Although boxers and other athletes use jump ropes primarily to build calf strength, rhythm and timing, this simple piece of athletic equipment has several other uses. A brisk session of jumping rope can build cardiovascular endurance, and a focused grip can build forearms. Quickness, a trait that comes from focused training of fast-twitch muscles, is another aspect you can build with jump-rope drills.
Speed Jumping
You can improve your maximum speed by increasing how fast you push your body to repeat the same motion. While jumping rope, you can do this simply by swinging the rope around your body at a gradually increasing speed. It's best to wear shoes during this drill. The faster the rope spins, the more it stings when you miss a step and smack a toe or shin against it.
Jumping for Height
Some speed comes from the strength of your fast-twitch muscles, especially the leg muscles that drive much of your body's motion. Jumping rope to your maximum height with each swing does this by improving not only how strong your calf muscles are, but forcing them to exert maximum effort according to a rhythm you set.
Pattern Jumping
You don't have to jump rope in a simple rhythm of both feet on the ground with each step. You can skip rope, alternate feet, perform simple dance steps, or engage in other patterns with your feet while you skip. This builds quickness by improving your confidence in how your body responds to complex and challenging situations — combating the habit of hesitation that slows many people.
Cross Jumps
If you cross your arms as the rope swings down, it increases the height at which you have to jump to clear the rope. This, in turn forces you to jump faster and farther if you want to reach a sufficient height. Maintaining the rhythm also keeps your arms in motion, building speed and quickness in your upper body as well.
Crack the Whip
This drill requires a partner, thick clothes and a bit of toughness. To play, one partner swings the rope in a circle around his body, bringing the rope to either shin level or shoulder level with each pass. The other partner stands inside the range of the rope and either ducks or jumps to dodge the swinging cord. This builds not only reaction time, but also quick identification of what to do in a real time, pressure scenario. It's best to do this drill using jump ropes without the weighted, wooden handles.
References
- Forget Gyms: Jump Rope Video Archive
- "The Art of Expressing the Human Body"; Bruce Lee; 1998
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