How Effective a Workout Is Jumping Rope, Really?
It’s possibly the most underutilized—and often forgotten about—piece of gym equipment: the jump rope. You might’ve played with one as a kid, but when’s the last time you incorporated this secret weapon into a workout?
You’ve heard that jumping rope can be a good workout, but how good a workout, really? Can a jump rope session really take the place of a cardio day?
We tapped the experts to find out. Spoiler: While you won’t want to ditch a long ride in favor of a jump circuit, it can help spike your heart rate and boost your cardio fitness on days you can’t commit to a long cardio session.
If you can’t get in your normal ride, jumping rope is an awesome and really fun alternative, says celebrity trainer Erin Oprea, who incorporates jump ropes into the routines of her clients, like Carly Pearce and Carrie Underwood, along with her own sweat sessions.
Here, two trainers and jump rope experts to explain all the jump rope benefits, plus provide three circuits you can do anywhere.
Benefits of Jumping Rope
For Oprea, jumping rope is one of her favorite cardio exercises because it can be done nearly anywhere.
[Looking to start cross training but don’t know where to start? The Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training will teach you all the fundamentals to get the most out of your weight session, priming you for stronger miles in the saddle.]
“Jumping rope is a no-excuses exercise,” she told Runner’s World. “When I travel, I jump rope at my gate and in my hotel room.”
Another benefit? It works pretty much your entire body.
“A jump rope workout is a full-body workout from your calves to your mind,” says Amanda Kloots, celebrity trainer and creator of AK! Rope. “It builds your endurance, stamina, and coordination.”
Jumping rope uses muscles all over your body, from your quads and calves to your upper body. Even though it might not feel the same as, say, a shoulder press, your shoulders, biceps and triceps are all involved in handling the rope, Oprea says. In addition, your core and ankles—stabilizing muscles—get a great workout as you jump.
Turning the rope—and making sure you don’t get your feet tangled up in it—also helps increase your coordination, and, like any cardio exercise that gets your blood pumping, it will help decrease your resting heart rate, too, Oprea explains.
Plus, research has found that it helps increase bone density, likely due to dynamic loading—the high impact of jumping.
How to Choose a Jump Rope
One thing to note: finding the right rope for you is important. The jump rope you use must be the correct length for your height, the right weight for your skill level, and it must have grips that fit your hand, Oprea, who has her own line of signature jump ropes with Rx Smart Gear, explains.
A good rule of thumb is to buy a jump rope that is three feet longer than your height, Oprea suggests. So if you are 5 feet 4 inches tall, buy one that it 8 feet 4 inches long.
For a challenge, you can pick up a weighted rope, but for this, Oprea suggests trying different weights of cables until you find one that is comfortable for you.
How to Use Jumping Rope in Your Workout Routine
On a day you want something to supplement your current routine, Oprea suggests jumping rope for 15 to 20 minutes to get a good workout. If that seems daunting at first, you could split it up into two 10-minute sessions.
Try these workouts below to take the guesswork out of your jump-roping session.
Full-Body Circuit
This workout created by Oprea can be done anywhere. It only requires a rope and your body-weight, but it will spike your heart rate and work your biceps, triceps, quads, and abs.
2 minutes of jumping rope
20 push-ups
2 minutes of jumping rope
40 bodyweight squats
2 minutes of jumping rope
30 floor dips
2 minutes of jumping rope
15 reverse lunges on each leg
2 minutes of jumping rope
1 minute plank
Repeat twice (once if you are just getting started)
Jump Rope Circuit
This jump rope circuit created by Oprea will get your heart pumping in a short amount of time—perfect for days you can’t ride.
1 minute slow
1 minute fast
30 seconds on left leg only
30 seconds on right leg only
1 minute of moving feet in and out in a jumping-jack motion
Repeat three times
4-Song Jump Rope Workout
By mixing up the moves in this circuit created by Kloots, you will work your coordination and stamina for a mind and body workout.
Warmup (1st Song, 6 minutes)
Jump one minute
Plank one minute
Repeat three times
Jump for Coordination (2nd Song, 3 minutes)
Practice your footwork to connect your mind and body. Incorporate moves like feet in and outs, jumping with heels forward, skis, high knees, and butt kicks.
Jump for Endurance (3rd Song, 4-5 minutes)
Try to jump this whole song without stopping.
Jump for Stamina (4th Song, 2-3 minutes)
Work on sprints. Jump for 20 seconds at a regular tempo then 20 seconds as fast as you can. Continue for the length of the song.
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