Jumping Rope – Why You Should Do It Every Day

The average treadmill is only used 7.2 times before it becomes an expensive clothing rack. A good treadmill can easily cost you 1,000 CHF or more. Up to 67% of gym memberships go completely unused, and billions are wasted each year on these neglected investments. What if I told you about a magical, underrated tool that is cheap, can be used almost anywhere, and has a high ROI?

This tool only costs around 10 to 40 CHF and has been used for years by elite athletes such as Mike Tyson, Conor McGregor, Floyd Mayweather, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano and George St Pierre, to name a few. For some of you, it's probably been since elementary school since you've had this thing in your hands. The tool I'm talking about is simple but super effective - jumping rope.

1. Jumping rope in the flow: Your journey begins

Imagine: It's August, the height of summer. The sun shines down on you, the birds chirp, and the sound of your rope whipping and cutting through the air echoes outside. Your body is in perfect sync with each turn of the rope. Your breath, feet and hands move in complete unity as the rope slides just below you.

With each passing day you notice that your sessions are getting a little longer and your timing is becoming more precise. Once you master the basics of jumping rope, you crave more complexity. Crossovers, side swings, double jumps, triple jumps, footwork, releases, 180s and 360s. Your journey to the rope jumping wonderland has begun.

You are now in jump rope maxxing mode.

2. Choose the right rope

Choosing a rope: There are different types of jump ropes: PVC, beaded, leather, weighted and cable. I prefer PVC because I have developed my skills and am more inclined towards fast freestyle jumping. For beginners, I like bead ropes because they provide more tactile feedback due to the extra weight of the beads.

Cable ropes are more intended for double jumps and triple jumps, i.e. 2 or 3 turns with just one jump. As you progress, they are a good option if double jumps and triple jumps are your goal. I don't like leather ropes because they are too light, which affects feedback and speed.

But if you just have one Leather rope If you have one, then feel free to use it. Weighted ropes are great for building shoulder endurance and mental strength. Many Muay Thai fighters use weighted ropes in their training precisely for these reasons. However, weighted ropes are not for beginners, so lay a foundation before investing in one.

If your rope is not in use, I recommend hanging it up after each session to avoid kinks and knots.

3. The right surface and rope size

Jumping surface: When it comes to floors for jumping rope, wooden floors are unbeatable. Wood absorbs shocks and bounces with every jump. If you don't have a wooden floor, I recommend a rubber mat for jumping rope. Avoid concrete and asphalt as much as possible because over time they can put a lot of strain on your joints and wear out your rope.

Determine rope size: Place your rope on the floor and stand with one foot in the middle. The handles should reach approximately chest or armpit height; this is a good general starting point.

A rope that is too long can throw off your timing and movements, so I like about 10 inches of overhead clearance for the rope. As you progress in freestyle, double jumps, and triple jumps, you can shorten the rope further to reduce overhead clearance. Remember, the rope size is totally individual because we all have different arm and body lengths.

4. Rope jumping: techniques

It's harder to break a bad habit than to build a good one. Let's talk about the most common technique mistakes among beginners. First mistake: the rope with the poor to force. This is not an arm exercise; you shouldn't waste your energy fighting with your arms. Let your wrists be the engines that drive the rotations of the rope. Another common mistake is jumping way too high. All you need is a small jump, just high enough for the rope to pass under your feet.

Use small jumps with soft landings; don't let your heels come down hard. Imagine jumping on eggshells – we want a nice, soft, rhythmic jump. The next mistake is to place your hands far too far apart, which artificially shortens the rope and causes you to stumble. Keep your hands close to your body and slightly in front of your hips. This is much more efficient and saves energy instead of spreading your arms wide. Imagine your hands moving in a fixed path, like the rod in a Smith machine. Lastly, maintain good posture and a neutral forward gaze. Don't look at your feet while you jump.

When you start jumping rope, I advise against using music so you can hear the sound of the rope; this will help you develop your timing much faster. As you get better, feel free to turn up the music.

5. Benefits of Jumping Rope

Heart health and fat burning: Jumping rope is a fantastic way to improve your cardio. You can vary the intensity with which you jump. You can stay in a comfortable, steady Zone 1 cardio range or really get your heart pumping with more intense techniques like double jumps or running in place. 10 minutes of jumping rope burns as many calories as a 30-minute run on the treadmill.

Agility and footwork: There's a reason why top boxers and MMA fighters make jumping rope a regular part of their training. Jumping makes you agile and light-footed while strengthening the structures in your feet and ankles. The more time you spend with the rope, the better your balance and coordination will become.

Brain Health and Bone Health: The timing, coordination and rhythm are great for your brain health. As you learn more complex rope techniques, your brain works at full speed to master these movements and patterns. Jumping rope is also contralateral, meaning it uses opposite limbs together, improving your motor control by activating both hemispheres of your brain. After your session, your brain is hit with a wave of hormones and chemicals like BDNF, Endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine flooded. Through the repeated jumping impulses, jumping rope also strengthens your bone health and density. This becomes even more important when you consider that over 30 million Americans suffer from osteopenia. Just two to three rope jumping sessions per week can improve your bone health. Jump to the maximum to strengthen your bones.

Portability: As long as you have enough room above your head, you can take a jump rope practically anywhere. To the park, your garden, while traveling, to... Gym – the possibilities are endless. If you travel a lot for business, this fitness tool is an absolute must. You can easily put your skipping rope in your suitcase or hand luggage without worrying about it taking up a lot of space.

Cost: I know we live in a difficult economy and everyone has different financial obligations, but the jump rope is one of the most cost-effective fitness equipment out there. Most ropes cost between 10 and 40 CHF. High-quality ropes cost around 70 CHF, but they are not necessary for beginners. If a new rope doesn't fit your budget, I'm sure you can find a used one for just 5 CHF.

6. Structure your jumping rope sessions

Structuring Sessions: Note that there are no universal guidelines for jump rope programs as we all have different starting points and athletic backgrounds. For beginners, I like to start with 6 sets of 20 seconds of jumping and 10 seconds of rest between each set. If that's too difficult, you can shorten the jumping time or lengthen the breaks - or both. If this is still too difficult for you, don't worry about time - just focus on completing several successful jumps in a row and take breaks when you need them.

As your rhythm and timing improve and simple jumping becomes easy, you can add sets and increase the time. Another cool way to structure your rope sessions is to have a Playlist to put on your favorite songs and see if you can skip through an entire song without stumbling. Advanced athletes can do boxer-style sessions, which consist of several 3-minute rounds with 1 minute rest. Experienced jumpers can do long density sessions of 20-45 minutes at a time, incorporating different moves and skills.

Then there are practice sessions where you concentrate fully on a specific skill. Always do your technique exercises at the beginning when you are fresh. For example, if you're working on intersections, practice that first before jumping normally. I would even advise practicing without a rope first, just working on your hand position. There are many ways to structure your sessions – remember to have fun and enjoy the process. And contrary to what many believe, just 10-15 minutes a few times a week is enough to make incredible progress with the rope.

Thanks to the endless variety of techniques and tricks that jumping rope offers, it eliminates the monotony that other cardio machines often bring with them. Summer is the perfect time to start your rope jumping journey. Get off the hamster wheel treadmill, go out and jump. Find your flow state with the rope under the beautiful sun. How long do you want to wait before demanding the best from yourself?