Very few people are aware of the fact that jump rope workouts are very effective for burning calories and maintaining good health as well. In this article below, we will know more on these workouts and their benefits. Read on …
When was the last time you held a jump rope in your hands? Was it somewhere in the fourth grade gym class? There are many reasons why most of us do not go back to jump ropes. Some of us think that a jump rope is more of a game or a kid’s toy. However, most of you will be surprised to know that, 10 to 15 minutes of jump rope exercises will burn about 135 calories, and provide you immense health benefits. We will see a fitness workout routine using jump rope, but before that we will see the benefits of this workout.
Benefits of Jumping Rope
Previously it was believed that rope jumping was meant for wrestlers, volleyball players, skaters, swimmers, basketball players, etc. However, once you see the benefits, you will change you mind on this thought.
- A workout of rope jumping can burn as many as 1000 calories in an hour.
- It is good for strengthening the heart, as it works the heart, just like running, but without the joint jarring impact.
- Jump rope exercises do wonders for agility, posture, balance, reflexes, coordination, etc.
- There is no comparison to the warm up, that jump ropes gives your body, as well as for cool down after it.
- It is good option of exercise for home as well as during travel. It is also the cheapest fitness device with maximum benefits.
- To sum it up, these workouts blast the calves, tone the arms, and also work on the abs.
Jump Rope Workouts
There are a few jump rope cardio workouts which you can make use of. However, it is recommended you do not use your running shoes during this workout, at least when you are a beginner, as the shoes will not give enough forefoot support, which is necessary for bouncing off the ground, lifting the balls of your feet. At the same time, avoid jumping on hard floors, such as concrete floors or tile floors. In case you do not have wooden floors, then it is recommended you place your exercise mat on the hard surface.
#1
Jumping rope is a very strenuous workout and many find it difficult to sustain 30 minutes of this exercise, which is required for a good aerobic workout. However, this is a simple jump rope routine, which is often used in boxing classes.
- Start by skipping the rope for 3 minutes, without any break. In case you stumble, just regain your posture and start again.
- Then for the next minute do as many push ups as you can.
- A session of push ups has to be followed by another session of three minutes of jumping rope.
- For the next one minute, do as many abdominal exercises, such as crunches, as you can.
- Go back to skipping for 5 minutes.
- Next is the last session, where you will alternate between push ups and abdominal exercises for 4 minutes.
- Repeat the same schedule again. This will complete your 30 plus minutes of aerobic activity.
If you find it difficult to do the push ups, you can also alternate skipping with squats, lunges, upper body exercises with or without weights. However, remember to stretch your calves before and after the workout, as the calves bear a lot of strain during this workout.
# 2
If you do not have time, yet would like to have a quick round of exercise, then this is the workout for you. This is also a workout for basketball players. Again you will have to make use of a timer to do these exercises.
- Start with a warm up of 3 minutes of jumping rope.
- Then rest for 30 seconds.
- Follow the rest session with fast round of 60 seconds of rope jumping.
- Again rest for 30 seconds.
- Follow this alternating pattern for 15 minutes for a good and effective workout.
When you are doing the jump rope workout, there are chances that you will get frustrated due to misses during jumping. To avoid the frustration, you will have to mix up the jumping. Instead of doing the same two foot bounce over and over again, change your jumps after every 10 to 20 jumps. You can alternate between single bounce, double bounce, skip, jog or do knee ups.
