7 benefits of skipping & a look inside AJ's jump rope routine

Have you ever wondered why some of the most iconic images of boxers and other combat stars are taken when they are skipping?

Check out the footwork on this old footage of Muhammad Ali giving a jump rope masterclass!

Even Rocky used skipping to increase his speed and footwork to famously catch the chicken!

The reason:- Skipping or jump rope workouts are one of the best-kept secrets in fitness.

 

Amongst the most effective forms of exercise

Boxers have been using skipping for centuries as a form of high-powered exercise. But many of us are still unaware of numerous skipping rope benefits available to all fitness levels. 

Jump rope workouts are one of the easiest, cheapest but most effective forms of exercise to build into your routine. 

The major benefit of skipping is that it helps towards almost any fitness goal including fat loss, endurance, strength, and performance. And all you need to get started is a rope, (like our new jump rope shown here), a small amount of space and about 15 minutes of your time!

So what’s not to like about the simple skipping rope?

Let’s take a look at our list of the top 7 benefits of skipping.

 

 Our top 7 benefits of skipping workouts

1. Skipping torches calories

A highlight amongst the benefits of skipping is that it not so much burns calories as sets them ablaze!

If you’re exercise target is to get rid of some of your daily calories, then you won't find a more efficient form of exercise than skipping! 

Take a look at the table below and you’ll see that on an hourly basis skipping leaves your other forms of exercise in its wake!

 

 

But let’s be honest most of us aren’t going to be skipping for an hour so let’s look at a more relatable comparison.

Research has shown that adding a skipping routine into your workout can help you achieve a "burn rate" of up to 700 to over 1,200 calories per hour, that’s roughly 0.1 to nearly 1.1 calories consumed per jump! 

This means 10 minutes of jump rope workouts is the equivalent of running an 8-minute mile

Hello! You still there or are you off to find that skipping rope already?!

 

2. Skipping improves cardiovascular health

Using a skipping rope consistently in your workouts is amazing for heart health. 

Here’s just some of the reasons why: 

• Lower your blood pressure
• Decrease your resting heart rate
• Reduce your stress levels
• Reverse bad cholesterol
• Lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases

You can make a start on improving your cadio-vascular health with only 15 minutes skipping per day 5 days a week. 

Skipping will also help build your cardio-vascular endurance meaning you can go for longer and harder without feeling exhausted.  

After periods of lay-off from cardio-based exercise, many people find workouts such as running can often be challenging.

However, skipping benefits you by improving your cardiovascular endurance without making you want to give up as quickly as going for a run.

 

 

3. Skipping Improves Bone Density & Strength

Building strong bones is another one of the many benefits of building a skipping session into your workout regime. 

To maintain a healthy structure bones need to go through a continuous cycle of demolition and reconstruction.

Bone-strengthening activities need to create an impact force on the bones that promotes their growth and improved strength. 

Skipping builds this force as you jump and continually hit the ground sparking the reaction that helps boost your bone density making you less susceptible to injury and bone-related issues. 

 

4. Skipping Improves Coordination

Using a skipping rope requires a lot of coordination, especially as you practice more and take on the challenges beyond the basic jump. 

To keep up the rhythm and manage your footwork correctly, you need to coordinate your eyes, feet, hands, arms, legs, and torso while you jump. 

As you progress over time you’ll notice these coordination benefits extending to other areas of your workouts - essential for boxers or any other form of combat sports.

 

5. Skipping is a total body workout

If you’re looking for a quick and effective full-body workout, you gotta get into the jump rope.

Not only are you building strength in your lower body, but you’re also engaging your entire upper body to control the force when you swing the rope.

Just think about the process your body goes through as you use a jump rope.  You need to rely on all your lower body muscles including calves, thighs, and glutes, plus as you pull the rope through the air you need your upper body biceps, triceps and shoulders and to complete the set your abs get a workout too!

So, your whole body can benefit from skipping routines!

As with cardio-vascular health mentioned above skipping on a regular basis can not only help improve muscle strength but also muscular endurance.

This allows your muscles to exercise for longer and will increase power for quick, explosive movements that are so key to combat sports.

 

 

 

6. Skipping Increases Agility

Want to get faster and improve your reaction time? 

Using a skipping rope on a regular basis will help you develop:

• Quicker footwork
• All-round agility
• Increased speed
• Improved leg power

These multi-functional benefits of skipping will help if you take part in not just combat but any sports where you need to change direction quickly e.g. football, cricket, tennis or basketball.

 

7. Skipping has mental health benefits

Similar to other forms of vigorous exercise skipping rope benefits include improved mental health. 

We all are aware that engaging in  regular exercise such as skipping releases endorphins around the body. 

Those endorphins give you that fantastic post-workout “high” helping to lift any stresses and anxiety so you’re ready to take on whatever challenge lies ahead!

 

AJ’s rope routine

AJ uses skipping almost every day in his training workouts. He and Head Trainer Angel Fernandez like to use this skipping rope to get AJ moving and alert. 

His usual routine is based around a real time fight round so 3 minutes of intensive footwork and speed on the ropes followed by 1 minute rest which really gets the blood pumping and the mind focused.  

 

You’re on the inside!

We hope you found this post on the benefits of skipping helpful. 

Whether you’re looking to throw in something a bit different to your routine, help recover from injury, or for a quick-fire total body workout you can do anywhere, skipping should be one of your go-to sessions.

Now your on the inside of one of the best kept secret in fitness so get the gear and use it to your advantage!

 

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