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This old-school workout tool delivers a cheap, portable form of cardioandtotal-body strengthening.
ZHPH Production/Adobe Stock
And yet another big perk: Its just plain fun.
What is jumping rope?
Its a form of cardiovascular training since the constant movement elevates your heart rate.
The basic concept of jumping rope is simple.
How you choose to wield the rope is, of course, totally up to you.
How can beginners start jumping rope?
You dont need any baseline skills to jump rope.
If the tops of the handles reach your armpits, your rope is sized correctly.
If theyre too short, you need a longer rope.
(Plus, your rope would likely get tangled in grass and sand.)
Mosbarger recommends jumping on top of a mat, if possible.
you’re able to buy aspecialized jump rope mat, or simply use a thinyoga mat.
Jumping on top of a mat helps soften the impact on your joints, explains Ezekh.
What does good jump rope form entail?
On the footwork front, start with the basics, says DiPaolo.
when you obtain the form nailed, focus on jumping to a steady rhythm.
Thats when the magic happens, explains Ezekh.
Otherwise, you could increase your risk of overuse injuries.
He recommends starting with 30 seconds of jumping interspersed with similar time periods of rest.
If you’re free to tolerate that, gradually increase the length of the interval.
Do you need a weighted jump rope?
When shopping for jump ropes, you may notice some ropes advertised as weighted ropes.
These are essentially just ropes that are heavier than average.
It gets your heart rate up really quickly, she explains.
Thats because it involves so many different muscle groups working together at once.
Jumping rope is full-body strengthening.
Its really head-to-toe engagement the entire time, says Mosbarger.
And it also works your core, biceps, and shoulders, says DiPaolo.
Jumping rope can help build bone density as a result of the impact of jumping, says Dr. Nwachukwu.
Indeed, asmall 2015 studyof premenopausal women showed that jump rope can improve hip bone mineral density.
Think: boxing, basketball, and volleyball.
Jumping rope requires alotof coordination, says Mosbarger.
Once you master basic jump rope technique, you might up the ante with moves like the double under.
Jumping rope can be an effective way toboost your balance.
I always find my zone when I start jumping rope, explains Mosbarger.
Regularly jumping rope can improve your spatial awareness, says Ezekh.
The improved spatial awareness you gain from jumping rope can definitely make you a better athlete, says Ezekh.
Jumping rope, and the full-body coordination it requires, can be challenging at first.
Maybeitll make you feel like a carefree kid again.
Perhaps youll find a lot of joy in learning new tricks.
Or maybe youll fall in love with its meditative qualities.
