Why You Should Use a Skipping Rope in Your Workouts
A skipping rope is a simple, portable, inexpensive piece of fitness equipment that provides a variety of benefits. If you haven't been taking advantage of this equipment during your workouts, these are some of the reasons you should start.
Using a Skipping Rope Burns Calories
You can burn 200 to 300 calories in 15 minutes of jumping rope which is one of the highest burn rates of any steady-state cardio activity. Jumping rope is considered thermogenic because it uses most of your major muscle groups and generates a large amount of heat in the body.
This activity is a good choice for people who want to shorten their cardio workouts by increasing intensity because it raises the heart rate quickly. It is a vigorous-intensity activity, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers to be as effective as twice as much moderate-intensity activity, such as walking fast.
Jumping Rope Can Reduce Injury Risk
When you jump a skipping rope, several body parts must communicate to complete the movement. This can help you improve your motor skills. Jumping rope may also help improve body awareness. Improving your coordination and body awareness can reduce your chance of injuring yourself during exercise or everyday activities.
Jumping Rope May Improve Bone Density
Bone density is a measure of how much calcium and other minerals are contained in your bones. Higher bone density is associated with a lower risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Studies have shown that young women who jumped rope weekly had higher bone density than those who did not. Additionally, the Korean Society for Bone and Mineral Research has recommended 10 minutes of jumping rope per day to improve bone strength.
The reason jumping rope is good for your bones is that it is a form of impact training. The activity puts stress on your bones, and the body responds by making the bones stronger. The International Osteoporosis Foundation has said that jumping rope could be beneficial for people with fragile bones but recommends talking to a doctor before starting.
Cardiovascular Exercise May Improve Hearth Health
Skipping rope is an effective way to raise your heart rate. Raising your heart rate during exercise can improve your cardiovascular and heart health. Jumping rope is a good exercise for increasing your VO2 Max, which is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen you can use while exercising. The higher your VO2 Max is, the better your endurance is.
A 2018 study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology reported that a 12-week jump rope routineresulted in improved cardiovascular disease risk factors in teenage girls with prehypertension or borderline high blood pressure. The girls who participated in the study also lost body fat, had an improved pulse rate, and reduced abdominal fat.
Regular cardiovascular exercise, such as jumping rope, can improve cardiovascular health in several ways:
- Lower resting heart rate
- Reduce stress
- Lower disease risk
- Decrease blood pressure
- Lower bad cholesterol
You can see the cardiovascular benefits of this activity by engaging in it for 15 minutes per day, five days per week.
It Provides a Total Body Strength Workout
Jumping rope primarily targets the leg muscles, but it also works the core, biceps and shoulders. You can strengthen your whole body at the same time by performing this exercise. As your strength improves, you can increase the intensity by using weighted ropes.
Skipping Rope May Increase Agility
Skipping rope with the correct form involves moving on the balls of your feet, which can help you improve your footwork and agility. This makes the exercise particularly beneficial for athletes in sports that involve quick changes of direction, such as basketball, boxing and volleyball.
Advanced Forms of the Exercise Can Improve Explosive Power
Once you learn the basic technique, you can start working on more advanced techniques, such as the double under. These techniques require a higher, more forceful jump, which can help you improve your explosive power. This is a good exercise for people in sports that demand high vertical jumps, such as basketball and volleyball.
Jumping Rope Can Improve Your Balance
Whenever you are skipping rope, you must reestablish your balance after every jump, and you must maintain good balance to jump again. Additionally, the increased muscle strength you may gain in your lower body has been shown to correlate with better balance. Jump rope drills, such as jumping on one foot or jumping from side to side specifically target balance.
The Exercise Can Be Meditative
Jumping rope can work your mind as well as your body. Because the activity is rhythmic, it can be used as a form of active meditation, where the exerciser focuses attention on maintaining a steady rhythm. Another option is to turn it into a mindfulness game by spending 30 seconds listening to the sound of the rope and focusing on the sensations in the environment.
Spatial Awareness Can Be Improved by Skipping Rope
Skipping rope regularly may improve your spatial awareness. This happens because to successfully jump rope, you must be aware of what is in front, behind and to either side of you while you are jumping. Without this awareness, you risk hitting other objects with your rope.
It Is a Fun Activity
Most experts agree that the best exercise for you is the one you will do consistently. Many people find jumping rope to be a fun activity that reminds them of childhood. There are many variations on the basic movement that can be performed to keep the exercise fresh and interesting. Additionally, because you can take a jump rope with you almost anywhere, you don’t have to commute to the gym or change your workout routine when you are traveling.
Skipping Rope Can Improve Your Quality of Life
Research has shown that physical activity, such as skipping rope, can improve your overall wellness and quality of life. Several areas of wellness may be affected:
- Quality of sleep
- Mental sharpness
- Productivity
- Stress coping skills
- Self-image