Jump Rope: A Cardio Exercise with Tones of Benefits

The more you’re drenched in sweat, the more weight you’re going to lose: that’s the generally accepted rule in weight loss. Even though a lot of people hold on to that rule almost religiously, not much actually know that’s just a myth!  Sweating doesn’t always indicate fat burning process is happening in your body. So, what exactly is the most effective way of losing weight? Who can guess that jump rope is actually one of them!

Balancing between the time we have spared for exercise and burning as much calorie as possible, as well as pushing yourself just enough so you won’t feel drained to do more activities the next day; that’s the challenge all of us are faced with in this fast paced world. Finding an exercise that’s time effective, easy to do, with the right intensity becomes almost a necessity. Well, look no further! Jump rope might not be as glamorous as other exercises with fancy, hard-to-pronounce names, but it’s just as effective if not more to keep us fit and healthy! It’s easy to do, has a lot of benefit, and very cheap. You don’t even need to go further than your back yard to do it.

According to The Jump Rope Institute established on 1996 by US Olympian Buddy Lee, jump rope is more effective than other cardio exercises. Doing a proper jump rope for 10 minutes is equivalent to:

-       Running for 30 minutes

-       Playing 2 sets of Tennis

-       Swimming for 720 meters

-       Playing 30 minutes of Hand Ball

-       Playing golf for 18 holes

Not only it burns calories and fat, jump rope is also good for our heart. It strengthens the heart so that it would pump blood with more ease. This in turn will improve the blood circulation and oxygen and nutrient distribution in our body. Starting jump rope early can also help reduce the risk of getting Osteoporosis. It’s believed to help improve bone density. This claim is backed by The Osteoporosis Society, which said that a routine dose of jump rope strengthens our bone structure.

Jump rope can be considered a compound cardio exercise; it involves a lot of muscle groups at once hence it makes a more effective and holistic workout. It engages the muscles in your thigh, calves, shoulders, and biceps. To make sure you’re getting the full benefit of jump rope exercise, these are the things you have to pay attention to:

BALANCE: This is the most important part you have to be aware of. Focus your body weight on the ball of your feet. Jump no higher than one inch off the ground.

THE JUMP: Give sufficient push through your ankle, calves, knees, and hips. This might sound simple, but you have to move your lower extremities in unison.

THE LANDING: Keep the contact between your feet and the ground to a minimal. Your heels need not touch the ground, the faster the better.

THE ALTERNATE STEP: You can amp up this exercise by giving variation to the jump like only using one leg. Do it like you’re jogging in place but with the ropes.

A PROGRAM: Start with 10 sets with 10 jump per set. As you get better at it and can endure more, up the difficulty by 10 per set until you’ve reached 100 jump non-stop per set.

Ideally, you should aim for 10 – 15 minutes of jump rope per day. But if you’re a total beginner, you can start with 5 minutes per day. Everyone can feel the benefit of jump rope, Dheidra (20), a ballet dancer, can vouch for that. She said that her stamina improved significantly with her doing jump rope. This is important because endurance is crucial when you have a rigorous exercise routine and performances every other night. Jump rope strengthens not only her arms but also her ankles, which indirectly improve her dancing.

It improves coordination, enhances your endurance, and keeps you fit and lean. What other reasons do you need to start rope jump now? Get yourself a skipping rope and start jumping! 



Originally published on Fimela.com. Translated and edited by Gold's Gym Indonesia.