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jumping rope It is the devil’s practice. Or so my initial thoughts went.
Bouncing up and down, getting stuck in place, rotating the plastic whip randomly around my head and ankles, not only filled me with fear but was about as interesting as watching paint dry.
Running has been my main cardio for most of my adult life, and jumping rope was something I left firmly behind as a child.
But research has shown Jumping rope regularly not only strengthens bones and improves balance, but provides an efficient cardio burst for a fraction of the time it takes to jog — and a fraction of the cost of New York City’s expensive workout classes.
So I decided to turn my daily run into the dreaded jump rope to see what effect it would have on my health as a 32-year-old woman who suffers from knee pain from the effects of years of volleyball and marathon training.
In early September, I went to a specialist for advice about what to expect.
“There are a lot of similarities between running and jumping rope in terms of the impact they have on your body,” Meghan Weisser, a University of Maryland physical therapy doctor and strength coach, told me.
The mental focus required for both exercises is the same but where the exercises differ is in the mechanics.
“I think the complexity of the ankle and calf muscles is much greater in jump roping than in running,” Weiser said. “I find that running spreads the forces themselves into the lower limbs a little better.”
He advised that I limit the number of jumps per session to reduce the risk of injury by starting small and gradually increasing over time.
After our phone call, I purchased an LED rainbow jump rope online for $15, hoping that the fluorescent colors would distract me from work.
The next day, I wore tennis shoes, shorts, a sports bra and found a spot in my apartment where I wouldn’t knock over the TV and picture frames.
Then, holding on for dear life I grabbed the handle of my jump rope, swung it over my head to my feet and jumped up. I found that this skill quickly returned to me, just like riding a bike – but without the actual pleasurable qualities of riding a bike. I stopped after 50 rounds. I wouldn’t win any world records but I was still incredibly breathless.
I continued this throughout September – most of the time. I will admit to skipping some days when my knees weren’t feeling right.
My progress was definitely not linear but my number of jumps gradually increased.
By the time I watched the moon rise above the dark October sky four weeks later, I had hit my stride. With Kim Petras’s “Radio” playing in my headphones, I was doing over 100 jumps in each workout. My personal best remained above 200.
At the end of this month-long journey, I feel steady on my feet. That sentiment can be supported research that has shown Jumping rope regularly can improve balance and Response time.
But perhaps the best part of jumping rope is how accessible it is. This is an ideal activity for people who don’t have a lot of time or money to go to the gym. All you need is a little space.
And if you’re not a fan of running, this workout will get your heart rate up in about a minute.
“It has a lot of benefits,” Weisser told me. “Bone Health, Bone Mineral Density, Cardiovascular and Explosiveness.”
If you want to try incorporating jumping rope into your daily routine, Jason Moran, an exercise researcher at the University of Essex in England, tells SELF that you should consider what you want from the experience.
“It is easier to run for longer periods of time due to its lower demands on coordination and it is more natural for most people. For this reason I would probably recommend running first for cardiovascular health, endurance or fat loss purposes,” he wrote in an email.
“On the other hand, the coordination challenge of jumping rope means that running does not provide additional benefits, such as modest increases in upper and lower body strength, jumping ability and sprint speed,” Moran said.
When it comes to weight loss, jumping rope burns more calories than running, depending on your fitness level. After 10 minutes on the track, a runner can burn only 70 calories, while someone jumping rope can burn about 100 calories in the same time period. cleveland clinic,
For beginners, Moran suggests jumping for 10-15 seconds before taking a breath, then gradually increasing the length of the set.
But posture is just as important as repetition, Weiser also said.
“I won’t be floppy,” she said.