Jumping Towards a Fitter Me
By Amanda Mansoorbakht
When I was in elementary school, jump rope was my recess time favorite. While other kids ran to get in line for handball or tetherball, my friends and I ran straight for the rope. We were excited to “jump in” and see how long we could go before stepping on the rope. The possibilities for fun were endless; three kids could jump at the same time, we’d try speeded up double dutch style, or we’d hop around the slithering “snake” on the floor. It was so much fun that we played until the bell rang. Little did I know that I would be jumping rope well into adulthood.
These days I jump rope to keep a fit and toned body. Moving my body is a huge part of my life and when I started dating my boyfriend, a retired MMA fighter, he showed me how a little bit of jumprope could go a long way. I was skeptical that something so simple could be an effective challenge but since I am always looking for new ways to spice up my training, I decided to give it a go. (Plus Bruce Lee was a huge jumprope fan and who could argue with him?)
So I started jump roping. And instantly started sweating. And my heart pounded. And here’s what I learned…
Jump rope is just as intense as running. As a long distance runner who was a track star in college (humble brag ;), I was surprised to see learn that jump rope was just as strenuous as heading out for a run. The work paid off though and after a few weeks of jump roping, I saw a tremendous difference in my speed, endurance, agility, and coordination. (minus the calluses and bruised toe nails from running.) Now that I’ve put my long distance racing flats away, jump rope is my cardio workout of choice because It’s low impact and easy on the joints. My father, who is in his fifties and struggles with herniated disks and sciatic in his lower back also is an avid jumproper. Jump rope gives him a quality cardio workout while also reducing any inflammation in his back.
I love jumprope because it’s great for my heart. A strong beating heart lets you know how effective your workout is. It’s literally a physical reminder that you’re kicking butt! Jumprope is a great form of cardio because it jumpstarts your heart rate which means your body is efficiently circulating oxygen throughout your body. Strengthening your cardiovascular health has many benefits such as improved blood flow, energy, and overall heart health. With all the processed, toxic delights out there, jumping rope is a protective measure against diabetes and high blood pressure.
You’ve heard of HIIT (high-interval intensity training) workouts, I’m sure you don’t live under a rock (or without Instagram!) Yep, all the hot girls do it. (VS Angel Adriana Lima swears by it!) But rightfully so, as HIIT is known to increase metabolism, build muscles, and strengthen endurance. If you want to try a HIIT workouts routine, incorporating jump rope into your set is a fun way to get a hard core cardio workout. Remember how I said I thought jump rope wouldn’t be challenging? Boy, was I naive. Not only is jump rope challenging, it’s makes me break a sweat every time!
A typically HIIT workout for me looks like
- 1 min jump rope
- 1 min assisted pull ups
- 1 min jump rope
- 1 min box jumps
- 1 min jump rope
- 1 min wall sits
- 1 min jump rope
- 1 min plank
- 1 min jump rope
9 minutes total
I try to do this 3 times a week! Try it out, and make sure to stay on the balls of your feet!
Rule #8202 why I love jump rope is that you can literally jump rope anywhere. Gym memberships are expensive and if you have an irrational fear of being watched while you workout like me, you may find yourself making any excuse to do an at home workout. Jumping rope is an easy workout that can literally be done anywhere. Additionally, Incorporating jump rope is perfect because all you need is your body and the rope. Whether you're grabbing your rope for a quick session in between zoom meetings or packing it for an hotel workout when you're traveling, you’ll always have a kick ass workout on hand. My low maintenance people, rejoice!
Staying motivated to workout is as tough as gets. Luckily, goal-setting and self-improvement are the driving motivators behind action. The best part of jump roping is that you’’ll always stay challenged. What can I say, seeing results is addictive and my competitive heart inspires me to get better at stuff. With jump rope, the room for improvement is tremendous.
To make a long story short, if you haven’t picked up a jump rope since childhood, you’re missing out on a ton of fitness and health benefits. I totally get why my boyfriend recommended jump rope. I don’t think I will ever stop jump roping.
If you want to check out my favorite cardio tool, my rope of choice is is FRESH FIRE Cordless Jump Rope. Though the old lady in me shies away from techy workout equipment, this one was super user friendly and straight forward to use! It comes with a ton of unique features like a built-in timer. I love this handsfree feature because it saves time setting up an alarm and my anxious brain secretly can’t stand the sound of phone alarms!
Another reason why I adore this jump rope is that it doesn’t hurt me! I tried a few different ones before but struggled with them getting caught on the skin on my things. Ouch! I know, it’s just as painful as it sounds. The Fresh Fire elastic string, however is safe, doesn’t snag, and is more than long enough for my 5’7 build.
So, what do you think, is jump rope just for little girls in pigtails and Bruce Lee? Certainly not.