Jump rope training is popular among boxers to help with their conditioning. For this very reason, I started to use jump rope in my training routines and the results were just amazing. I found that jumping rope is a great form of cardiovascular training and doing it consistently has also helped me with lose more fat. This article will talk about the common mistakes that people make while jumping rope, the reasons this type of training is very effective, and a workout template you can follow.

Reasons Jump Rope Training Works

Jumping rope accelerates your heart rate higher than running at a steady state. If you think about it, you can control whether you can run faster or slower but that jump rope takes a fraction of a second before it goes under your feet and comes back again very quickly. Also, you are using more energy when you jump with both feet because you are basically lifting your whole body off the ground instead of with one foot at a time when you run. Futhermore, you are using your hands when you hold the rope handles which also give you an upper body workout which creates more work. With some variation of jump ropes, you can even add a small weight inside the rope handles to add more resistance. More work means more calories burned.

Common Mistakes in Jump Rope Training

You might think that jumping rope is simple. You just jump and pull the rope around you multiple times right? Yes, jumping rope is simple but I still see a lot of common mistakes that people do when using it for the first time in long time. First, you want to make sure that you keep your elbows close to the side of your body. Some people make the mistake of extending their arms to the side. This mistake shortens the rope which is one reason that the rope gets caught on your feet. The other common mistake is double jumping. This happens when you jump again after the rope passed through your feet the first time. You should only jump once the rope goes through your feet. Double jumping is unnecessary. Last but not the least, the length of the rope should be appropriate for your height. To test for proper length, step on the rope with one foot and hold the handles with your hands. The top of the rope handles should be at your arm pit and not higher. This will the perfect rope length for you.

How to Do a Jump Rope Workout

So now that you've learned how to use the jump rope properly, here is a sample workout you can do. The workout is designed with alternating high intensity and low intensity intervals which is formally called High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT. HIIT are very effective for fat loss. First, warm-up with a light jog, running in place, or jumping jacks for about 3-5 minutes. Next, jump rope for 30 seconds followed with 30 seconds of a light jog to recover. This is one interval. Repeat the intervals for 6-8 rounds to create a full workout. Cool down after you're done with your workout. You can make this harder by increasing the time that you use the jump rope, decrease your recover time, or jump rope at a faster speed.

Jump rope training is a cheaper, more effective way to get cardiovascular training and lose fat at the same time. This training gives you another option to get your workouts done without having to pay for a gym membership or wasting travel time to go to the gym. When you add jump rope to your training, you would not have an excuse not to workout anymore because you can conveniently workout anywhere at anytime. Jump rope training is a great opportunity to accelerate your fitness results.