Benefit of looking good
Jumping rope is a cardiovascular or aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping. The childhood favorite doubles as plyometric training. Plyometrics are explosive movements that combine power and speed. With plyometric exercises, you challenge your muscles to exert as much force as possible in quick intervals.
Athletes often use plyometrics to train. But beginners can try moves such as jumping rope to get started with plyometrics. And numerous jump rope benefits make the exercise a worthy addition to your workouts.
1. Jumping rope provides a full-body workout
You might feel the burn in your calf muscles when you jump rope. But your calves and feet aren’t the only body parts at work. Jumping rope activates multiple muscle groups. As you swing the rope around and jump, you also engage your:
- Thighs (hamstrings and quadriceps)
- Hips (glutes)
- Abdominals
- Arms (biceps and triceps)
- Shoulders
- Hands and wrists
With all these muscles at play, jumping rope makes for an effective total-body movement.
1. Jumping rope provides a full-body workout
You might feel the burn in your calf muscles when you jump rope. But your calves and feet aren’t the only body parts at work. Jumping rope activates multiple muscle groups. As you swing the rope around and jump, you also engage your:
- Thighs (hamstrings and quadriceps)
- Hips (glutes)
- Abdominals
- Arms (biceps and triceps)
- Shoulders
- Hands and wrists
With all these muscles at play, jumping rope makes for an effective total-body movement.
2. Jumping rope builds muscle power and strength
If lifting weights isn’t your thing, jumping rope is one alternative to strengthen your muscles. Research shows that plyometric (or jump-training) activities increase muscle power and endurance. Those gains can help you exert more force for longer periods.
One study found that weighted jump ropes may be even more effective for building strength. The teen volleyball players who participated in the study had more lower-body strength and coordination after 12 weeks. Stronger lower-body muscles can make it easier to perform functional movements such as walking or climbing stairs.
3. Jumping rope boosts your athletic performance
If you want to boost your athletic performance, consider jumping rope regularly. In a small study, beginner endurance runners practiced jumping rope before training. Within 10 weeks, they improved their speed and jumping ability. The runners also noticed less stiffness in their feet, which might reduce the risk of injury.