4 Surprising Benefits of Jumping Rope
Anyone who has tried a 9Round workout, whether at home or in the gym, is fully aware of our secret weapon at round one: the jump rope. We find some people really love this exercise, while others can hardly wait to hang up the rope and move on – until they get the hang of it, that is. Despite the love-hate relationship some people have with this nostalgic tradition, jumping rope offers incredible benefits that should not be ignored. So, keep reading to see why you should never underestimate the power of the jump rope.
Improves Coordination
Before you can ‘float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,’ you’ll need to work on your body’s coordination, and jumping rope can help improve this. For many sports, like kickboxing (and for our workouts at 9Round), staying light on your feet is key because it allows you to make quick movements at a fast pace. That’s why we always include one round of jumping rope in our workouts, so our members can focus on their coordination between the eyes, hands, and feet. We also switch out the jump rope drills each week to help challenge you with new tricks.
Jumping rope also helps you tap into something called the Stretch-Shortening Cycle, which allows the body to produce greater force while working. Think of it like a spring coil, where you press down to unleash greater force as it rebounds. This cycle affects how quickly you can move different parts of your body in a new direction, based on the neurological connections between your muscles and your brain. Jumping rope can help you improve these connections, which also improves your coordination.
Burns More Calories
Even though it feels like your legs do all the work, you actually get a full-body workout while jumping rope. Just think about it – your arms are rotating the rope, your legs are making you jump, and your core is helping you stay balanced. All of this adds up to massive muscle movement, which in turn provides a higher calorie burn.
According to this chart from the Mayo Clinic, jumping rope for an hour will help you burn more calories than almost any other exercise. The only option on the list that compares to jumping rope is running for 60 minutes at 8 mph. If you want to blast away calories during your workout, then a few minutes of jumping rope can certainly help you get there.
Offers Killer Cardio
You know the feeling – where your heart is pumping and you’re out of breath after just a few minutes of jumping rope. This humble exercise provides some killer cardiovascular training during a 9Round workout. It’s the perfect way to safely elevate your heart rate, so you can reach that coveted fat-burning zone (a.k.a. the Yellow Zone). Maintaining an elevated heart rate throughout the entire workout will help you maximize your results.
Strengthens Muscles and Bones
Jumping rope can help you strengthen your muscles and bones to combat different conditions that worsen with age, such as muscle atrophy and osteoporosis. But, in order to increase your muscular strength and bone density, you need to introduce your body to more stress than it’s used to, so it can adapt and overcome.
Fun Fact: Calves and ankles are often a point of injury, as these muscles and joints tend to be less conditioned. Jumping rope strengthens your calves and your ankles more than any other part of the body to help reduce your risk of injury.
We use our legs every day, so you need something that really pushes them past their limits. Because jumping rope is a low impact exercise, it is a great option for introducing that extra stress to help strengthen your muscles and joints over time. Plus, you only have to jump high enough to clear the thin rope as it comes down to the floor, which makes it easier for people at different fitness levels to perform the exercise.
