jump rope

Jump rope benefits

Ready to grab a rope and start hopping? Here’s how jumping rope may benefit you.

It increases your heart rate

Jumping rope can be a good form of cardio, which increases your heart rate and can help decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Depending on how fast you jump rope, it’s going to engage more of that anaerobic cardiovascular exercise for you because you’re using your hands and your feet to jump rope,” explains Lawton. “That means it’s a short, fast form of high-intensity exercise where our body uses fuel stored in the muscles for energy, unlike aerobic exercises.”

It burns calories

And when you increase your heart rate, you also burn more calories.

So, how many calories does jumping rope burn? While it depends on your pace, on average, someone may burn about 100 calories jumping rope for 10 minutes.

Can you jump rope to lose weight?

“As part of a well-rounded exercise program and a healthy diet, jumping rope can help with weight loss,” says Lawton.

It improves coordination and balance

Research shows that jumping rope regularly can improve your balance and coordination.

“Jumping rope is all about timing — you have to be able to time the jump rope as it’s moving around you and when you’re going to jump, so there has to be a little bit of coordination between your hands and your feet to be able to tell your brain when you’re going to jump,” says Lawton.

And as we age, we tend to lose our sense of coordination and balance.

“So it’s also really good at making sure that we’re slowing the aging process as best as we can,” she adds.

It may build bone density

Your bone density decreases as you age. But jumping rope may help keep your bones strong, research shows.

As jumping rope is a load-bearing activity, the small impact or stress from landing after a jump helps strengthen your bones.

It’s easy to do

All you need is a rope and yourself. And you can jump rope almost anywhere, making it a great option for on-the-go or when you’re traveling.

“Some people like to work out at home. Or if it’s raining outside and you don’t have a treadmill or elliptical, but still want some form of cardio, being able to pick up a rope is a great option,” says Lawton.

It makes you feel good

Did we mention it’s fun? And that it may help improve your mental health?

“With cardiovascular exercise in general, there’s an increase in serotonin, which can help with depression,” shares Lawton. “And if you get anxious sometimes, being active can also help calm ourselves down.”