The jump rope is one of the most power exercises and pieces of workout equipment around.
All you need is a 5X5 space and you are good to go. It’s the perfect travel buddy as it takes up virtually no room in your bag and is far better to do than the boring cardio equipment that most hotel gyms offer.
This simple tool is used by athletes everywhere to burn fat and get into incredible shape, and no matter where you are in your fitness… You too can add it to your workouts!
So let’s get to a few of the many reasons you should start jump roping:
1) It burns a ton of calories (up to 19 per minute to be exact!)
The jump rope burns a ton of calories both during AND after your workout making it superior to many other forms of cardio.
Because of the intensity, jumping rope will amp up your fat burning and have you burning more than DOUBLE the calories of exercises like the treadmill and elliptical.
2) Easily combines with other exercises
The jump rope can be used in combination with other exercises quite easily. Include it in your interval or circuit training next time to really take things to the next level.
3) It can be done anywhere
At home, at the park, at the gym, in your hotel room. This is one of the most versatile pieces of exercise equipment.
I’ll go so far as to say that you should never leave home without it 🙂
4) Perfect recovery tool
Athletes have been known to use the jump rope as a recovery tool because it helps them focus on their breathing.
Try doing a lower intensity jump rope exercise during your rest periods, really focusing on your breathing. This will not only improve your recovery, it will burn A LOT more calories in your workouts.
5) It’s a full body blaster
Jumping rope works your arms, legs, abs, heart, and even your mind (FOCUS!). It also helps boost strength, speed, agility, balance, endurance, and coordination.
In short, this is one of the best exercises around.
Now these are just 5 of the MANY reasons you should be jumping rope more.
For a good place to start, here’s 5 exercises that you can add into your workout today:
Single Unders: This is when the rope passes under your feet once on every jump. Perfect for beginners. To make this exercise more challenging, try going as fast as you can.
Run-In-Place:Â While swinging the jump rope, run in place by bringing your knees to your chest on each rep. This is a great exercise for getting your heart rate elevated. The faster you go, the more intense this one will be.
Single Leg Single Unders: Like single unders, except you will hop on one leg at a time for a certain period of time then switch legs. Great for building up strength and balance in your legs.
Side-to-Side Hops: Perform a single under while jumping side-to-side. Great for coordination, balance, and quickness.
Double Unders: This one is a little more challenging but one that I HIGHLY recommend building up to. This is when the rope passes under your feet TWICE on each jump. Work on this one each week and in no time you will have it down 🙂
There you have it, the 5 reasons you should be jump roping daily!
What are your thoughts and favorite jump rope exercises?Â