Click on any category below to see relevant questions and click on a specific question to see the answer....
1. Jumping rope is EFFECTIVE: Jumping Rope can burn over 1000 calories per hour, more than almost any other form
of exercise out there.
As a bodyweight exercise, it can improve muscle tone, endurance, cardiovascular fitness
and conditioning. Jumping rope provies a full-body workout, especially if you use
heavier ropes. It is especially great for toning and developing the thighs, shins,
and calf muscles. Simultaneously, it also works on the abs and arms.
It also engages and improves the hip-flexor muscles.
2. Jumping rope is INEXPENSIVE: You can buy an inexpensive jump rope for $10 or less. You don't need fancy equipment,
expensive gym memberships or a lot of room. So you can try it and see if you get addicted
(like many of us are), without a big financial investment.
3. Jumping rope can be done almost ANYWHERE: You can jump indoors, outdoors or anywhere you have a 10' diameter circle of flat
ground.
4. Jumping rope IMPROVES: footwork, balance, coordination, and agility, which are valuable for many other
sports and general fitness. There's a reason boxers jump rope! It is also known to
help in improving bone density. According to research, jumping rope helps with the
development of the left and right
hemispheres of your brain, which further enhances spacial awareness, improves reading
skills, increases memory and makes you more mentally alert. This combination of physical
and mental activity has a greater beneficial effect on cognitive function. If you
like to be productive and efficient with your time, look no further than the jump
rope.
The best exercise for the brain involves a combination of timing, rhythm, coordination,
and mental strategy, which jumping rope provides in spades.
In addition to improved heart health and stamina, jumping rope also improves how efficiently
you breathe. This becomes very beneficial when doing other activities because you
won’t be as out of breath after running down the court or swimming laps in the pool.
Jumping rope can improve your ability to stay calm because you are actually working
your brain and your body at the same time. Boxers in the ring who jump rope actually
are more calm overall than those who don’t.
Jumping rope requires being in sync with your body, mind and the rope, and thus can
actually help you be more calm in other situations as well.
5. Jumping rope is LOW IMPACT: Jumping rope is very low impact, compared to other activities like running, since
you don't jump very high and jump with slightly flexed ankles and knees. You are on
the balls of your feet, so there is no hard landing as there is when running.
6. Jumping rope can be done by ANYONE & EVERYONE: from beginners to advanced levels. You can jump rope and garner fitness benefits
regardless of your age, gender or fitness level.
7. Jumping rope is PORTABLE: Jump ropes are small and easily packed in a small bag, purse or pocket. They very
travel-friendly and can be taken anywhere, and can be always at hand. So, you will
never have to miss your workout. All you need is a rope and an open area to burn calories,
and you are good to go.
8. Jumping rope is CHALLENGING: Jumping rope is a skill that you learn. After you master the basic step, there are
all sorts of advanced steps and tricks that you can learn, such as: jacks/scissor
steps, alternate feet/running steps, double unders, side to sides, criss-cross and
more. The sky is the limit and it's up to
you as to how much you want to learn. There are also many types of challenges that
you can try, such as doing 1000 jumps without a break, doing a set number of jumps
in a minimal amount of time, number of consecutive jumps without a trip and more!
Some popular challenges are listed in the Workouts/Challenges category of this FAQ.
9. Jumping rope is FUN!!! Unlike mindless trudging on a treadmill/elliptical machine, jumping rope is fun.
There are always new steps or tricks to try or perfect, or PRs (personal records)
to break! There are many jump rope communities that are very supportive and make it
even more fun!
Jumping rope is different from many other forms of exercise. It’s fun to work with
and develop new skills. It’s fun to be able to take it on the road and do your workouts
anywhere. It’s fun to share with partners and others.
And we all know that one of the key elements of being consistent with your exercise
and actually sticking to a fitness program is that you’re enjoying it.
10. Jumping rope is COOL!!! More and more people are discovering the many benefits of jumping rope and producing
phenomenal fitness and weight loss transformations. Jumping rope shows that you have
given some thought as to what would be the most effective and fun way to address your
health and fitness goals,
and that tells people a lot about you. Besides, doing double unders is just plain
cool and impressive! ;-)
Grab a rope, start jumping and be amazed by the different ways your body and mind
will benefit!
Yes. Jumping rope can burn over 1000 calories/hour and will help improve your fitness.
However, to achieve weight loss, you also need to focus on your food intake and nutrition.
To get you
started, here is a good video on the subject of losing weight through jumping rope.
Yes. Watch this vid: Can You Lose Weight By Only Jumping Rope?
Yes. Jumping rope can burn up to 1000 calories/hour and will help improve your fitness greatly, especially if you use heavy ropes! It is an excellent warmup or adjunct to other fitness exercises, and can also be your primary fitness activity. It's inexpensive compared to many other activities or gym memberships, is portable, and can be done almost anywhere.
That depends on many things, including your individual situation, workout frequency/intensity/consistency,
nutrition and more.
This video is worth viewing: How Long Does It Take To Get Results Jumping Rope?
Get a jump rope and start jumping!
Get a jump rope and start jumping!
Get a jump rope and start jumping!
Join a Facebook jump rope group. There are quite a few.
Search YouTube for Crossrope and other beginner jump rope workouts.
Also, check out Crossrope's Let's Get Started blog post.
Here is a good video to get you started with a workout suitable for an "ultra" beginner:
ULTRA Beginner Jump Rope Workout
There are quite a few jump rope-related groups on Facebook. You can search for "jump
rope" in Facebook to find them all.
Here are a few of the more popular ones:
Jump Rope Fitness Community: This is a very large group (overco 22,000 members) and is run by
Crossrope. Great for beginners. Not so good for more experienced jumpers, due to a very high
frequency of repetitive/common beginner questions being posted.
Jump Rope Junkies: For experienced (intermediate to advanced) jumpers only. Note: Membership to JRJ is carefully
controlled. You need to have been jumping rope regularly for a minimum 6 months to
qualify. If you don't answer the 3 questions when you request membership, you will be denied
access!!! If you are a
beginner, you should join the Jump Rope Fitness Community instead.
The guidelines for any of the many Facebook jump rope groups are pretty simple:
- Familiarize yourself with the group's community rules or guidelines, if they have
them
- Search
Google, YouTube, the group and read this FAQ before posting questions. Many beginner
questions have been answered many times before
- Be respectful and supportive
- Post your results
and progress!
- Try to make your posts unique and interesting. Add a photo or video. Just saying
"I completed W43D92 of the Challenge" is kinda uninteresting.
- Post videos if you
would like tips about how to improve your technique or resolve issues
- POSTING STUFF ALL IN CAPS IS ANNOYING. Don't do it!
- and this.....
Here is a great article that answers this question well: 10 Ways to Make Exercise a Habit
This is the TL;DR version for the lazy:
1: Do something you enjoy doing.
2: Put your training schedule on your calendar.
3: Experiment to find the workout time that’s best for you.
4: Remove obstacles with a pre-workout checklist.
5: Have clothes specifically dedicated to working out.
6: Have a plan for your workout.
7: Just get moving, even when you don’t feel like it.
8: Aim for consistency in frequency, rather than A+ workouts.
9: Exercise for something.
10: Get accountability.
That depends on many factors, including:
1. Your current fitness level
2. Your jump rope skill level
3. Prior injuries
4. What kind of surface you jump on
5. Your fitness goals
A good starting point, if you are fairly fit and have been exercising recently is
2-3 times per week. If you are a fitness beginner, then 1-2 times per week. To start,
jump sessions should be 10-20 minutes if you're already in good shape, and 5-15 minutes
if you are a beginner to exercise. It's always better to ease in gently, and build
up duration and intensity gradually,
so as not to develop shin splints or strain your calves, especially if you are jump
on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt (jump mats are a good idea!).
For more details on how often to jump and for how long, Crossrope wrote a great article
on this very topic: How Often Should You Jump Rope Each Week. Check it out!
Using heavy ropes provides the following benefits:
- Progressive resistance and more advanced training options
- Improved feedback and slower rotation (important for
beginners)
- Upper body power + shoulder development
- Overall greater muscle engagement (see photo below)
- Easier to maintain a good arc (important for beginners)
- More training versatility
You can find more information on heavy ropes here: Benefits of heavy rope design
The common opinion on many jump rope groups is that Crossropes are the best ropes you can buy. Weighted ropes (not handles!!!) let you better
feel the rope and make it easier to learn to jump rope and learn different steps and
tricks.
The Crossrope Starter Set is a good place to start, but if your bank account can handle it, then go for the
Crossrope Plus or Premium sets. Many people get hooked and upgrade quickly after getting the Starter Set.
If Crossropes are too much for your budget or you're not sure jump rope is for you
yet, then buy an inexpensive PVC rope. You can find these at many sporting goods stores,
online on Amazon and at stores
like Walmart. Stay away from the weighted handle ropes, though, since they make it
harder to feel the spin of the rope and won't help you to learn to jump rope.
Some people have commented that
Punk Ropes are pretty good, and they have some weighted ropes as well. They are not as good
as Crossropes, but if your budget is tight, might be
worth consideration.
Many jumpers like Rush Athletics ropes, They are located in the UK, so exchange, shipping time and costs may be considerations
if you are in North America
BuyJumpRopes.net have a large selection of various ropes (speed, freestyle, licorice/PCV, beaded,
etc.) available online and are good to deal with.
A new source of ropes that is worthy of consideration is Unconventional Gainz, which is by our very own Unconventional Ropestress, Sonny! She currently offers
the Freespeed,
a freestyle type rope and the Fusion, more of an all round rope. The Fusion is interesting...kind of like the Rush Money
rope, but using ball bearings with a slightly thicker
PCV rope. Give 'em a try....the Unconventional ropes are becoming popular with many
experienced JRFC jumpers!
Speed ropes can work well for fast routines, like double amd triple unders, since
they spin very fast.
That being said, if you are a beginner, they are a lot harder to learn with since
the
light rope has very little feedback, so you can't feel it spin very well.
Learning new techniques, steps and tricks (like DUs) is a lot easier with heavier
ropes. See the prior question on using
heavy ropes.
But if all you have and can afford is a speed/wire rope, jumping with that is better
than not jumping at all....at least until you can afford to get some Crossropes.
The common opinion in held by many jumpers in the Facebook jump rope groups is that Crossropes are the best ropes you can buy.
Good ropes aren't cheap and cheap ropes aren't good!
Just get the best: Crossropes. You won't be sorry! Compared to the price of
other fitness equipment and gym memberships, Crossropes are a bargain!
Online at crossrope.com. The Crossrope web site also lists distributors for some countries.
The new Infinity 2.0 ropes and handles from crossrope.com look great, and are an improvement on the older Infinity ropes. Reviews are available
on the Jump Rope Fitness Community.
Are they compatible with the older Crossropes? Nope!
Are they the same price as the older Crossropes? Nope....slightly higher in cost.
Info on the new system and ordering is available here
The new ropes started shipping on Friday, Dec 15th, and those that pre-ordered them
should have them before Christmas (for US customers)
A comprehensive and detailed review was posted by a beta tester (Andrzej) Infinity 2.0 Rope Review
The 1st Generation of Crossropes had loops in the ropes and was called the Elite System.
They looked like this:
The 2nd Generation of Crossropes were the Elite 2.0 System and were indoor only ropes.
The ropes were still pretty stiff compared to the newer ones. Some people still like
the 3 and 5 oz Elite 2.0 ropes for DU work (like the maintainer of this FAQ):
A couple of years or so ago, the 3rd Generation of Crossropes, the Infinity System
were introduced. They were less stiff and indoor/outdoor ropes:
Along with the Gen 3 Infinity ropes, there was the Generation 3 Bolt Set for Double
Unders and such:
And the Gen 3 Limited Edition ropes and handles (3/4, 1.5 and 3 lb ropes):
The most recent Generation 4 ropes, what some of us call the Infinity 2.0 ropes, are
also indoor/outdoor, even less stiff and have a new and improved handle attachment
system (which is not compatible with the older Elite ropes). These new Infinity 2.0
ropes are a definite improvement and started shipping just before Christmas 2017:
The new Infinity 2.0 ropes are an improvement, but they won't magically improve your
PRs that much. The old ropes are still awesome.
If you have the older Infinity ropes, then it may make more sense to add to that collection,
since the new Infinity 2.0 ropes are not compatible with the older Infinity ropes.
If you are buying your first Crossropes, then go for the newer Infinity 2.0 ropes.
They cost a tad more, but are worth it!
Some ropes, like Crossropes are not adjustable, so it's important to buy the optimal
length of rope. Other ropes, like the Rush Athletics ones are adjustable, so you need
to size them correctly after you buy them.
There is a good guide from Crossrope on what rope length to choose here: Crossrope Sizing Help.
Here is a good
blog post on why sizing isn't that important: Why jump rope size guidelines are not
as important as you thing..
Here is another good video from Rushie (Rush Athletics) that speaks to proper sizing
of your jump rope: How to (really) size your jump rope like a pro!
As you get more experienced, you might want shorter ropes, since shorter ropes spin
faster.
Also check out this video from Dave Hunt of Crossrope on proper sizing: Jump Rope Sizing from Crossrope
The 3 lb Titan X (and the red 3/4 lb Rush or teal 1.5 lb Flex) is a limited edition
rope that is currently not available. Crossrope may bring back the limited edition
ropes and handles in early
2018.
Watch the Jump Rope Fitness Community Facebook group for announcements!
It's best not to keep your ropes stuffed and tangled in your gym bag. They will develop
kinks that may not come out easily.
Some jumpers store ropes, nicely coiled, individually in large
zip lock bags in their gym bag.
For longer term/permanent storage at home, the best approach is to hang your ropes,
though you don't want to drape them over a single peg, since they can kink at
the pivot point.
What many have done is to hang the ropes by hooks, or drape them over multiple pegs,
handles at top, as follows:
If you have many handles, you can drape those over a peg as so:
Unfortunately, the new Infinity 2.0 Crossropes don't have loops at the end, so you
can't use the hook technique. For those ropes with handles attached, just drape the
handles on one side of a peg and the rope on the other as in the photo above.
For ropes that don't have handles attached, drape them over multiple pegs, so they
keep a wider curve and don't kink by bending too much over any one peg as follows:
Another cool approach is to screw buckets to the wall, and drape your ropes over them.
No sharp kinks that way. Hanndles and gear can go inside the buckets:
David Hunt (founder of Crossrope) says this: "Though the ropes shouldn’t get so cold
and brittle as to be unusable, PVC is temperature sensitive and the ropes do get a
bit more brittle in very cold
temperatures. If you can store them indoors that is better, though not required. Additionally
if you have a mat or softer surface that helps".
You may find that really cold ropes hold their
storage shape more, and don't flex as well as you might like when jumping.
Buy a new one!
All ropes wear out with use, even Crossropes. Consider it a badge of honour that
you jumped enough to wear one out!
While you wait for your replacement rope, some
heat shrink tubing or electrical tape might be able to fix a crack temporarily
Using a mat when jumping can extend the life of your ropes.
Experienced jumpers who do a lot of rope work
often buy a replacement ahead of time, so they don't have to wait for shipping when
their favourite rope gives up the ghost.
The best thing you can do to extend the life of your ropes is to jump on non-abrasive
surfaces and/or use a mat. Jumping on concrete and asphalt will reduce the life span
of your ropes substantially, even if the ropes are
design for outdoor use.
However, keep in mind that all ropes will eventually wear out or break with enough
use! Treat that as a badge of honour and just buy another!
For rope handles that use a mechanical bearing system, a small amount of lubricant
can help them spin with less friction and reduce any squeaking or other bearing noise.
Use something that is light but that includes a non-evaporating
lubricant additive such as PFTE or silicone. The Original WD-40 is not a good lubricant
since it totally evaporates fairly quickly. Personally, the author likes WD-40 with
Silicone to lube his rope bearings.
For information on how to care for your Crossropes, this video from David Hunt is
a great resource: How to Take Care of your Crossrope Jump Rope System.
Depending on what surface you jump on, your ropes can get black buildup where the
rope hits the ground. Some types of mats are bad for this. One suggestion on how to
clean the residue off was to use a Mr. Clean
Magic Eraser, but some testing showed that it takes tons of elbow grease, will trash
the sponge quickly and isn't very effective.
Another idea is to use a Scotchbrite pad with some soapy water. We'll report back
when we've tested this idea!
To get a good workout, your ropes should always be flying!
Oh....you mean bringing your ropes on an airplane.....OK....LOL
Many lighter ropes (not Crossropes) are fine in carry on baggage, especially those
with plastic handles and without wire in the ropes.
Many jumpers have brought their Crossropes onto planes in carry on luggage without
problems. However, a few have had issues and had their ropes confiscated. Some over-zealous
airport security staff see the heavy cables
and the solid handles and have mistaken your weapons of fat destruction for other
kinds of weapons. So there is some risk in putting your Crossropes in your carry on.
If you do put your Crossropes in carry on, best to detatch the handles from the ropes
and maybe pack the handles
and the ropes in opposite ends of your bag or even in separate bags.
Another approach is to put your Crossropes in your checked baggage instead, but then
you risk losing them if your baggage goes astray.
Either way, there is a bit of risk, so you might just want to buy some inexpensive
ropes to carry with you when you travel as an alternative approach.
Many of us have a CR/RA style drawstring bag we use to transport our ropes, or we
stuff them in a gym bag or backpack, but the ropes are always all tangled up!
Not really a problem if you only travel with one or two ropes, but some of us have
at least 4 we like to bring on trips or to the office (1 lb, 1/2 lb, Money and maybe
a speed rope or more)....so it's a pain!
If you like/have to travel and want to pack more than a couple of ropes in your bag
or backpack, it's always been a pain. The new new Rush Athletics backpack looks like a nice bag to haul your jump rope stuff around in, but doesn't solve the
tangling
problem.
What would work well would be a fabric, accordian-style, expanding insert of some
sorts that could be used to separate the individual rope/handle combos, and stuff
them in a bag or pack.
Some google searching uncovered two possible solutions as follows:
Who knew that frisbee golf was so popular that they have special bags and inserts
to organize and carry your disks?
Looked perfect to store up to 6 ropes in a fabric insert with expandable slots. The
outer velcro can be used to attach a handle or retention straps (in an x over the
top).
Seemed like it might work well to organize ropes in a bag/backpack so I ordered one
off eBay here
This is a school backpack organizer for paper. Plastic sides with expandable/accordian
slots that looks big enough to hold up to 7 ropes.
Bit less expensive than the fabric frisbee holder above, but this should work and
would be cheaper, since you can get it from Amazon.
Not sure how well the plastic would hold up, but there is fabric piping to reinforce
the edges at least.
Available on Amazon here,
though you can't pick the colour you want, so if you don't want/like pink, it's a
crap shoot!
Read this great Crossrope Blog Post on Jump Rope Shoes.
Here's another video
about some favourite jump rope shoes: Best Shoes For Jumping Rope
Ropix makes shoes designed specifically for jumping rope. Many experienced jumpers
swear by these. Ropix shoes are the Cadillac of footwear for serious jumpers, and
as a bonus, they are extremely well priced
compared to cross-training shoes. They also look really cool....with both low-rise
and high-top models available. If you search around on the Jump Rope Facebook Groups,
you can even find some discount codes that make them even more attractive from a price
point perspective.
Check them out here: Ropix Shoes Two Thumbs Up for Ropix jump rope shoes if you want the best!
Some people jump in bare feet. We think they are crazy! One hit with the 2 lb Fury
rope will cure of of that. LOL
Try using a secure knot, like some of the ones shown here Shoelace Knots.
Get shoes with velcro or wire
closures.
Some people jump in bare feet. We think they are crazy! One hit with the 2 lb Fury
rope will cure of of that. LOL
Any comfortable workout clothing usually works well. Ladies that are "well-endowed"
may want to invest in a good, supportive sport bra. You can search for posts on this
subject online and in some of
the Facebook jump rope groups
If you want to jump naked, that's great....but do take a video and post it on Facebook
for the rest of us to see. Thanks! LOL
Some crazy idiots even jump
in a kilt:
Crossrope sells a mat specifically for jumping rope.
Many jump rope group members swear
by horse stall mats. These are typicallly available in 4x6' and 5x7' sizes and are
reasonably prices (under $50 usually). They are available at stores like TSC and other
agricultural/equine stores.
However, horse stall mats are 3/4" thick and are VERY heavy, so are not portable and
are more or less permanent. They can also smell strongly of rubber when new.
Fitness equipment mats work well
too. They are usually 3x7' in size and only 1/4" thick, so are quite portable. You
can find these at any store that sells treadmills/ellipticals/etc and online on Amazon
Stay away from yoga
mats....they are too light and will move around too much when you try to jump rope
on them.
Many jumpers use weightlifting gloves, especially with heavy ropes, to prevent blisters. Some people don't like the typical padded palms that come with workout gloves, or prefer full finger gloves. RockTape Talon gloves were a great choice but are unfortunately discontinued (there may be some sizes available still on RockTape's web site. Other good choices are baseball, golf or unpadded motocross gloves, with many styles and pricepoints available on Amazon.
There are apps available that provide workouts and tracking, like the Crossrope App.
For Apple iDevice users, the Jump Rope Workout app is worth looking at.
The Jump Rope Workout app will count your jumps if you put your phone in your pocket as you jump, but you
can't see the display/count.
There is a Jump Rope Acoustic Counter prototype being worked on (no guarantees that
will ever be a commercial product, though a limited number of test units will be distributed
early in 2017 for beta testing).
The 2nd iteration of the prototype (JRAC2) has been in use/testing for a few months
now, and uses a touch sensitive display:
Here is another shot of the JRAC2 counter in Double Under mode (DU on right most button
and spinup is 2 (ie. number of basic single jumps before you start doing double unders):
The JRAC2 unit is user configurable, with a Settings screen. In this shot you can
see how to set the spinup count for multi-unders:
This was the first iteration of the Jump Rope Acoustic Counter Prototype, JRAC1, used
a segment display and physical buttons/switches. It has been in constant use/testing
for over 6 months
Jumping rope can be painful if you have a large chest. Some recommendations from
women with this issue include:
Doubling up and wearing two sports bras.
Get a specially made sports bra intended for larger cup sizes and make sure you get
properly fitted.
Some recommended brands include Enell (pricey but recommended by many), Lululemon,
Victoria's Secret front close sports bra or the angel max sports bra, Shefit ultimate
and the C9 Max Support Powershape from Target.
Also worth considering, Under Armour Eclipse High and Glamorize Full-Figure, Exercise
and Sports bras
Minimizer bras are worth a try as well, since they compress the girls and hold 'em
in tight.
There is some new technology coming soon that might provide support during physical
exertions/movement, while being more comfortable when you're not actively moving.
Check out this article for more details:
Reebok sports bra uses gel to change support as you move
In recent news, Knix is releasing a new brand that might be worth looking at: The Knix Catalyst Is the Sports Bra You’ve Been Waiting For.
WARNING: Stop reading here if you don't have a sense of humour! ;-).
.
And finally, does it pain you to jump for any length of time? Do you always have black
eyes? Are you worried that your bosoms will sag if you
jump too much? If so, you may be at risk of JRM2B2H ((Jump Rope Makes My Bouncing
Boobies Hurt) Syndrome! Well, fret no more, 'cause we have the perfect
product to solve all of these problems for you:
The JRBS (Jump Rope Boobie Springs) System to the rescue!
Tames uncontrolled bounce. Reduces pain and saggage. Comes in many sizes to fit any
bra and cup size perfectly, from the more modest
JRBS Agility springs for A/B cups:
Through the JRBS Intensity springs for C/D cups:
And finally, the ultimate, awesome JRBS Titan Monster springs for Double D's and larger:
Free custom fittings for all ladies!
Also available for men with similar problems, check out our JRMS (Jump Rope Moob Springs) System! Sorry, but we don't offer custom fitting services
for the JRMS system.
Order now, and jump pain free! ;-)
The answer here seems to be more about personal preference than anything else. Some
wear an athletic support (aka: jock strap), others like tighter briefs, but many guys
jump in boxers too. A few even jump without
any underwear, prefering freedom! ;-) The FAQ author has jumped in his kilt, regimental
style, with no ill effects! LOL
The best advice though, was this: "It is kind of like a weight belt. If you keep giving
your nuts artificial support, how are they ever going to get strong?
Let them hang so you can build up proper nut strength. Nads of steel!"
Nads of steel? Well.....that's just nuts! LOL
There are a lot of earbuds out there (full headphones/cans would likely be unweildy
while jumping) that might fit the bill. One of the key questions is do you want wired
ones
(your music device would have to be on your body somehow) or wireless? Wireless come
in two flavours....where the earbuds are connected with a wire that drapes between
them
(which could flop around during intense jump sessions) or true wireless (though keeping
these from falling out out of your ears will depend on your anatomy and the specific
earbuds you select).
True wireless with ear prongs (flexible extensions that prevent falling out) are probably
the best choice, if your budget can afford them, since they are more expensive.
There are quite a few true wireless ear buds out there, but many inexpensive ones
are sub-par when it comes to quality and audio performance. Caveat emptor.
A google search for wireless earbuds might be useful to help you decide!
The recently available Jabra Elite Active 65t's look very good, albeit on the pricey side!
One common issue with wireless (Bluetooth) earbuds is in a crowded gym, with many
folks using wireless, there can be interference that causes dropouts. If you have
a newer smartphone
with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 support, that can help, but make sure the earbuds also
support the latest Bluetooth version for best performance.
In a word, nope!. Jumping rope has less impact on the knees than running and many other sports activities. This is because when you jump rope with proper form, you are on the balls of your feet and you don't jump very high.
A good warmup before hitting the ropes hard is recommended.
Some folks just do a light round of 100 jumps with the 4 oz Agility rope to warm
up.
Other folks do various
stretches.
Here is a good video outlining a recommended warmup
Read this great Crossrope Blog Post on the subject.
It is also recommended that you avoid
jumping on hard surfaces like concrete. Using a mat will help with that greatly, and
has the side benefit of making your jump ropes last longer.
Good footwear can also go a long way to prevent shin splints and sore calves. Check
out the FAQ entry on good jump rope shoes in the Other Gear gear category above for
some recommendations.
A good warmup before hitting the ropes hard is
recommended. Here is a good video on How to prevent injury jumping rope
And finally, if you are prone to shin splints, don't let them get too bad, which will
put a huge dent in your jumping if you are forced to lay off for a while.
Take it easy and build up your stamina and shins/calves slowly over time, especially
if you are doing double unders, which require a higher jump and thus put more stress
on the lower legs.
That depends....
If it's normal post-workout soreness, then take it easy and maybe do some light jump
rope sessions till the soreness subsides.
If it's more pain that than, then
stop jumping and let your body heal, rather than hurt yourself more and be out for
a longer period.
If the pain is abnormal or lasts a long time, then a visit to your physician to get
checked
out may be wise.
That depends....
If you can run then you can probably jump rope, since jumping is less stress on the
knees.
If your condition is not too serious, you could try by starting with
some light, short session jumping.
Best bet is probably to consult your physician to get their opinion before you start
a jump rope program.
Chafing of the hands and blisters are not uncommon, especially if you are doing longer
sessions with heavier ropes.
You can try changing your grip, if the rope is rubbing against your
knuckles.
Many experienced jump ropes use workout gloves when spinning heavy ropes for longer
sessions.
When using heavy ropes (1 lb and heavier), try to keep the handles from moving
much in your hands...keep a tight grip, which will reduce the chance of blisters and
chafing.
You will need a heart rate monitor device. There are various wrist and chest straps
available for this, which are relatively inexpensive. Chest straps are generally perceived
to be more
accurate.
Along with a HRM, a good tracking app on your phone can help display heart rate during
a workout and log the data for all your workouts. One good app that is used by a number
of jump
rope Facebook group members is iCardio.
First, if you are really, really sore, then maybe you overdid it! You need to pace
yourself and build up to more intense workouts, not hit them right out of the gate
as a beginner. Ending up in bed or on the couch for days isn't going
to help you get fit. ;-)
Taking measures to alleviate the pain, like using NSAIDs (ibprophen and the like)
or aspirin for example, is a bad idea. It's been shown that these drugs actually interfere
with the rate of recovery
from training by masking some of the signals that initiate the construction and repair
process. So don't do that!
The best thing to do is to move a bit...do a very light workout or some stretching,
yoga, walking, cycling or even some easy jumping. That will loosen things up a bit
and help the soreness by increasing blood flow to the area.
Here is a recent video on this very topic: How To Deal With Sore Muscles?
Lots of suggestions were posted by women about this on the JRFC group, and most commmon
suggestions included:
Pee before jumping (doesn't always work though)
Do Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor
Use a pad or tampon (Poise was the brand most mentioned.
You should be standing erect, relaxed, with a straight back. Jumps should be on the
balls of your feet, with the heels off or barely brushing the ground on landings
Knees ankles should flex
a bit to absorb the landings
Only jump high enough to clear the rope. You don't need to jump very high...and inch
or so for basic bounce is plenty. You'll need to jump higher and faster for
Double Unders.
Hands should be down around your hips, with the elbows in fairly tight to the body.
You don't want to hold your arms out too wide as this shortens the rope and can contribute
to
trips.
The rope should spin using primarily your wrists (which is harder with the really
heavy ropes!). Your forearms should not rotate much around your elbows.
You should not bend at
the waist nor should your feet come forward. This is a common problem when doing Double
Unders.
Similarily, you should not kick your feet back, since that makes it more likely they
will catch on
the rope.
Check out this great/short video from Bernadette on proper jump rope form: Proper Jump Rope Form
Post a video of you jumping rope on the Facebook in one of the many jump rope groups.
Many folks will offer constructive comments on how and where to improve your form!
Again, it depends:
How fit are you? Have you been doing other regular exercises? Are you a couch potato
packing a few (or more) extra pounds and this is your first foray into getting
fit?
If you are a novice jump roper, then start with short sessions (1 minute or less)
and don't push yourself too hard. Injuries from pushing too hard are counter-productive
and no
fun!
There are many good beginner jump rope workout videos on YouTube (search for Crossrope
or YouTube for beginner workouts). They will provide some more guidance on how long
to jump
for.
If you are a more experienced jumper, then sky's the limit, but don't exceed your
fitness and skill level.
Here is a good blog post from Crossrope on the subject: How Often Should You Jump Rope Each Week
In all cases, LISTEN to your body! If anything starts to hurt, stop.
If your heart feels like there is an Alien chestburster in there ripping it's way
out, stop and take a breather!
Getting fit with jumping rope (or any other method for that matter) is a
marathon, not a sprint, so go easy till you build up your stamina and strength. Perserverence
and persistence are more important than killing yourself in any single workout.
The beauty of jumping rope is you can do it almost anywhere!
You can jump indoors, in your house, garage, on your deck, at a gym, etc.
Some gyms, like Planet Fitness, don't allow
jump ropes. Avoid those gyms..they obviously don't care about fitness if they discourage
one of the most effective fitness tools out there: Jumping rope!.
People have packed their ropes on
vacation and jumped on cruise ships, in hotels, on the beach, on large rocks, and
all over! Be creative...just jump!
If you jump outdoors, a mat can help your ropes last longer. Concrete and
asphalt are harder on your ropes and your body.
The current Crossropes are all designed for outdoor use, though they will wear a
bit faster if you do a lot of jumping on hard surfaces. The
older Elite 2.0 ropes were indoor only.
People have tried different techniques to protect their ropes when jumping on harder
surfaces. Things like wrapping the centre in tape, using spiral
plastic wraps, and more. None of them really work very well.
You're best bet is to celebrate it greatly if you wear out a rope....and plan to
buy a new one if/when that day comes! That is a huge
accomplishment that few people will ever reach.
Jumping in front of a mirror can help you check your technique/form, hand positioning,
jump height, symmetry, posture and more, and can thus help you improve your jumping.
However, some people find looking in the mirror while jumping to be distracting and
prefer to video themselves instead and review their technique or causes of trip ups
after the fact.
Beware of one downside of a mirror though, if it is not firmly affixed to the wall,
especially if you have a gym cat! They think their reflection is an intruder meow
and when batting the mirror can knock it over,
which makes a hell of a mess! (speaking from experience here! :-O ).
If you haven't already, join one of the many jump rope Facebook groups. A list of common groups was provided in answer to a question in Category A.
Join one of the many jump rope Facebook groups. Members post various workouts all
the time. Crossrope also runs no-cost challenges on a regular basis, like the recent
30-Day Jump Rope/Kettlebell
challenge.
There are apps available that provide workouts and tracking, like the Crossrope App.
Try searching Google and
YouTube as well. Both Crossrope and searching YouTube will turn up many good beginner workouts.
Crossrope do regular jump rope challenges every few months. They are typically of
2 types, 30 day fitness challenges, which are geared towards improving fitness/losing
weight and shorter performance challenges (typically 10 days),
which are all about measuring your abilities with a jump rope (eg. how fast you can
do a fixed number of jumps with a specific rope weight, or how many consecutive jumps
you can do for things like double unders).
Typically, new challenges are announced on the Jump Rope Fitness Community (JRFC) Facebook group and you sign up for them. These challenges are free.
Once you are signed up, you will receive emails with hints, tips, preparatory materials,
links to demonstration videos and the workouts themselves. 30 Day challenge workouts
are posted a week at a time and the link where to find them is emailed to you. Older
challenges are archived (see the next question on where to find those). For the performance
challenges, there is usually a practice day followed by a performance day for each
challenge exercise/jump routine. These are emailed one at a time.
Read the Challenge PDFs! Almost all the info you need to participate in a Crossrope
Challenge are included in the Workout PDFs! Don't be lazy....that's not consistent
with being a good rope jumper! ;-)
Challenges usually have two levels, beginner and advanced. The advanced level typically
prescribes heavier ropes and more jumps. Choose the level based on your experience
and level of jumping ability. Even the beginner challenge exercises can be difficult!
If they are, just do what
you can and/or modify the day's routine to suit your fitness and skill level. This
is not a contest, except maybe versus yourself. The point is to work out regularly,
and push yourself a bit, and thus make regular jumping a habit.
The challenges do assume some basic jump rope skills. If you've never picked up a
rope before, you might want to spend some time learning to jump and some of the easier
skills such as different steps and once you have
developed a bit of proficiency with your jump rope, try a challenge then. Or just
jump in and go for a Challenge anyway!
Crossrope encourages everyone to post up their challenge progress on the JRFC, but
there is no requirement to do so, if you're shy or just don't want to share your results.
If you do share, posting something like
"I just finished W69D342" is extremely boring! Try to post more interesting things,
like how you felt, what was hard/easy, what you thought of the day's routine, what
you're looking forward to next, where you could use some tips/pointers or
technique advice, etc!
If you decide to do a Crossrope Challenge, then above all, try to have fun and enjoy
the experience! You may be surprised by the results that you get from doing one!
If you have questions about a challenge, specific routine/skill, or whatever, then
posting up on JRFC can be a good way to get your questions answered.
Usually, you have to sign up for the Crossrope Challenges free) and you get emails
with the detailed challenge workouts
You can find the current and past Crossrope Challenge Workouts in
the Jump Rope Fitness Community Facebook group Files area.
You don't need to have Crossropes to do a challenge! Any rope that you have will
work. However, the 30-day challenges are structured to use specific weighted ropes
for some routines, with the advanced level typically prescribing heavier ropes and
or more jumps.
If you just have an inexpensive non-weighted rope, you can still do the challenges,
they will just be a lot easier is all.
The 10 day performance challenges really require specific weighted ropes. You can
do the performance challenges with other ropes,
but you can't really compare your results to everyone else on the leaderboards in
that case.
Having good shoes and a mat to jump on can help a lot, since these Challenges can
be quite intense. Check out the early FAQ entries on gear for some suggestions.
Some challenges include other exercises beyond just jumping rope, such as bodyweight
and/or kettlebell routines. You don't need anything for the bodyweight exercises besides
a bit of floor space (and maybe a pullup bar, which
is a great and inexpensive piece of exercise gear!). For challenges that include
kettlebell exercises, you will need some kettlebells (Doh!). If you've never done
kettlebells before, ones in the 12-16 kg range are a good starting point.
Really? Why would you want such a combo? And if you do, then just google or search
YouTube for appropriate exercises and create your own workout.
There was a recent kettlebell/jump rope
Challenge. You can find it in the Files section of the Jump Rope Fitness Community Facebook group
That being said,
there is serious consideration being given to a jump rope/thighmaster combo Challenge.
An excellent video about the benefits of this can be found here.
Maybe we should have a shakeweight/jump rope challenge too? LOL
This challenge was named after Brandy Friend who hangs out in some of the many jump
rope Facebook groups
The challenge consists of doing 1000 jumps with the 1 lb Intensity rope, for time.
If you have to take breaks to get to 1000 jumps, the timer keeps running!
Read about Brandy's inspiring jump rope story here: Jump Rope Weight Loss Story: Brandy Friend’s Lucky Seven
Ladders are where you work through a series of weighted ropes, typically, for an
ascending ladder the rope weights increase each time and for a descending one, they
decrease.
Obviously, you
need have a number of heavier ropes to do a ladder, such as the 1 lb Intensity, 1.5
lb Flex, 2 lb Fury and 3 lb Titan Crossropes.
One good ladder is to do the following as fast as you can
manage: 400 x 1 lb Intensity, 300 x 1.5 lb Flex, 200 x 2 lb Fury and 100 x 3 lb Titan,
for the ascent, which gives you 1000 jumps.
You can also do the descent as well, where you start with
another 100 x 3 lb Titan and work your way down. Doing both ascent and descent totals
2000 heavy rope jumps and is a killer workout! Not for the faint of heart.
If you don't have the heavier ropes like the Flex or Titan, try the Medium Rope Ladder
in the next question instead.
Other variations include doing a
fixed amount of jumps for each rope (100 or 250, etc) and including more and lighter
ropes as well.
Ladders are where you work through a series of weighted ropes, typically, for an
ascending ladder the rope weights increase each time and for a descending one, they
decrease.
Obviously, you
need have a number of ropes to do a ladder, such as the 1/4 lb Agility, 1/2 lb Energy,
1 lb Intensity and 2 lb Fury Crossropes (if you get the new Get Fit Infinity 2.0 bundle,
you will have all of these rope weights).
Similar to the Heavy Rope Ladder in the previous question, do the following as fast
as you can
manage: 400 x 1/4 lb Agility, 300 x 1/4 lb Energy, 200 x 1 lb Intensity and 100 x
2 lb Fury, for the ascent, which gives you 1000 jumps.
You can also do the descent as well, where you start with
another 100 x 2 lb Fury and work your way down. Doing both ascent and descent totals
2000 medium-weight rope jumps and is a challenging workout!
Other variations include doing a
fixed amount of jumps for each rope (100 or 250, etc) and including more and lighter/heavier
ropes as well.
This is a speed jumping challenge. Using 1/4 (Agility), 1/2 (Energy), 3/4 (Rush),
1 (Intensity), 1.5 (Flex), 2 (Fury) and 3 (Titan) lb Crossropes, the goal is to achieve
your fastest time doing 100 jumps with each of these ropes.
The 100 jumps have to be contiguous....so if you trip or take a break, then that still
counts in the time for that rope weight. Each rope weight is considered independently,
so you don't have to go in any particular sequence, or even do them all at once.
Though doing all 7 ropes at once (ladder style) with breaks in between makes for a
pretty decent workout.
Times to beat are around 23 seconds for 1/4 through 1 lb ropes. 26 seconds for 1.5
lb, 27 seconds for 2 lb and 35 seconds for the killer 3 lb Titan rope.
As the Doctor said, "Stop doing that!". LOL
There are many reasons you're getting whacked....but it's impossible to diagnose
the cause of the issue from just a post or photo. Could be your
timing, incorrect hand position, bad arm movement, loss of concentration, rope too
light, etc.
Though heavier ropes hurt more when they hit (Doh!), you tend to spin them slower
so you can
control your timing better, and you can "feel" the rope movement better than with
a light rope, so counter-intuitively, heavy ropes can whack you less and help you
fix the problem easier!
Post
up a video of you jumping and doing what you do when you get whacked (eg. basic bounce,
criss cross, double unders, etc.) on one of the many Facebook jump rope groups, and
you'll likely get some pointers
to fix the underlying issue.
Put on some shin pads. Or wrap towels around your lower legs and tape them in place.
;-) Maybe just put on higher/thicker socks and sweat pants, rather than ankle
socks and shorts, to cushion the sting a bit.
Wear the whip marks proudly...it means you are pushing yourself! No pain....no gain,
as they say. LOL
Typically, it's easier to jump with heavier ropes, since you can better feel the
rope position/spin, you tend to spin a bit slower, and so it's easier to coordinate
your jump and timing.
This is why it's recommended for novice jumpers to use heavier ropes. Trying to learn
with an ultra-light speed/wire rope is much harder when you are starting out
Going from heavy to lighter
ropes in the same session can be hard. You don't feel the lighter Agility rope as
well, so it's easier to trip up. It may be easier to go the other direction....start
light and work up to heavy. Makes for
a built-in warmup too.
The double hop is when the rope goes around once but you jump (or flex) twice, and
is considered bad form. It will also hinder you from progressing with your jump rope
skills.
Here is a
good video on how to avoid this: How to avoid the Double Hop
Lend your heavy rope, preferably the 2 lb Fury, to your significant other, family
member or good friend. Have them beat you with it when you don't stick to your workout
plan.
Pay for a
workout plan with accountability components from someone or from Crossrope. They'll keep you on track.
Join a jump rope fitness group/community where members support and motivate each
other.
You could also impose on strangers
and and ask them to hold you accountable, but that doesn't seem like it would be a
very effective approach. You wouldn't walk into a gym and ask strangers to keep you
on track, so why do you think it's OK
to do that online? ;-)
If you can't stay accountable to yourself jumping rope, then maybe this would be more your
speed? ;-)
People use different approaches to counting their jumps. A common one is to count
in 10s....1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Ten....1, 2, 3....Twenty...1, 2, 3.....Thirty,
etc.
Even with that,
it's easy to get mixed up on the hundreds when you are doing 1000 jumps or so. One
solution was to put balls of paper on the floor in an arc and kick them away every
100.
The Jump Rope Workout app will count your jumps if you put your phone in your pocket as you jump.
Or you can wait till the Jump Rope Acoustic Counter prototype becomes available. There
is more information and photos of the JRAC2 counter in section C-6 earlier in the
FAQ, along with other counting solutions.
Go to YouTube and search for how-to videos for the step (alternate feet, jacks, scissor, boxer skip, etc.) or tricks( double unders, criss cross, side to side, etc.) that you want to learn. There are tons of good videos out there that can help you master these steps/tricks. Crossrope has great videos for this, and searching YouTube for advanced jump tricks can pay dividends.
Check out the Jump Rope Tricktionary
First, make sure that your basic bounce and form is rock solid and near perfect.
Trying advanced moves like x-crosses before you master the basics will be an exercise
in frustration!
Here is a good video from Dave Hunt at Crossrope on learning the criss-cross move:
Jump Rope Tutorial: Criss-Cross from Crossrope.
Also check out this video: Criss Cross Jump Rope Tutorial.
And finally, some videos from Rush Athletics on x-crosses: Jump Rope Crossover Tutorial | 4 Things You NEED to know! and
How To Master Cross-Overs (At Speed!)
First, make sure that your basic bounce and form is rock solid and near perfect.
Trying advanced moves like DUs before you master the basics will be an exercise in
frustration!
A
progressive approach to learning DUs has worked for many jump rope group members.
Here is a good video that demonstrates a good step by step approach to learning DUs:
How to learn double unders step by step - Paradiso Crossfit .
Crossrope and other sources on YouTube also have good videos on YouTube about how to do DUs.
This specific video can help diagnose problems in mastering DUs: 6 Reasons You CAN'T Double Under
These vids from Rush Athletics have some good advice on mastering DUs: How to Crush Double-Unders (Instantly!) and
Why You (Still!) Can't Crush Double Unders!
What are you doing reading this FAQ if you're ready to learn triple+ unders?!?!?!
If you haven't already, join one of the many jump rope Facebook groups and post up
there. Members are
usually happy to give you some pointers,
We don't know. Ask Matt Garner on the Jump Rope Facebook Group! LOL
If you watch Vincent L Clark's videos, it would seem that way! LOL
Yes! LOL
We're not really sure. Watch this video on the Jump Rope Fitness Community Facebook group and come to your own conclusions. LOL
When it comes to Crossropes, there is no such thing as too many! LOL
Yes
The former is what we do with Crossropes (and other ropes).
The latter is what cowboys do when they have to cross a ditch while lassoing cattle.
Get it right or the grammar police will
confiscate your jump ropes! ;-)
On a related note:
A rope jumper is a person that likes to jump rope. A jump roper sounds like someone
that might engage in questionable sexual
activities.
LOL
If jumping rope and effective workouts that produce results aren't your thing, maybe you should try this instead? ;-)
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