Jumping rope is a high-intensity cardio exercise where you swing a rope under your feet and jump over it in a steady rhythm. It delivers a powerful cardiovascular workout in a small footprint, builds calf strength and ankle stiffness, and improves coordination and footwork. A few minutes of jump rope rivals much longer sessions of jogging in calorie burn and conditioning.
Muscle Group
Calves, Cardio
Equipment Required
Rope
Type
Cardio
Equipment
Other
Difficulty
Intermediate
Key Benefits
- Excellent cardiovascular conditioning in a small space with one piece of equipment
- Burns a high number of calories per minute compared to most cardio modalities
- Builds calf size, ankle stiffness, and foot strength
- Improves coordination, footwork, and rhythm, useful for nearly every sport
- Highly portable, packs anywhere, and works indoors or out
- Easily scalable from beginner single jumps to advanced double unders and crossovers
How to perform
- Choose a rope sized for your height. Stand on the middle of the rope; the handles should reach roughly to your armpits.
- Hold one handle in each hand with your elbows close to your sides and your forearms angled slightly outward.
- Stand tall with feet together and the rope behind your heels. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your eyes looking forward, not down.
- Generate the rope swing from your wrists, not your shoulders. Small wrist circles should be enough to bring the rope over your head.
- As the rope passes overhead and approaches your toes, perform a small hop, just one to two inches off the ground, landing softly on the balls of your feet with your knees slightly bent.
- Keep a steady rhythm. Aim for one jump per rope pass once you have the timing down.
- Start with sets of 30 to 60 seconds. As your conditioning improves, work up to 2- to 5-minute rounds or try variations like alternating feet, high knees, or double unders.
FRONT VIEW
BACK VIEW
Abs
Primary
Glutes
Primary
Calves
Primary
Quadriceps
Primary
Shoulder
Primary