3 Jump Rope Workouts For Beginners to Try in 2024
Updated January 2024
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Most people think of elementary school playgrounds when they think of jump ropes. Others might think of Rocky Balboa getting ready for his fight with Apollo Creed. Almost no one considers the jump rope as their exercise of choice. That’s a problem. The jump rope is an excellent way for people to work out, especially beginners.
In this article, we’ll go through the basics of jumping rope. From finding the perfect rope for you to some exercises to get you started, we hope to give you the confidence to jump into the exercise.
How to Pick the Right Jump Rope
Finding a suitable rope is critical to your experience in jump roping. It’s like finding the right shoes for running or the best helmet for biking. If the equipment isn’t comfortable, you will be less likely to carry out the exercise. Like other home exercise equipment, finding the right one for you can take some searching.
There are a wide variety of jump ropes to choose from and numerous styles that can make selecting a rope challenging. Don’t worry. There are a few helpful guidelines to follow when selecting the best jump rope (affiliate link) for you. These would be your height, the rope’s material, and how you intend to use the rope.
Your height will play a big factor in selecting your rope. This is because you want to have a rope that swings roughly two feet over your head. A simple system to follow would be a 7’ rope for anyone under 5’ tall and then add another foot of rope per six inches of height. So, people 5’ to 5’6” would use an 8’ rope, while anyone 5’7” to 6’ would use a 9’ rope.
Jump ropes come in a wide variety of materials: plastic, beaded, weighted, cordless, and several others. Some people even use lengths of string found around their home as a jump rope. The material you decide to use often is associated with how you want to use your rope. If you are trying to build strength and speed, a heavier rope would serve your purposes. If speed and agility are your focus, a lighter rope would be better. However, a traditional rope is a fine place to start for any beginner.
5 Benefits of Jump Rope Workouts
1. Total Body Strength
One of the major benefits of jumping rope comes from its ability to impact your entire body. The jumping motion engages your lower body, while the act of spinning the rope activates your upper body. Your core is also engaged. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments are working to perform the movement. Jumping rope truly is a total body exercise.
2. Coordination, Agility, and Balance
Another area you’ll see improvement from jumping rope would be in your coordination. Not only will your muscles get a workout, but so will your mind. Jumping rope requires your upper and lower body to work in unison to perform the exercise. This also requires succinct timing and execution. As you build muscle, you’ll also increase your agility and balance.
3. Cardiovascular Health
Heart health is crucial to living a long life. And a good cardio workout is great for this. That’s why getting your heart rate up during exercise is important. Jump rope does just that! The high-intensity nature of the motion gets the body and heart working quickly. Starting slow and building toward longer time increments will improve your cardiovascular performance. This could also lead to better blood pressure as well.
4. Weight Management
Weight management only requires some helpful bodyweight exercises and your willingness to perform them. If you are new to exercise in general and looking for a way to shed some extra pounds, jumping rope is an excellent choice. The total body movements will have you not only building muscle but also burning fat. Even as little as ten minutes a day can have positive impacts on your weight loss goals.
5. Speed and Explosiveness
A final benefit you’ll discover from continual training with a jump rope is an improvement in your speed. Constantly pushing your body to move quicker will have positive results on your speed. A major reason for this is due to the focus on twitch muscles during the workout. These skeletal muscles (muscles directly attached to the skeletal system) improve bursts of energy. This should be felt both in other sports and throughout your daily life.
3 Jump Rope Workouts Every Beginner Needs to Try
1. Basic Jump Routine
A great start for beginners is this basic jump routine that incorporates a balanced approach to the exercise. It requires learning only one jumping style. Additionally, it can be adjusted to fit your needs. The principles are simple. Perform the basic jump for a period of time, then rest for the same amount of time you were jumping. A sample routine would look like this:
Basic Jump Routine Times
Exercise
30 Seconds
Basic Jump
30 Seconds
Rest
Repeat these steps five times for a complete workout.
2. Tabata Timing with Different Jumps
Similar to the first exercise routine, the Tabata timing workout focuses on using interval training. Tabata workouts are designed to have more extended periods of intensive output followed by shorter rests. This is often in the form of 20 seconds of high-intensity training and then ten seconds of rest.
Tabata workouts are used for HIIT workouts designed to burn calories and attack unwanted pounds. Also, these intermix variety into the routine to engage more muscle groups. A sample of this routine would be the following:
Tabata 1 (repeat ten times)
20 Seconds
Alternate Foot Jump
10 Seconds
Rest
Tabata 2 (repeat ten times)
20 Seconds
Slalom Jump
10 Seconds
Rest
Tabata 3 (repeat ten times)
20 Seconds
Bell Jump
10 Seconds
Rest
3. Jump Rope in a Circuit
This routine is designed to incorporate elements of the first two recommended workouts with other exercises that aren’t jumping rope. Much like the first routine, this one is broken into equal parts of rest with active periods. It is designed to be executed twice consecutively. You can switch the types of jumps as well as the other exercises to better fit your fitness goals. A sample would look like the following:
Jump Rope Circuit Times
30 Seconds
Basic Jump
30 Seconds
Rest
30 Seconds
Flutter Kicks
30 Seconds
Rest
30 Seconds
One Leg Jump (switch on the second time)
30 Seconds
Rest
Repeat this list twice for a complete workout.
How Long Does It Take to See Results?
This can vary depending on the person. Some research has shown positive results to take effect within eight weeks of training. However, results can be accomplished in shorter periods depending on the amount of effort and starting abilities. Don’t expect miracles. Stick with your routine and compare your progress with your past self!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How long should you jump rope for a beginner?
This can be answered in two ways. The first would be once you start jumping rope, it should be an exercise you incorporate into your workouts for the rest of your life. It doesn’t have to be daily, but it’s an excellent addition to any routine.
If you are thinking about the length of time you should perform the exercise during a session, that would be different. It’s good to aim for at least ten minutes. However, less could be more. If ten is too long, try for five. You can always build up to longer sessions based on how difficult you thought your workout was.
2. Is jumping rope a good exercise for beginners?
Jumping rope isn’t just a good exercise for beginners; it’s a great one! This exercise will help you build muscles, coordination, and skills that are useful with other physical activities and throughout your daily life. Additionally, it can be done from virtually anywhere and requires a small portion of your day to get a good workout.
3. How should a beginner start jumping rope?
The best way to start is at your own pace. This could be jumping without a rope to begin. That’s right, you don’t even need to swing the rope. Try to mimic the rope swinging with your hands while trying to jump on the same spot on the floor for short periods of time. Use chalk to mark an X on the ground. Once you feel comfortable with this motion, move on to using the rope.
4. How long should I jump rope to lose weight beginner?
This can vary from person to person. Depending on your starting fitness levels, this could be as little as five minutes or as long as 25 minutes. Most trainers believe that a 15 to 25-minute workout, including rest periods, is a good starting point for beginners trying to lose weight.
5. Is jump rope good for belly fat?
The short answer is yes, and the long answer is also yes! Studies have found that following a jump exercise program helped reduce waist circumference. Along with boosting metabolism, belly fat reduction occurs as a result of continual jump roping. Remember, this doesn’t happen overnight. Allow a few weeks for the results to start. Jump rope is good for weight loss and energy, but most importantly, it’s fun.
