Why You Should Jump Rope

Have you ever wondered why boxers are such tremendous athletes? The vigorous training, non-stop running, strict diets, and subtle art of jumping rope are all excellent shape-makers, but for the purposes of this piece, I will focus on the art of skipping.

Note: skipping and jumping rope are the same thing, idiomatic, interchangeable terms.

I call it art because in the hands of a master, a jump rope is as much a Mona Lisa as the sombre maiden herself.

What is skipping, what does it do for you?

Skipping is a cardiovascular exercise – it strengthens your heart, gets it pumping. Compare it to jogging. Before you start jogging you have get yourself a decent pair of running shoes (which aren’t cheap), and then you have no choice but confront the elements. Same applies to sprinting, rowing, rock climbing.

Jumping rope on the other hand, provided you have the space, can be done in the comfort of your own home. A decent rope costs you three – five GBP. The rope can also be taken with you anywhere, if you lead an active lifestyle there are no excuses, drop it your bag and you’re good to go.

Now, in regards to the finer details, the only statistic you should need is this: jump rope burns twice as many calories as jogging in half the time. That’s right, if you burn 200 calories doing 10 minutes of skipping you can expect to be running around an extra 10 minutes to match the gains (or losses, but that’s a philosophical half empty, half full train of thought).

It requires greater technique so recruits more muscles. Jumping rope greatly strengths your legs, calves, and core, that’s a given. What would you say if I told you it also solidifies your back, forearms, triceps, and glutes? It’s the ultimate weight loss and conditioning tool. If you don’t believe me, read the words of physical therapist, Gray Cook.

People often opt for the simplicity of running over the immediate impact of skipping because it’s impossible to jump rope without good technique, and that takes time to learn.

The journey of a rope artist

I started skipping at the end of 2014 because I was struggling with my weight management. I used to weigh 18 stones. That’s 114 KG, 251 lbs. The pain was intense and the frustration of tripping immense. I had neither the technique (to maintain the necessary motions) or the stamina (to keep skipping). I put the rope down altogether for a couple of months, but you know what they say, “you only fail once you stop trying.”

With that in mind, I started again February 2015, and I’ll never forget my determination at that point. I skipped every day for 61 days at least 30 minutes. By the end my technique was…better, and my stamina had markedly improved. I lost an incredible six stones in six months.

Want to go fast and burn as many calories as possible? Go for it.

Are you not confident enough in your technique but have the will to keep going? See how long you can endure then.

That’s how it is in the early stages, if you’re a beginner. You may not have technique, but you’re relying on your guts to get through.

Above is a short video of me incorporating jump rope into a short film I was working on, last year.

Repetition is cognitions’ best friend

In your beginner stage, you don’t have to worry about sets or revolutions (how often the rope circles you), just focus on getting your heart rate up. Give yourself a couple minutes’ rest at a time if you need to catch your breath. As a beginner, your only goal is an elevated heart rate: technique comes through practice, so suffer the frustration for a few weeks. Eventually you’ll enjoy the jumping; start developing routines; your body will move in ways you never thought possible; you’ll start getting flashy, and best of all, you’ll have an inexpensive weight management tool for life. Be unafraid, be daring, be positive. Everyone is a beginner at some stage. If you only want to lose weight, remember this: if you aren’t sweating, you haven’t done anything! It’s not rocket science: exercise more, with the best possible cardiovascular tool, and eat less. Nothing sheds body fat like a jump rope, jump on!