Gone are the days when the jump rope was regarded as a conditioning tool reserved only for boxers, MMA fighters and professional athletes. The jump rope has surged in popularity.SEE ALSO:The Ultimate Jump Rope WorkoutIf you’re looking to efficiently strengthen your upper body, lower body and core muscles as well as increase your endurance and coordination (all while minimizing chance of injury), the jump rope is your tool.Here are five important reasons to add jump rope to your current cardio routine.
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No. 5: You’ll Burns More Fat, Faster
Jump rope circuits are touted by athletes and fitness professionals as one of the best forms of exercise for burning fat, especially when used in a high intensity circuit or with weighted ropes.High intensity workouts have quickly gained momentum over the past decade as more and more information is revealed about its benefits (which are not limited only to fat burning). For a HIIT workout to be effective, however, you must be able to transition between different levels of intensities quickly.The jump rope allows you to do exactly this. You can switch between a basic jump and a max-effort sprint almost instantly, or a high-intensity double under and a low-intensity scissor jump.HIIT is very efficient, which is convenient if you have as little as 10 minutes to spare in your busy schedule. So if you want a quick, effective cardio option, pick up a jump rope.
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No. 4: You’ll Work Your Whole Body
Many forms of cardio tend to favor certain muscle groups over others, but not jumping rope.Upper Body: Your arms are constantly working to move the jump rope which engages your shoulders, back, forearms, biceps and triceps. And if you use a heavier rope, your upper body will get even more of a workout because it is like adding weight training to your jumping.Core: The balance required for jumping rope draws on your core muscles each time you jump and land. Abdominal, lower back and hip muscles are all used as they help stabilize and coordinate your movement.Lower Body: Calf muscles are heavily engaged because you’re constantly bounding on the mid-sole of your feet. You’ll also use quads, hamstrings and glutes for power skills (like the double under.) Adding in different skills where you bound forward, backward or side-to-side as you jump, will also engage the smaller stabilizer muscles in your lower body.
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No. 3: You’ll Recover/Prevent Injury
If you’ve ever had shin splints or tendonitis, then you’ve most likely experienced an overuse injury. Joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons throughout your body are under a tremendous amount of stress though repeated movement, but these stresses can be offset by incorporating cross training methods into your workout.By alternating forms of cardio (i.e. run one day, jump rope the next), you’ll not only prevent overuse injuries, you may increase the rate at which your muscles recover. Active Recovery (varying the intensity of workouts) is said to increase blood flow and nutrition delivery to strained muscles, thereby helping them recover at a more rapid rate.
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No. 2: You’ll Beat ‘WOBO’
If the thought of 45 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill is preventing you from getting off the couch and to the gym, you may be experiencing something called ‘workout boredom’ or “WOBO.”We’ve all experienced WOBO at some point – that lackluster, ‘going-through-the-motions’ approach to working out, and the monotony of most cardio doesn’t help.Jump roping is the antidote to WOBO for several reasons:You have the challenge of learning a new skill (or set of skills)You can reap the same benefits in less timeYou can mix-n-match it with other forms of cardio (and try a different template whenever you want).By varying pace, interval length, and skills there are endless jump rope circuit combinations you can do.
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No. 1: You Can Do it Anywhere
Unfortunately, no elliptical or treadmill will fit into your gym bag.Jump ropes are extremely portable. You can take them with you on business trips, use them inside or outside, at the gym or at home. At the gym, you don’t have to wait for an open machine and you can jump anywhere you can find space.Jump rope circuits can be performed just about anywhere. Now, you’ll never have a legitimate excuse to miss a workout.Are You Ready to Jump?Learning to jump rope may take a little bit of practice, but you’ll be glad you added this fitness tool to your cardio routine when you reap the benefits.
Gone are the days when the jump rope was regarded as a conditioning tool reserved only for boxers, MMA fighters and professional athletes. The jump rope has surged in popularity.
If you’re looking to efficiently strengthen your upper body, lower body and core muscles as well as increase your endurance and coordination (all while minimizing chance of injury), the jump rope is your tool.
Here are five important reasons to add jump rope to your current cardio routine.
No. 5: You'll Burns More Fat, Faster
Jump rope circuits are touted by athletes and fitness professionals as one of the best forms of exercise for burning fat, especially when used in a high intensity circuit or with weighted ropes.
High intensity workouts have quickly gained momentum over the past decade as more and more information is revealed about its benefits (which are not limited only to fat burning). For a HIIT workout to be effective, however, you must be able to transition between different levels of intensities quickly.
The jump rope allows you to do exactly this. You can switch between a basic jump and a max-effort sprint almost instantly, or a high-intensity double under and a low-intensity scissor jump.
HIIT is very efficient, which is convenient if you have as little as 10 minutes to spare in your busy schedule. So if you want a quick, effective cardio option, pick up a jump rope.
No. 4: You'll Work Your Whole Body
Many forms of cardio tend to favor certain muscle groups over others, but not jumping rope.
Upper Body: Your arms are constantly working to move the jump rope which engages your shoulders, back, forearms, biceps and triceps. And if you use a heavier rope, your upper body will get even more of a workout because it is like adding weight training to your jumping.
Core: The balance required for jumping rope draws on your core muscles each time you jump and land. Abdominal, lower back and hip muscles are all used as they help stabilize and coordinate your movement.
Lower Body: Calf muscles are heavily engaged because you’re constantly bounding on the mid-sole of your feet. You’ll also use quads, hamstrings and glutes for power skills (like the double under.) Adding in different skills where you bound forward, backward or side-to-side as you jump, will also engage the smaller stabilizer muscles in your lower body.
No. 3: You'll Recover/Prevent Injury
If you’ve ever had shin splints or tendonitis, then you’ve most likely experienced an overuse injury. Joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons throughout your body are under a tremendous amount of stress though repeated movement, but these stresses can be offset by incorporating cross training methods into your workout.
By alternating forms of cardio (i.e. run one day, jump rope the next), you’ll not only prevent overuse injuries, you may increase the rate at which your muscles recover. Active Recovery (varying the intensity of workouts) is said to increase blood flow and nutrition delivery to strained muscles, thereby helping them recover at a more rapid rate.
No. 2: You'll Beat 'WOBO'
If the thought of 45 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill is preventing you from getting off the couch and to the gym, you may be experiencing something called ‘workout boredom’ or “WOBO.”
We’ve all experienced WOBO at some point – that lackluster, ‘going-through-the-motions’ approach to working out, and the monotony of most cardio doesn’t help.
Jump roping is the antidote to WOBO for several reasons:
You have the challenge of learning a new skill (or set of skills)
You can reap the same benefits in less time
You can mix-n-match it with other forms of cardio (and try a different template whenever you want).
By varying pace, interval length, and skills there are endless jump rope circuit combinations you can do.
No. 1: You Can Do it Anywhere
Unfortunately, no elliptical or treadmill will fit into your gym bag.
Jump ropes are extremely portable. You can take them with you on business trips, use them inside or outside, at the gym or at home. At the gym, you don’t have to wait for an open machine and you can jump anywhere you can find space.
Jump rope circuits can be performed just about anywhere. Now, you’ll never have a legitimate excuse to miss a workout.
Are You Ready to Jump?
Learning to jump rope may take a little bit of practice, but you’ll be glad you added this fitness tool to your cardio routine when you reap the benefits.
