Most people have never tried jumping rope.
When was the last time you jumped rope? For most people the answer will be in elementary school or possibly junior high. It’s really too bad, because it’s a very efficient form of exercise. Most people could easily run for 15 minutes, but I’d be willing to bet that less than 1 percent of adults can jump rope for 15 minutes straight. Very few people, other than boxers, have ever seriously used jumping rope to achieve top position.
Are Muscle Groups Worked?
Jumping rope seriously works every muscle in the body. I am sure this will expose your weak links. Honestly, I think my whole body was aching. I was having pain especially in my calf muscles as well as in my abdomen. As a side note I will say that jumping rope will help you in your quest to get super-ripped abs. Your core works really hard because you have to use your abs to stabilize your whole body to help propel you through the air.
How jumping rope helps your body release fat burning hormones.
HGH is a natural hormone that your body releases to burn body fat. You’ve probably seen many advertisements for pills that will help you increase your natural levels of HGH. It was really popular about 5 years ago, but you don’t hear much about HGH anymore. Higher levels of HGH in your body is the fastest way to burn body fat! Unfortunately, low intensity cardio will not help your body release HGH. The best way to increase HGH is to do high-intensity cardio for 30-60 seconds or more, followed by a minute or two of walking or low-intensity cardio. This is called High Intensity Interval Training.
What type of shopping to do?
I suggest getting a “speed rope”… they cost about $15 at most sporting good stores. They are plastic cord without beads. You also don’t want to buy weighted ropes. Get a jump rope that is adjustable. You want to adjust the rope to an optimal level for you to jump quickly without hitting your head. If it’s too long, you won’t be able to jump as fast.
How to adjust to the correct height:
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lay your rope on the ground
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Stand at the midpoint of the rope (equal distance between handles)
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Grab the handles and stand on the rope and pull them to your chest
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If the top of the handle reaches above your collar bone, the cord is too long.
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If the top of the handle reaches your upper abdomen or lower back, the rope is too short.
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I like to adjust the rope so the handle is about 6 inches below my collar bone
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If in doubt, go a little too long and shorten the rope a little as you get more experienced.
Your first two weeks of the program, take time to learn skills
Most beginners “double bounce” between turns. This actually allows them to rest their core as well as their calf muscles between rotations and means they have a lower level of core fitness. You want to jump cleanly between each rotation and keep your abs and core tight.
Your arms should barely move when you jump rope. The rotation of the rope should come from the movement of the wrist. If you want to increase the speed of the turns, just increase the tightness of the circles you are making with your wrists (this will make more sense when you start jumping rope). The goal of your first two weeks of jumping rope is to eventually work up to the point where you can jump rope for 5 minutes without stopping and start again. This means that if you have to stop because the rope hits your feet, you have to start again from zero. You also want to be able to alternate jump rope so it looks like you’re running.
A great 15-minute workout that you can customize however you like
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stand in front of some kind of clock or timer
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jump rope 3 minutes to warm up
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rest for 30 seconds
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jump rope as fast as possible for 60 seconds
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rest for 30 seconds
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jump rope as fast as possible for 60 seconds
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rest for 30 seconds
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Repeat this alternating pattern for 15-20 minutes
Note: For 60 second sprints, you can do this in running fashion, you can learn how to swing the rope twice for each jump, etc. As you get more advanced, you’ll be able to make 60-second sprints extremely intense. , Also, if you want to take advantage of a higher heart rate and burn more body fat, hop on a treadmill or exercise bike for 20-30 minutes after your jump rope workout. Oh yeah… you might need a towel… you must be sweating like crazy!
Do this routine out loud and you’ll start to see definition all over your body!
