Everyone knows how to jump rope. Hold the two ends and whip over your head, under your feet, back over your head, and so on. But we don’t all have a convenient plan in our back pocket. Hopefully we can provide some useful suggestions here to help you work routines for jumping rope into your weekly routine.
This great exercise is an awesome fat burner, but it can also be pretty boring if you just use steady state jumping counting the reps. That boredom can be overcome through, as jump rope is one of the greatest inventions ever for fitness enthusiasts and athletes, with many variations on technique, timing, intensity, and duration.
You also benefit from routines for jumping rope by strengthening your rotator cuffs and shoulders, increasing power in your lower body, developing your calves, and much more. Use some of the techniques listed below to make your jump rope sessions more challenging. Use the highest intensity techniques for your HIIT training.
Jumping Rope is an Incredible Conditioning Tool
Most people don’t jump rope because they just repeat the same tempo and style over and over. Not only is that tiring, it gets boring and then you just don’t want to do it because you feel the boredom is not worth the benefit. That would be a big mistake.
I want to outline the many different ways and angles to skip rope. Put them all together and you will have a seriously kickin’ workout. Jumping rope can be done for endurance, to stay fit per American Heart Association recommendations, or as a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session by breaking it up into rounds.
Jumping rope is excellent for conditioning the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems, making it perfect for HIIT training. Check out this video of a dude jumping rope specifically for a HIIT workout.
When jumping for say like 30 minutes, you pace yourself for the 30 minute workout. When doing rounds of 3 or 4 minutes, you up the intensity so you’re working at max heart rate, or close to it, throughout the round.
Jump Rope Techniques
Put these jump rope techniques together according to your personal preference to create your own routines for jumping rope, or scroll down a bit further and check out the outlines we’ve provided for adding rope skipping to your weekely routine.
1. Double leg jumps
Jump with both feet simultaneously. This one of the most common methods of jumping rope. If this is all you do, you are probably bored. Jumping rope with this technique is good for balance and foot speed.
2. Alternate leg jumps
Jump over the rope with one leg at a time. First you jump with your right foot, then the next revolution you jump with your left foot. Only one foot should be kept on the ground at all times. This technique is even better for balance and will also make your calves stronger.
3. Single-leg high knees
Jump rope one leg at a time raising your knees as high as possible with each revolution of the rope. Go as fast as you can. If you really want a painful workout add some wrist weights to your jumping session. You can find ropes with weighted handles. DO NOT buy those because the weight distribution is different. Wearing wrist weights will transfer the effects of the jump rope to the right places with minimal strain far better than weighted handles.
Single leg high knees are great for sprinters and for strengthening the lower abs. This one will also give you a higher level cardiovascular workout.
4. Double leg high knees
Same idea as the single leg high knee jumps, except you launch yourself off the ground with both feet at once, bringing your knees to your chest. This is a great exercise for basketball players, track and field athletes, skiers, or pretty much anyone else that utilizes a high force output from their legs. Be careful if you are not conditioned because this one will wipe you out quick!
5. Criss cross
This is a tricky move for the advanced jump rope enthusiast. After the rope passes under your feet and is over your head, cross your elbows over each other at about the middle of your torso and jump through the rope as you would normally. The twist must be done quickly and accurately in order to make the jump. You really need to extend the elbows over each other to make the hole big enough to jump through.
6. Double unders
Using any method of jumping you choose, the rope must pass under your feet twice before you touch the ground. Similar to the double leg high knees, double unders can get difficult quickly and they build explosive power in the quads and calves. Due to the velocity at which you have to swing the rope, this is also like high intensity interval training for your rotator cuffs. In fact, you don’t want to be jumping as high as you can, but rather you want to jump a little bit higher than normal, but whip the rope around fast enough to get it under your feet twice each jump.
If you have two swings down pat, go for three swings. I’ve yet to personally see anyone get four swings, but I’m sure some professional boxers and MMA athletes can do it.
7. Run skipping
Go outside start running while jumping the rope with which ever technique you like best. The goal is to just keep running while jumping rope. You can also utilize this method while running backwards, which is far more challenging. This is a great endurance builder. If your workout normally consists of endurance running, try this for a new challenge.
8. Ali shuffle
To jump rope just like Muhammad Ali, start in a stationary position and jump rope while moving your upper body in all directions. Utilize jumps that move your body side-to-side, forward and back, criss cross, any other angles you can think of. The Ali Shuffle is awesome for balance and coordination, which are both essential in any sport.
9. Be creative
Any other movements you can come up with, or combinations of the movements lists above, are also great. The idea of jump rope training for most athletes is going to be to jump for time rather than for endurance. Utilizing a HIIT method of jumping rope is far better for developing power and strength than long distance jumping.
Putting Together a Rope Skipping Routine
Here are a couple examples of routines for jumping rope you can use that implement some of the rope jumping techniques outlined above.
- Routine #1 – Endurance
The low intensity endurance routine. Jump rope non stop for 30-60 minutes. - Routine #2 – Moderate Intensity
High knee jumps for 30 seconds.
Double foot jumping for 30 seconds.
Repeat for 5 minutes, rest for 60 seconds, then do it 4 more times. - Routine #3 – “The Calf Blaster” – Moderate Intensity
Single-leg jumping on each leg for 30 seconds per leg.
Single-leg jumping, two jumps per leg, alternating legs for 60 seconds.
Double foot jumping for 60 seconds.
Repeat once, rest for 60 seconds, then do it 3 more times. - Routine #4 – High Intensity
Double leg high knee jumps for 30 seconds.
Criss cross jumps for 30 seconds, focusing on speed of movement.
Repeat for 5 minutes, rest for 60 seconds, then do it 4 more times. - Routine #5 – “The Ab Blaster” – High Intensity
Double leg high knee jumps for 30 seconds.
Single leg high knees for 60 seconds.
Drop to the floor for 50 situps.
Repeat twice, rest for 60 seconds, then do it 3 more times. - Routine #6 – Very High Intensity
Alternate leg jumps for 30 seconds at high speed.
Double unders for 15 seconds.
Double-leg high knee jumps for 15 seconds.
Repeat for 3 minutes, rest for 60 seconds, and do it 3 more times. - Routine #7 – “The Shoulder Blaster” – High Intensity
Double unders for 30 seconds.
Criss cross jumps for 30 seconds.
Drop to the floor and bang out 20 clapping push-ups.
Repeat three times, rest for 60 seconds, then do it 3 more times. - Routine #8 – High Endurance Training
Run skipping non stop for 30 minutes. - Routine #9 – High Endurance Training (great for fighters)
Ali Shuffle jumping for 30 minutes
Final Thoughts
If you give high intensity rope jumping a try, your body will reward you for your efforts.
Buy a high quality plastic or leather rope for about $3-5 at your local sporting goods store. As a side note, most fighters prefer getting whipped by plastic rather than leather.
Don’t bother getting anything with fancy attachments on the handles, you just don’t need it.
Unlike weight lifting, routines for jumping rope can be done daily as long as you train smart. Alternate endurance with intensity by the day if this is your plan. Use a solid jump rope routine at least every other day for 2 weeks, and you will feel and see a difference in conditioning, strength, and speed almost immediately.
Now you have all the tools needed to jump rope effectively no matter your goals. It’s time to stop thinking about it and starting jumping. Grab your rope right now, go outside, and JUMP!
Read more: What is HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training
Tags: boxing, jumping rope, mma