Do you want to learn how to jump rope? Here are some top workouts to get started with:.
Are you craving a cardio workout you can do just about anywhere?
Maybe you want to build muscle, torch calories, and improve your coordination. Either way, it’s time for you to become acquainted with jumping rope. A lot of people associate jump rope with childhood fun, but believe it or not, it’s more than possible for you to get an intense workout with this simple accessory. Celebrities from Carrie Underwood to Jennifer Garner swear by jumping rope too, so if you are ready to get started, then this is the guide for you.
Why Fitness Experts Recommend Jumping Rope
Jumping rope is an easy yet effective total body workout.
It’s a great way for you to build cardiovascular fitness, coordination, and rhythm. It’s also ideal for those who want to work on their stamina, skills, and endurance. So what else can a jumping rope do for you? It can help you build on your hamstrings, calves, quads, and glutes, not to mention that it targets your forearms, back, and core. It’s essentially a ticket to better, all-around athletic performance, and the best of it is, it’s totally friendly for beginners. You may need to put in a bit of practice, but if you can be patient with the process, then you will see results in no time at all. As a novice, it’s recommended that you jump rope at least 3 times a week.
If you’re ready to dive into a whole new workout regime, then here are the top benefits of jumping rope, how to maintain better form, and exercises that you can try.
Jumping with Perfect Form
If you want to carry out your jump rope workout for beginners in perfect form, then here’s how you do that:
Stand on the middle of your rope, and put your feet together. Then, stretch the rope up so that it meets the side of your body. The ends of the rope should reach your armpit, minus the handles. If they don't, then this indicates that you need a shorter or longer rope.
Take a handle in each hand, and move the rope behind your ankles. Level your shoulders, and maintain a neutral spine. It’s important to keep your core engaged here. Don’t be tempted to look at the ground, and instead, look right ahead.
At this point, you will want to rotate your wrists so the rope clears your head and lands in front of you. Your elbows should be bent slightly when the rope is swinging, with your wrists at waist height.
Jump a few inches into the air, using the balls of your feet to ensure that the rope clears underneath, and land again softly. Ensure your toes are pointing down, with every jump.
Congratulations! You’ve just done your first rep!
If you haven’t jumped rope for quite some time, then try and practice in front of a mirror, so you can give yourself some direct feedback.
Warm-Up for Jumping Rope
Move your arms in a circle, doing 10 reps backwards, and then 10 forward. When you’ve done this, do some calf raises. Go up on your tip-toes, maintain control, and then land softly again. You’ll do this for 15 reps.
Next up, toe curls. Simply curl your toes for a total of 10 reps, and then do some side lunges for another 10 reps on each side.
Jump Rope Workouts for Beginners
If you want to work on your skills, speed, conditioning, and overall development, then these workouts are ideal. Each workout will get more difficult, so make sure you start with the first one and then work your way through. You will become more comfortable with time, and you will also be able to maintain better form. When you have done all of the below workouts, you can then move on to a circuit of your choosing.
Skill and Speed Workout
Want to work on your skills and speed? Jump rope with your feet together, at a steady pace, for a total of 30 seconds. If you are feeling confident, then speed up and do it as fast as you can. The aim is to do this for around 30 seconds at a time. If you feel yourself losing rhythm or form, then slow it down, get it back, and then speed things up again. The idea here is for you to get to the point where you can switch feet as if you are running in place.
Don't let this straightforward exercise fool you; it can take a lot of practice and coordination to get to the point where you can alternate your feet quickly. That being said, it is the best introduction to jumping rope, and it’s very easy to start seeing results.
When you have done this for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds.
You’ve then done 1 round. The idea of this workout is for you to go for 10 rounds to start with, and as you gain confidence, you can lengthen the time spent jumping rope from 30 seconds to 60 seconds. You will still be doing 10 rounds in total, but over time, your speed and intensity will drastically increase.
Breaking it down:
· Jump rope with feet together for 30 seconds
· As you become proficient, switch feet, as if running in place
Conditioning Intervals
With this beginner jump rope workout, you will jump rope with both of your feet together for 30 seconds. You will then jump using only your right leg for 15 seconds, and then your left leg for another 15 seconds.
After that, jump with high knees.
This is when you raise both knees as high as possible, on every jump, for a total of 30 seconds.
When you can do this with confidence, speed up and run through the same exercises while maintaining form.
Each round will last 1 minute, 30 seconds in total. Take a 1-minute break between each round. You can take a break every 2 rounds as you become more proficient.
To break it down:
· Jump with both feet together for 30 seconds· Jump with right leg only for 15 seconds
· Jump with left leg only for 15 seconds
· Jump with high knees for 30 seconds
Skill, Conditioning and Speed
This is a much more coordinated beginner jump rope workout and you should only move to this one when you feel as though you have mastered the first two. Jump rope steadily for 30 seconds, with both of your feet together. Jump as fast as you can, while maintaining rhythm and form. You will need to do this for another 30 seconds.
Try and get to the point where you can switch feet, appearing as if you are running in place. You’ll know when you have found a comfortable pace.
When you have completed that phase of the workout, jump with high knees, raising both as high as possible on every jump, for a total of 30 seconds.
Now, it’s time to add something new to the mix. Double-unders.
If you want to do a double-under, while you’re in the air on every jump, rotate the rope under your feet, twice. It can take a bit of time to get this right, but it’s worth it as it engages your arms more and focuses you on engaging your core.
After that, jump rope with both feet together, for 30 seconds.
So as a quick run-through:· Jump rope with alternating feet for 30 seconds
· Jump with high knees for 30 seconds
· Double-unders for 30 seconds
· Jump with both feet for 30 seconds
· Rest for one minute
The above workout is 1 round and lasts for 2 minutes. When you have completed this workout, you can then rest for a minute, and either repeat this one or break it down and repeat certain aspects of the workout so you can improve your form and technique.
Bonus Workout
Another workout you can do, if you want to add to what you have already learned or if you want to expand the amount of time you spend jumping rope, would be ski jumps. Take the rope, put it behind your feet, and jump with both feet together. When you have a good rhythm, instead of jumping up and down, jump from side to side as well. This can take a bit of time to get used to, but it is ideal for firming up your abs, and it makes your legs feel the burn.
- · Ski jumps for 30 seconds
Add this to your current workout, for extra calorie-burning power.
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