of jumping rope burns 150 calories. For comparison, jogging burns about 350 calories per 30 minutes.
Attention: Heavily overweight people should not reach for the jump rope. The jumps would put too much strain on the joints.
Our conclusion
Rope skipping is an effective strength-endurance workout that trains quickness and jumping power, as well as stamina and coordination. It's a great addition to traditional strength training and is ideal as a warm up. The rope skipping workout increases your fitness, helps you lose weight and is also really fun :)
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