Jumping rope as an intensive full-body workout
If you don't have hours to spare for a regular gym workout, you can try a five-minute jump rope routine that can help you stay fit. Jumping rope is a form of cardio exercise that is popular among athletes like boxers and football pros.
It offers many health benefits, such as:
- Building stamina
- Improving lung capacity
- Tightening your core
- Toning your calves
As a full-body workout, jumping rope helps burn a lot of calories even if it's done for just a short time. An average-sized person who jumps rope can burn more than 10 calories in one minute.
However, jumping rope isn't enough to make you lose weight. The best way to achieve this is by incorporating jumping rope into your exercise routine and combining it with a healthy lifestyle and a well-balanced diet.
If you want to jump rope to lose weight, you should cross-train with other aerobic exercises, like running or weight training, to increase the amount of calories you burn. Cross-training helps prevent the "weight loss plateau" which occurs when a certain exercise routine stops working.
How to jump rope
If you're serious about jumping rope to stay fit and lose weight, you might want to invest in a specialty jump rope from a sporting goods store.
Before you get started, here are the basics of jumping rope.
- Stand straight and keep your feet shoulder-width apart, with the rope behind your feet.
- Use your hands to swing the rope forward in one movement.
- While you’re swinging the rope forward, move your wrists slightly upward. This will make the rope come down between your ankles and your knee. Practice this movement several times to see where the rope falls before you try to jump over it.
- Time the rope swing so you can lift your knees together and hop over the rope as it comes over your head. Once you’ve mastered the whole process, keep jumping rope.
- Practice until you can keep going for a long time without making any mistakes.
Jumping rope is also a great exercise if you want to take quick exercise breaks at work or wherever you are. All you need is your jump rope and a bit of space to jump in. (Related: Don’t be lazy: A quick, brisk walk every day can stave off disability in later life.)
If you're too busy to go to the gym or you want to stay at home to exercise, try the five-minute jump rope cardio circuit detailed below. The circuit can also be done as a simple warm-up for your workout or as a post-workout finisher.
The five-minute jump rope cardio workout
- Standard jumping forward – Do this for one minute.
- Alternating feet jumping – Pick up your right foot then your left. Do this for one minute.
- Jump with torso rotations – As you jump, twist your torso, legs, and feet to the right. On the next jump, twist your body the left. Do this for one minute.
- Standard jumping backward – Do this for one minute.
- Standard jumping forward – Do this for one minute, but as fast as you can.
If you're still up for more, repeat the circuit at least twice. For example, you can start with the first exercise then work your way down for the first set. As you repeat the circuit, start with the last exercise then keep going and work your way up the list.
Enjoy while doing this five-minute exercise every day. Listen to upbeat songs to boost your energy while you're exercising.
Jump rope daily to stay fit, build your stamina, and maintain your overall health.
Sources include:
Please contact us for more information.
