Skipping rope is a high-impact, high-intensity form of exercise that is both fun and challenging. It develops your coordination, agility and balance while providing cardiovascular conditioning and improving muscular endurance. The only things required are the right shoes and the right rope. Make sure your shoes are supportive and well-padded. Cross-trainers are a good option. Buy the right rope. If it's too long or too light, it won't twirl well. If it's too short, you'll trip on it, so it should be heavy and the right length. To measure, stand in the center of the rope and the ends should reach your armpits.
Step 1
Warm up. Jog in place for five minutes to get your heart rate up and your muscles warm. If you just start jumping rope without warming up properly first, you'll tire out much more quickly.
Step 2
Grab your jump rope. Make sure your back is straight and your core is strong. Look straight ahead, not down at your feet. Keep a slight bend in your knees and stay light on your feet. Don't be flat-footed; instead, stay on the balls of your feet as you push off and land. Arms are relaxed at your sides.
Step 3
Twirl the rope and as it comes over your head and down toward the floor, then jump. You don't need to jump very high, just enough so that your feet clear the rope. Keep going. Experiment with different foot patterns. For instance, you can alternate your feet, first landing on the right foot, then the left foot. You can land on both feet and take a hop in between, or you can forget about the hop in between and just jump once as the rope goes under you.
Step 4
Keep your elbows close to your body. As you get tired, your elbows will want to drift away from your body, which will cause the rope to swing higher. If the rope swings higher, you have to jump higher to clear it. That's when the trouble starts and you'll get tripped up. If you find yourself getting tripped up a lot by the rope, it usually means your elbows are flailing around.
Step 5
Develop a rhythm. Become one with the jump rope! Vary your speed occasionally. Do one slow and two fast or 10 slow and 10 fast. Jump to the rhythm of the music in your head, or in your ears if you have an iPod.
Tips and Warnings
- Start by jumping in one-minute intervals and work up to jumping for 10 minutes straight. Add some tricks. Try crossing your arms or let the rope go by twice for each jump.
- Jumping rope should be eased into. Consult with your health care provider if you have questions or concerns. It is not recommended that you rely on jumping rope as your sole aerobic activity.
Things You'll Need
- Jump Rope
- Shoes
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