Jump Ropes Aren't Just for Boxers- Jumping Rope for Fat Loss

What do you picture in your mind when you hear the words JUMP ROPE? Maybe it is a group of girls hitting a beat while playing double Dutch (very advanced jump rope) on the playground, or maybe you see a well chiseled boxer covered with sweat from head to toe as he completes a grueling jump rope set. Either way, many folks do not picture THEMSELVES jumping rope? While these two examples represent the extremes of what folks use jump ropes for, the fact is, jump ropes are an incredibly useful workout tool and one that will burn off fat more quickly than you can say…ROCKY BALBOA!

First of all, jump ropes are fantastic because they are extremely compact. You can keep a jump rope in your car, your office, or just about anywhere for that matter. The more easily you can carry your workout equipment with you, the more likely it will be that you will use it on a regular basis. Other than the rope itself, all you need is a good pair of sneakers and you are ready for a fast paced fat burning workout with a jump rope!

Secondly, jumping rope is much easier on the knees than other forms of exercise. Seems almost contradictory when you consider that the entire workout itself is comprised of jumping, but it’s true. Jumping rope is much less harder on the joints, especially the knees, than other forms of exercise that produce similar results such as running. When you run, the impact is transferred directly to the heel of your foot which in turn places great stress on the knees. When jumping rope with proper form, you will land on the balls of the feet which helps to evenly distribute the shock through your foot, ankle and calf and will place very little stress on the knees, even for folks who have some type of pre-existing knee condition.

Finally, jumping rope provides an AMAZING cardiovascular and fat burning workout. You can jump rope at a medium to high intensity and burn as many calories in ten minutes as you would if you ran a mile. Performing the same actually work and reaping the same benefits as running, but with much less stress on your body, sounds like a pretty good deal to me! Coupled with the fact that jumping rope actually gives your entire lower body a muscular workout, this often forgotten, but extremely effective may work its way into your regular fat loss routing. For an even bigger fat burning benefit, try using jumping rope as the source of a High Intensity Interval Training session.

Simply begin jumping for a few minutes at a slow pace for a warm-up, then begin jumping at a medium intensity for about 2 minutes, then jump rope as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then slow to a medium intensity again. Complete this interval training for about 6-8 sets and you will accomplish in this short time what may have taken up to an hour using other forms of cardiovascular exercise.

Jumping rope is efficient and effective, so plan to make jumping rope a serious part of your fat burning regimen from now on.