Jump Rope – Why You Should Do It Every Day

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

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

1. Jump Rope in Flow: Your Journey Begins

Imagine: It’s August, the peak of summer. The sun is shining down on you, the birds are chirping, and the sound of your rope whipping and slicing through the air echoes outside. Your body is perfectly in sync with each rotation of the rope. Your breath, your feet, and hands move in complete unity as the rope glides just beneath you.

With each day, you notice that your sessions are getting a bit longer and your timing is becoming more precise. As you master the basics of jumping rope, you crave more complexity. Crisscrosses, side swings, double unders, triple unders, footwork, drop movements, 180s and 360s. Your journey into jump roping wonderland has begun.

You are now in jump rope maxxing mode.

2. Choosing the Right Rope

Selecting a rope: There are different types of jump ropes: PVC, beaded, leather, weighted, and cable. I prefer PVC because I’ve built my skills up and tend to lean more toward fast freestyle jumping. For beginners, I like beaded ropes because they offer more tactile feedback due to the extra weight of the beads.

Cable ropes are more for double unders and triple unders, meaning 2 or 3 rotations with just one jump. As you progress, they are a good option if double unders and triple unders are your goal. I don’t like leather ropes as much because they are too light, which affects feedback and speed.

But if you only have a leather rope, then go ahead and use it. Weighted ropes are great for building shoulder endurance and mental strength. Many Muay Thai fighters use weighted ropes in their training for these exact reasons. However, weighted ropes are not for beginners, so establish a base first 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 flooring for jump roping, wooden floors are unbeatable. Wood absorbs impacts and springs with every jump. If you don’t have a wooden floor, I recommend a rubber mat for jump roping. Avoid concrete and asphalt as much as possible, as they can heavily strain your joints over time and wear out your rope.

Determining Rope Size: Lay your rope on the ground and stand with one foot in the middle. The handles should reach about to your chest or armpit height; that's a good general starting point. 

A rope that is too long can throw off your timing and movements, which is why I like about 25 cm of clearance above the head for the rope. As you progress in freestyle, double unders, and triple unders, you can shorten the rope further to decrease clearance above your head. Remember, rope size is totally individual because we all have different arm and body lengths.

4. Jumping Rope 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: forcing the rope with the arms. This is not an arm exercise; you should not 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. You only need a small jump, just high enough to let the rope pass under your feet. 

Use small jumps with soft landings; don’t let your heels hit hard. Imagine you’re jumping on egg shells – we want a nice, soft, rhythmic jump. The next mistake is holding your hands too far apart, which artificially shortens the rope and makes you trip. Keep your hands close to your body and a little in front of your hips. That’s much more efficient and saves energy instead of spreading your arms wide. Imagine your hands moving in a fixed path, like the bar in a Smith machine. Lastly: maintain good posture and a neutral gaze forward. Don’t look at your feet while you jump.

When you start jumping rope, I recommend not using music so you can hear the sound of the rope; this helps 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 going with more intense techniques like double unders 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 staple in their training. Jumping makes you agile and light on your feet 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: Timing, coordination, and rhythm are great for your brain health. As you learn more complex rope techniques, your brain is working overtime to master these movements and patterns. Jumping rope is also contralateral, meaning it uses opposite limbs together, which enhances your motor control by activating both hemispheres of the brain. After your session, your brain is flooded with a wave of hormones and chemicals like BDNF, endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The repeated jumping impulses also strengthen your bone health and density. This becomes even more important considering that over 30 million Americans suffer from osteopenia. Just two to three jumping rope sessions a week can improve your bone health. Jump maximally to strengthen your bones.

Portability: As long as you have enough space above your head, you can take a jump rope virtually anywhere. To the park, your garden, traveling, to the gym – the possibilities are endless. If you're frequently traveling for business, this fitness tool is an absolute must. You can easily pack your jump rope in your suitcase or carry-on without worrying about it taking up much space.

Costs: I know we are living in a tough economic situation and everyone has different financial obligations, but the jump rope is one of the most cost-effective fitness tools out there. Most ropes cost between 10 and 40 CHF. High-quality ropes are around 70 CHF, but those are not necessary for beginners. If a new rope doesn't fit in your budget right now, I'm sure you can find a used one for just 5 CHF.

6. Structuring Your Jump Rope Sessions

Structuring sessions: Keep in mind that there are no universal guidelines for a jump rope program since 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 in between each set. If that's too difficult, you can shorten the jumping time or lengthen the breaks – or both. If that's still too challenging, don't worry about the time – just focus on completing multiple successful jumps in a row and take breaks whenever you need to.

Once your rhythm and timing improve and simple jumping becomes easy, you can add sets and extend the time. Another cool way to structure your rope sessions is to put on a playlist of your favorite songs and see if you can jump through an entire song without tripping. Advanced beginners can do boxer-style sessions consisting of several 3-minute rounds with 1-minute breaks. Experienced jumpers can do long density sessions of 20–45 minutes straight, incorporating various moves and skills.

Then there are practice sessions where you focus entirely on a specific skill. Always do your technique exercises at the beginning when you're fresh. For example, if you're working on crossovers, practice that first before jumping normally. I would even advise practicing without the rope at 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 variations of techniques and tricks that jump rope offers, it puts an end to the monotony that other cardio equipment often brings. Summer is the perfect time to start your jump rope journey. Get off the hamster wheel treadmill, go outside, and jump. Find your flow state with the rope under the glorious sun. How much longer do you want to wait before you challenge the best in yourself?