When you mention jump ropes, your first thought might be of little kids on the playground, skipping and chanting together. If you think about it a bit longer, you might move on from this nostalgic image to picturing pro athletes or boxers training in the gym, or you may even recall having seen someone on TV doing spectacular tricks with a jump rope.
Why Jumping Rope is a Great Cardio Workout
Jumping rope has been a pastime of children for centuries, and a part of exercise routines for decades. However, jump ropes are more than just toys or tools for the hard-core trainer. Jumping rope can be an excellent aerobic exercise for anyone, no matter what budget, space, or time constraints they have.
Jumping is an aerobic, high-impact exercise. Aerobic exercises strengthen your heart and your lungs, while high-impact exercises help increase the density of your bones, and reduce the likelihood of osteoporosis. Jumping rope also helps develop your endurance and speed, along with coordination, rhythm, and timing.
It can also be a lot of fun, which will improve any workout. Along with these benefits, one of the greatest advantages of jumping rope is the fact that jump ropes are small and inexpensive. Decent jump ropes can be found for as little as five dollars, and they can fit into almost any bag, which makes them the perfect choice for people who spend a lot of time traveling.
Jump Rope Routines
Jump rope routines can be very simple or very complex. There are many instructional videos, books, magazine articles, and online sites that can describe the different jumps and moves; or, if you prefer, an instructor at your local gym can help you get started. If you’re just picking up a jump rope for the first time (or, at least, for the first time since you were a child), start with the basic jump: holding the handles in each hand, stand with the rope behind your feet; then swing the rope over your head, and as it comes back down to your feet, jump over it.
Once you have gotten used to that, you can vary it with slightly more complicated moves. Try crossing your arms as you jump, or twisting your body, or swinging the jump rope in the opposite direction. If you feel the need for a real challenge, try the double under, where you swing the rope under your feet twice in one jump. Once you’ve mastered that, you can try for the triple jump, the quadruple, or more. The world record for consecutive triple unders is 320, but if you can’t quite make it that far, don’t get discouraged. Just keep going and enjoy yourself!
Jump Rope Design
Although the basic design of jump ropes has not changed much over the centuries, today’s technology does mean that there are many variations to choose from. Jump ropes made from different materials, such as nylon cord or plastic beads, can affect the weight, speed, and durability of a jump rope.
Handles can be made from wood, plastic, or rubber foam, and can be shaped to more comfortably fit your hand. Some jump ropes even have counters or heart rate monitors built into the handle, so you can keep track of how much exercise you’ve gotten. These options can affect the price, as well, so consider whether you’re going to use such features before buying it.
Safety First
Remember to follow basic safety guidelines as you’re jumping. Make sure that you have plenty of room to swing the rope without hitting another person or the ceiling (or worse, the ceiling fan!). Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that will support your body as you jump. High impact exercise can also put a lot of stress on your joints, so take care of those ankles and knees, and if you already have health problems, check with your doctor before starting this or any exercise program.
Summary
Jump ropes are a great way to get in shape, especially when combined with other exercises that cover stretching and weight training to create a workout that gets your entire body in shape. Jumping rope has been around for a long time, and can probably help you stick around for a little while longer, too.