What does it come to your mind when I say jumping rope? for many, it was one of the activities that have brightened their childhood and sometimes adolescence as well. In addition, many benefits come from this simple rhythmic jumping movement.
But to get the most out of it, you have to know how to do it and adapt your movements according to your objective.
Whether you want to lose weight or simply maintain your fitness level, there is a wide range of jumping rope exercises. We explain it all below!
Good Reasons To Practice Jumping Rope On A Daily Basis.
For those who want to lose weight, jumping rope is the perfect exercise to do so. But that’s not the only advantage and benefit of this physical exercise.
Improves Blood Circulation and Endurance.
To ensure better blood circulation in the body, skipping rope is both fun and effective solution.
Indeed, the contraction followed by the relaxation of the calves puts in an important quantity of blood in the hamstrings then flows towards the heart. This phenomenon can be seen as a second heart engine.
Jumping rope also prevents permanent enlargement of the veins and many other vascular problems.
You can definitely build up your endurance by skipping rope which is a good cardio exercise, just like exercising spinning or a rowing class.
Besides, it is less tiring when the technical motion is perfectly acquired. It becomes an exciting sport that can be practiced all day long.
Jumping Rope Helps To Burn Fat.
By burning fat and calories as much as possible, skipping rope allows you to lose weight.
When practiced according to a regular jumping rope program, jumping rope helps eliminate excess fat. By using all the lower muscles, including the buttocks, skipping rope helps to get rid of cellulite.
Almost 700 calories are eliminated after 60 minutes of jumping rope.
Jumping rope also helps to limit the accumulation of fat mass when you are inactive.
In fact, producing fat in the body by being inactive is minimal when you increase your basic metabolism through physical exercise. This is an excellent way to lose fat.
However, a restricted weight loss program must be accompanied by a healthy and balanced diet. Working out and doing exercises like skipping rope is essential for keeping your body free of bad cholesterol and high blood pressure.
It can also be used to maintain a constant weight or to lose weight. This is one of the reasons why boxers and wrestlers jump rope. It allows them to stay in shape and have a constant routine.
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It Improves Relaxation To Perform In Other Sports.
Some sports, whether it is a team or individual, require all players to relax their muscles. Jumping rope allows you to easily work on your relaxation by toning the leg muscles in their entirety.
For best results, combine skipping with appropriate exercises targeting the hamstrings and quadriceps. This gives you greater muscle density without any volume increase.
Also to have more impact, it is wise to diversify the surfaces on which you train, whether they are soft or solid.
This method allows you to perform in sports such as boxing for cardio, soccer during set-pieces or to achieve magnificent dunks in basketball.
Gaining Flexibility.
For those who wish to gain flexibility and agility, jumping rope is the ideal exercise.
Slim Down and Tighten Up With Jumping Rope.
It is also possible to slim down your figure by practicing skipping daily.
Certainly, the movements made with the skipping rope make the thighs contract a few microseconds before releasing, and therefore, represents a perfect exercise to lose those few extra pounds.
These repeated movements help slim the thighs and thereby make them firmer. No more worries about putting on your jeans quickly, like an elegant second skin.
De-Stress By Practicing Jumping Rope.
On the mental level, skipping rope is also beneficial because it helps to prevent depression and overwork.
It promotes good mental coordination because of the synchronization of the wrist rotation movement followed by the jump.
Jumping Rope Is A Perfect Warm-Up.
Jumping rope is also an excellent way to warm up before an intense workout in the gym.
Some exercises, such as leg work, put a lot of stress on the heart. It is therefore important to prepare it accordingly.
The Skipping Rope Allows You To Exercise At Home At A Lower Cost.
For people who don’t have time for a regular gym membership, skipping rope is ideal.
Accessible to all because it is very inexpensive, it is a good way to keep in shape without hurting your wallet too much. Besides, isn’t it a good idea for a sport to practice at the office?
No matter how much every sport gives you a headache, definitely switch your routine and do jumping rope instead. Why resist such a fun activity?
How Do You Choose The Perfect Jump Rope For Yourself?
It’s not just about walking into a store and picking whatever jumping rope you find.
- Too short and you’ll probably kiss the floor more or less gently.
- Too long, it will wear you out after a few jumps and break your rhythm.
Without going into a Chinese puzzle, here is a certain method to find the right jump rope for you.
First of all, you need to make sure that the handles of the skipping rope fit perfectly with the shape of your hands. This ensures comfort when holding the rope for training.
Ideally, you should choose a skipping rope with foam-covered handles, especially for delicate palms.
Then for the weight, it is advisable to choose a rope that is light enough to start with.
A texture like nylon is highly recommended for novices. On the other hand, the more experienced you are you can afford to choose a vinyl or steel rope.
Finally, regarding the length of the rope, the procedure is very simple. Simply place your foot inside the rope, holding the handles of the rope with one hand, pointing towards your head. The handles of the ideal rope should stop at the height of the armpits, but not be inserted into them.
For circus professionals, why not use a flaming rope? And for the brightest among you, a led rope? As you can see, there is something for everyone!
Some skipping ropes have a rotation counting device that reveals the number of jumps made. Perfect for tracking the number of calories you burn with the different weight training exercises we suggest below!
How To Jump Rope Correctly?
A successful jumping rope requires correct posture, for good results while protecting your back and joints. For this, it is important to:
- Jump with a tightly contracted stomach to protect the back from the waves emitted by contact with the ground.
- Ensure that the pelvis is well supported by standing up straight to prevent lower back pain.
- Keep the legs well stretched to avoid stressing the knees over time.
- Relax your shoulders completely, keeping your elbows close to your chest
- Use only your wrists to turn the rope.
Respecting these instructions allows you to jump rope without the risk of muscle or back trauma, and without exhausting yourself quickly.
To ensure more balance, simply jump on each leg rather than both simultaneously.
However, for ladies, it is important to wear a good quality, properly sized sports bra. This will allow them to properly hold and secure their breasts if possible during the exercise.
Top 10 Skipping Exercises.
To counteract the monotony of skipping, here are a few different ways to have fun while doing your exercises.
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Variation 1: The Standard Jump Is Perfect For Cardio!
It consists of jumping on both feet in sync, making sure to keep your stomach contracted.
The feet stay together with each rotation of the rope. This exercise, although it seems quite simple, requires more effort and endurance.
Variation 2: The Alternate Jump.
To perform this exercise, you have to step over the rope with your right foot when it touches the ground first. Once the rope is over your head, take support on the same foot while swinging the second one in the direction you are looking.
Now simply change the support foot with each turn of the rope, the right followed by the left, and so on.
It is very important during this exercise to control your breathing. It consists in breathing in with each jump, then breathing out before landing.
Less physically demanding than the two-footed jump, it allows you to get back in shape between two more or less complex exercises, and eliminate the cellulite present in each of the two legs.
Variation 3: The Single-Leg Jump.
After getting to know your skipping rope, you can use your left or right foot to do the jumps. This variation allows you to restore the muscular balance of your legs.
Another advantage is to strengthen your support foot, for disciplines such as the high jump. While requesting all the muscular synergies of the leg, jumping on one foot also combine the ankle.
Variation 4: Knee-High Jump, Perfect For The Abs!
In addition to being an excellent “cardio training”, the jumping rope with raised knees allows you to build up your abdominal muscles. It can be performed in two different ways.
The first way is to bounce simultaneously on both legs after each rotation move by the wrists.
The second method requires the alternation of the legs as for the left-right jump. The second way is to raise the knees one after the other, which requires more energy and breath control but is effective in strengthening the abs.
Variation 5: Twisted Jump.
This variation requires a synchronous impulse of both feet, in a lateral movement.
The advantage of this jump is to strengthen the muscles located in the crotch as well as those located on the sides of the pelvis.
Variation 6: Heel To Butt Jump: Abs and Thighs!
Jumping rope with heels on the buttocks is designed to strengthen the hock muscles (located behind the thigh). It can be performed with the legs together or one leg after the other.
The best way to perform this exercise is to give the impression of scraping the floor with the flat part of your foot.
Variation 7: The Lunge Or Shear Jump.
Similar to the classic lunge, the shear jump is done in two steps. First, a large step is taken in the direction of the eye.
Then the leg is bent, and the movement continues by switching from one leg to the other after each rotation of the rope.
This variation puts more strain on the gluteal muscles and the quadriceps with each bend of the leg.
Variation 8: Butterfly Jump.
Inspired by the standard rope jump on both feet at the same time, it is performed by crossing the arms only. It requires speed and skill in executing the movement of the arms, one under the other, between each rotation.
As well, it should be noted that it gives out to a certain charisma. However, it takes several days of training to master it perfectly and to look professional.
Variation 9: The Jumping Jack.
Based on the jumping jack or simply the hopscotch, it consists in relaying a jump with spread feet by a jump with joined feet. The movement continues in alternation, landing with the legs spread and then tightened as the rope passes over the head.
The advantage of this variation is to tone the adductors as well as the lateral muscles constituting the posterior.
Variation 10: Duplicate Jump.
This exercise involves a double rotation of the rope with each jump, either on one or both legs.
This exercise is best performed with a vinyl or steel rope.
This type of rope allows for a faster rotation after each jump, as their air resistance is very minimal.
By limiting yourself to these top 10, you should get pretty effective results. But for even more fun, there are variations of rope skipping that can be performed by three or more people and are listed below.
Variation 11: The Cross Jump.
To perform this, two people positioned upstream and downstream rotate the rope. The third person in the middle, facing one of the rotators, jumps either with feet together or one after the other.
This exercise requires skill and synchronization from all three people.
Variation 12: The Two-Rope Jump.
Like the cross jump, it requires at least three people. It consists of jumping to a first rope turning from front to back. Immediately afterward, you must jump to the second rope, which this time turns from back to front.
The movement and attention required for this variation are more complex because the movement is very fast and contradictory. The ideal in this exercise is to take support alternatively, on the left and right feet.
To conclude, here are videos of exercises to do with your skipping rope!
Contraindications Of Skipping: How Not To Hurt Yourself?
In some cases, skipping rope is not recommended.
Indeed, in order not to cause physical trauma, some people should avoid exercises involving jumps.
- These include people with a history of hernias or who suffer from them. This would only increase pain in the affected area.
- Similarly, jumping rope is not recommended for people who have suffered from inflammation of the tendon, even for a short period of time.
- Also, for those with heart problems, skipping should be avoided.
- Also, for women who are pregnant or have recently given birth, skipping is strictly forbidden.
- Finally, it is not advisable for people who have more than ten kilos over their normal weight to engage in an exercise like skipping.
When the muscles of the body are solicited, it is important to begin the session with a warm-up and to end it with muscle stretching.
