Looking for a jump rope workout you can do at home? Then you’ve come to the right place.
Jumping rope is one of the best exercises to improve endurance, build strength, and burn calories in as little as 15 minutes. You don’t need a lot of gear or space, and you can jump rope virtually wherever and whenever you want.
In today’s article, I’m going to share with you the full guide to getting started with jump rope training, no matter your experience level.
By the end, you’ll learn more about:
- The benefits of skipping rope
- Can jump roping help you lose weight
- How to choose the right jump rope
- What jump rope is best for beginners
- Proper jump roping technique – how to jump rope
- How to get started
- Where should you jump rope
- Beginner Jump Rope Workout
- 22 Intermediate and advanced jump rope exercises
- And so much more
Sounds great?
Let’s lace up and dig in.
Benefits of Jump Rope Workout For Runners
Before I get into the list of jump rope moves, let me first explain some of the perks of skipping rope as well as how you can make use of it to achieve your fitness goals.
Improves athletic performance
There is a reason why elite boxers, tennis players, and some of the best athletes in the world use jump roping regularly: it delivers.
This training tool can help you boost agility, balance, speed, and coordination, helping you become the best runner (and athlete) you can be.
Iron Calves
The rope will help build endurance and strength in your calves—one of the most important of all running muscles.
Powerful calves can help you run further and faster while reducing the risks of injury.
Increased Speed
The rope can also help you increase your running speed by training your legs to decrease ground contact time, helping you be light on your feet and boosting stride frequency.
Sheds mad calorie
Sure, running burns a lot of calories, but so does jumping rope.
According to a study, 10 minutes of nonstop rope jumping at 120 RPMs can burn as many calories as jogging for 30 minutes, 720 yards of swimming, or two sets of tennis singles.
Pass a Plateau
The rope can help if you’re facing a plateau or just want to change things up.
This tool can be a great alternative training tool to boost your energy, strength, speed, and athletic performance without spending more time in the gym.
It’s convenient
Yeah, obviously, you can practically do jump rope training almost everywhere.
You can virtually perform jump rope exercises almost everywhere. It’s a simple and quick workout. You can take a jump rope with you wherever you go. You can perform the exercises at home, or you can take it outdoors. It’s really up to you.
Jumping Rope is Cheap
A good jumping rope will not cost you more than $10 if you don’t have a jump rope someplace in your house.
Of course, top-of-the-line brands made with the best materials will cost more but nothing more than $60.
Additional resource – Trx workout for runners
Choosing the Right Jump Rope
The fitness market offers plenty of different types of jump ropes to choose from, each with specific pros and cons. Choosing the one for you can seem overwhelming with the differences between styles.
But fret no more. I got you covered when it comes to choosing the best jump rope for beginners. Just keep on reading.
Material
For starters, make sure you’re choosing a good rope made of the right materials.
When choosing a jump rope, it’s key that you check the rope’s material for density and thickness. Most jump ropes are made out of either cotton, polyester, or nylon and are generally braided to prevent them from tangling.
For example, with a PVC rope which tends to be ticker and low density, you’ll air resistance as you can pick up the pace. But if you’re training with a steel skipping rope, which tends to be dense and thin, you’ll be able to achieve a greater speed.
For beginners, PVC or clothing jumping ropes are the way to go.
The Rope Length
Now that you know what a good rope is made of, make sure it’s of the right length for you. Exercising with a rope that’s short or too long for your height can cause tripping and injury.
As a general rule, the handles should extend to your arms while standing straight in the middle of the rope. Overall, I’d recommend getting a jump rope that’s around three feet longer than your height. So if you’re 6 feet tall, buy one that’s roughly 9 feet long.
Don’t worry if you buy a rope that’s too long. Most jump ropes have adjustable handles to increase or shorten the length, so readjust the length as needed.
More Challenge
Want to take your rope skipping training to the next level? Go for a weighted rope.
Not only a heavier jump can intensify your workouts, but it also helps you learn the proper form and rhythm for mastering skipping rope exercises.
Why? Because a weighted jump rope allows you to slow down your rotations, letting you feel the rope turning around your body. This, in turn, makes it easier to time your jumps. This also allows you to keep a nice consistent pace with your jumps better than if you use a light one.
Just make sure to experiment with various weights of cables until you find the most comfortable one.
Jump Rope On The Right Surface
Surface also matters.
If you’re just a beginner, you’d want to slowly prepare your muscles and joints for the high impact of jumping. That’s why, as a rule, perform your jump rope training on an impact-friendly surface—one that has enough padding to absorb impact.
I’d recommend a firm surface, like a wood floor (like a basketball court), a thin carpet, or rubberized flooring.
Jump Rope Workout For Runners – The Correct Form
Good. Now you have a jump rope of the perfect make and length for you. The next thing to do is to start practicing a few basic moves.
That’s where proper form comes into the picture.
Here’s the truth.
Skipping rope isn’t rocket science, but there are a few details you need to be aware of. This not only helps you get the most out of your workout but also reduces injury risk. You’ll also have a more enjoyable experience while jumping rope.
Here’s what you need to know to master the art of rope jumping.
- Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart while grabbing the jump rope by the handles behind you. Make sure your hands are about the same distance apart from the centerline of your body.
- Keep a tall and neutral spine, chest, and head up while gazing forward. Your shoulders should be pulled back, and elbows held back and down.
- To start the movement, rotate your forearms forward and then your wrists to produce momentum. Most of the rope rotations should be generated by your wrists. Minimize movement within your shoulders and elbows.
- Hop consistently by minimizing the space you create between your feet and the ground. Aim for jumps around one to two inches off the floor, jumping high enough to clear the rope.
- Keep your knees slightly bent throughout the rotation, then land softly on the balls of your feet every jump. Striking the ground heel first instead of the toes can put extra stress on your body.
- Keep your back neutral while having a slight posterior pelvic tilt, with the elbows close to the sides of your body
- Your chin should be tucked throughout the rotations as if you were holding an egg under your chin.
- Avoid double jumping, which is jumping twice before the rope comes around
The 30 Minute Jump Rope Workout For Beginners
Without further ado, here’s the beginner jump rope workout to get you started on the right foot.
Warm up First (like usual)
After five minutes of jogging in place, do 12 to 15 reps of torso twists, shoulder rolls, calf raises, and cross crawls.
Next, get your body ready to jump by doing at least one minute of shadow jumping. Try rotating your wrists as if holding a rope to simulate real-life rope jumping. After the warm-up, perform the following jump rope workout exercises:
One Minute of Forward jump
This is the most basic jump.
Swing the rope over your head and jump over it with both feet on every rotation. You don’t have to jump too high, just high enough to clear the rope. Keep it up for one to two minutes, then take a 30-second break before you move to the next exercise.
One Minute of Alternate-foot Jump
Instead of jumping over the rope with both feet at once, alternate by landing on your right foot, then on your left foot on each rotation.
Imagine that you are running in place, and stay on the balls of your feet the entire time. Continue for one to two minutes, rest, then move to the next exercise.
One Minute of Side-to-side Jumps
Do the basic jump, but jump from side to side using both feet as you swing the rope. Keep it up for one to two minutes, rest, then move to the next exercise.
One Minute of Double Jumps
Jump high enough in the air, or swing the rope fast enough, to pass the rope under the feet twice before landing. This one is challenging, so do your best to stick with it for at least one full minute.
If you lose form, just get back on it. Continue for one to two minutes, rest, then move to the next exercise.
One Minute of Single Foot Hops
Start jumping over the jump rope on your right leg for 30 seconds, then switch sides without stopping. Get into a rhythm here. Keep it up for at least two minutes, then repeat the whole circuit two to three times.
Intermediate and Advanced Jump Rope Exercises To Try
Once you’ve mastered the beginner jump rope exercises shared above, it’s time to make your workouts more challenging and varied by trying the following, more advanced jump rope exercises.
Enjoy!
Jump rope Heel Toe Step
Frog Jump
Mike Tyson Jump Rope Squats
Jump Rope Mummy Kicks
The Boxer Skip
Jump Rope Burpee
Double Side Swipe
Double Unders
Criss Cross Double Unders
Backward Jumping
Jump rope jacks
Elevate 360 Wrap
Side Under Jumps
Jump Rope Half and Full Twist
Mic Release
Side Swing Cross Over
Skier & Bell Jumps
Jump Rope Criss-Cross
Jump Rope Side Swings
High knees
Push-Up Jump
Bonus – The Hybrid Total Body Jump Rope Workout
Once you’ve mastered the basic jump rope routine, feel free to move on to more challenging workouts.
For example, you can mix up jump rope exercise and calisthenics, just like in the following routine:
This challenging routine can be performed anywhere. All you need is a rope, your bodyweight, and some space.
Be careful, though. The workout is pretty intense as it will boost up your heart rate and work your calves, quads, core, triceps, and biceps.
- One minute of basic jump
- 25 push-ups
- One minute of frog jumps
- 25 floor dips
- One minute of boxer skips
- 30 air squats
- One minute of high knees
- 20 lunges on each leg
- One minute of double unders
- 90-second plank hold
Repeat the circuit two to three times.
Conclusion
There you have it!
Today’s article provides you the best jump rope workout for runners to get started as well as taking your training to the next level. The rest is just details.
Please feel free to leave your comments and questions in the section below.
Keep training strong
David D