Jennifer Garner Inspired Me to Start Working Out with a Jump Rope — Here's Why You Need One, Too
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Jennifer Garner has proven that there are some things you never grow out of. While I personally prefer to reminisce on my childhood by eating peanut butter on Oreos, the 47-year-old star, along with other celebrities like Khloe Kardashian and Kaley Cuoco, is fully embracing one playground activity: jump roping.
In early 2020, Garner shared an Instagram video of her jump rope skills and tagged Beth Nicely, master trainer at Body by Simone (the popular fitness method founded by celeb trainer Simone De La Rue). As part of this routine, Garner completed an impressive ten double unders in less than 30 seconds — and fitness experts approve of this type of interval training.
"[Jump roping] improves coordination, decreases foot and ankle injuries, burns major calories, improves bone density, improves cardiovascular health, improves breathing efficiency, makes you smarter, and improves your ability to stay calm," triathlete Dareen Barbar previously told Shape.
When I recently came across Garner's jump roping video from last year, I was skeptical at first — I haven't picked up a jump rope since age nine and have steadily been losing coordination skills since then. But since safely returning to the gym still seems like a faraway goal, I decided to give this home workout a try. (Related: The Best Cardio Equipment for an At Home Workout)
After a quick Google search and some recommendations from friends, I landed on Crossrope, a fitness app with more than 80,000 users and a robust selection of HIIT, cardio, and skill training sets — all centered around jump ropes. I also sprung for the program's recommended Crossrope Get Lean Weighted Jump Rope (Buy It, $99, amazon.com). I started with the beginners 10-minute set, which is 30 seconds of alternating jumping for 10 minutes. While I was totally exhausted, I was also pleasantly surprised by how smoothly the .5-pound rope cut through the air.
Courtesy of Merchants
Buy It: Crossrope Get Lean Jump Rope, $99, amazon.com
Other users were equally impressed: the jump rope has more than 900 five-star ratings on Amazon. Numerous shoppers noted that the lightweight option is "perfect for beginners" because of its easily adjustable weight settings and non-slip hand grips. "Best jump rope I've ever purchased!" wrote a fellow jumper. "This system is sleek, smooth, and makes everyone (even a beginner like me) feel like a trained professional."
And though customers consider the Crossrope to be "worth every penny," there are affordable alternatives, like the Epitomie High Speed Jump Rope (Buy It, $34, amazon.com) and the Proud Panda Heavy Jump Rope (Buy It, $27, amazon.com) that also get the job done. With two length-adjustable cables, the sleek design of the Epitomie allows users to reach their maximum jumping speeds, and the ropes are light enough to bring on the go. For those looking to add an extra challenge into their endurance routines, the Proud Panda rope comes in a 3-pound option that strengthens your upper and lower body simultaneously — and it's under $30.
Courtesy of Merchants
Buy It: Epitomie Sonic Boom High Speed Jump Rope, $34, amazon.com
Courtesy of Merchants
Buy It: Proud Panda Heavy Jump Rope, from $27, amazon.com
After mastering three or four workouts on the Crossrope app, I graduated myself to the brand's Get Strong Jump Rope Set (Buy It, $149, amazon.com), a heavier option that includes two attachable ropes in 1- and 2-pound versions (which one reviewer compared to driving a Mercedes). Within two weeks of regularly doing the workouts with the heavier rope, the booty burn was real, and I noticed a huge change in my glute strength. And much to my surprise, I was actually having fun! Instead of dreading gym visits or making excuses not to run, I'd found a great cardio routine I could do anywhere — even in my living room while listening to a true crime podcast.
Courtesy of Merchants
Buy It: Crossrope Get Strong Jump Rope Set, $149, amazon.com
Now, I'm so glad I let Garner inspire me to take a chance on a new fitness routine. If you're ready to hop into the challenge and try this total-body workout that can be done anywhere, I recommend adding one of these jump ropes to your cart.
