Fitness trend jumping rope: buying tips for beginners

Fitness tips
Jumping rope: Why indoor and outdoor workouts are more efficient than jogging

Jumping rope has come of age. From schoolyard fun for teenagers, rope skipping has developed into a veritable fitness trend. Here you will find the most important purchasing and training tips for beginners.

When I think back to my childhood and what we used to do during recess in the schoolyard, the first things that come to mind are rubber twists, cheese boxes and jumping rope. It’s been a few years now and I can’t remember the last time I held a jump rope in my hand. At the moment I keep watching women, men and children jumping. In playgrounds, but also in the open air fitness areas that now exist in many cities in Germany. Jumping rope has become one in recent years Fitness trend developed. Martial artists are no longer the only ones using the practical sports equipment for their warm-up and as a cardio workout.

In this article you will find out why jumping rope is a time-saving and at the same time efficient and healthy alternative to jogging and what beginners should pay attention to when training with a skipping rope.

Jumping rope for beginners: This is important

Jumping rope is one thing above all else: uncomplicated. The sports equipment itself, a pair of ordinary casual shoes, some space and a small pinch of coordination. The fitness set-up for beginners is ready. But rope jumping newcomers in particular are probably wondering what they should pay attention to when buying a skipping rope. Well, basically you can’t go wrong. As a rule, the handles of skipping ropes are connected to the rope via ball bearings. This has the advantage that you no longer have to work with your whole arm, but only with your wrist to make the rope swing. Good ropes can also be adjusted in length using a small screw, so that the whole family can try out jumping rope. The skipping rope itself is made of plastic-coated steel cables or nylon. Some models are available in different thicknesses. Beginners should first use PVC ropes. Leather and wire ropes are more suitable for advanced rope skippers. For ropes whose length is not adjustable, the handles should reach below your armpits when you stand in the middle of the taut rope. Otherwise the rule applies: the shorter the rope, the more demanding the training. Here is a Entry level model from Cravallo available.

3 plus 1: What you should pay attention to when buying

What does jumping rope actually train?

One thing first: jumping rope is a full-body workout. It’s not just the thigh and calf muscles that are stressed, as one might initially assume. The torso, more precisely the torso stability, as well as the chest and arms also benefit from regular rope skipping. However, building muscle takes second place when jumping rope. Rather, it’s about improving basic endurance. If you train correctly and regularly, you can even do something about your weight. Because jumping rope doesn’t just add variety to your cardio training. Working out with the rope also burns some calories. Rope skipping could be an interesting alternative for fitness training in the park, especially for those who don’t like jogging and fair-weather runners. It works indoors and outdoors, takes up hardly any space and takes up significantly less time. This requires a small amount of coordination talent. In short: Jumping rope requires not only physical fitness but also coordination skills. There’s one here Speed ​​rope with bag and guide for beginners.

Jump rope jumping: training tips for beginners

Instead of the continuous method, the most common training variant for jogging, the potential of jumping rope lies in interval training. Important: No cold start! To prevent injuries and prepare the body for the stress that follows, you should plan a 10-minute warm-up. Relaxed jogging with light arm circles gets your circulation going.

Beginners should start with 60-second intervals. Specifically, this means jumping at a moderate pace for one minute, then taking a break for a minute. Depending on your fitness level, do the whole thing five to ten times. If you can do this two to three days a week, increase the exercise time to two minutes with a 60 to 90 second break. For starters, simply jumping on your forefoot should get your heart rate going enough.

Alternative interval training (2-3 times per week)

Even if you feel underwhelmed at first, don’t overdo it and be sure to take breaks. Your body needs this time to provide enough energy for the next interval.

Conclusion: Jumping rope is much more than jumping around the schoolyard just for fun. Done correctly, it combines fitness with coordination in an ideal way, making it one of the most efficient and at the same time cheapest fitness workouts.

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