Jumping rope is a low-cost, high-benefit way to work out. You can easily pack a jump rope with you when you travel so your workout routine isn’t interrupted, and all it requires financially is the purchase of a jump rope, which generally costs between $5 and $20 as of November 2010.
Basic Equation
Burning 3,500 calories will reduce your body fat by 1 lb., assuming your calorie intake does not change. The National Institutes of Health recommends splitting this out over a week, burning 500 calories per day to lose 1 lb. per week. By jumping rope for 30 to 41 minutes per day, depending on your starting weight, you can burn those 500 calories and lose 1 lb. each week without cutting back on your diet.
Calories Burned
A 160-lb. person jumping rope burns approximately 12.17 calories per minute, while a 200-lb. person burns approximately 15.17 calories and a 240-lb. person burns approximately 18.7 calories, according to MayoClinic.com. With a 30-minute workout routine, this equals 365, 455 and 545 calories burned, respectively. If you weigh 160, increase your workout to 41 minutes to burn the full 500 calories, or jump for 33 minutes if you weigh 200 lbs.
Additional Benefits
Jumping rope doesn’t just burn calories; it also improves your cardiovascular and respiratory endurance by working the large muscles in your body and forcing your heart and lungs to increase their efficiency. This change in your cardio-respiratory system requires continued performance of aerobic activity like jumping rope, done for at least 20 minutes per day, according to the U.S. Army Fitness Training Handbook. To maintain the benefits to your heart and lungs after you reach your weight-loss goal, continue jumping rope for 20 minutes daily while maintaining a healthy diet that replaces the calories you burn.
Using a Rope
Choose an unweighted rope that has handles you find comfortable. Stand on the center of the rope with both feet and pull the handles straight up toward your armpits. If the handles reach about chest-high, just below your armpits, the rope is the right size for you. Start with the rope behind your heels and your elbows at your waist with your lower arms out to the sides. Your arms should move only slightly as you start jumping. Spin the rope up and over your head, and then jump over it with both feet as it hits the ground in front of you. As you become more adept, try different types of jumps, such as hopping with one foot at a time, changing feet as you jump or crossing your arms and the rope in front of you on every other jump to add an upper-body workout. These variations may alter your calorie burn rate, so stick to the basic two-foot jump most of the time until you accomplish your weight-loss goal.
Considerations
Always wear quality, closed-toe footwear when jumping rope to reduce the risk of injury. Consult your doctor if you have any injuries or medical conditions that might be aggravated by jumping rope. Start slowly and don’t expect to get the full 30 to 41 minutes in on your first try -- aim for 5 minutes, then slowly increase your duration as you become used to the exercise. The American Council on Exercise recommends jumping only a few inches off the ground to reduce the impact on your joints as you land.
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