How to do the jump rope
A jump rope costs almost nothing, fits in a bag, and delivers a serious aerobic session in ten minutes. The catch is that it is high impact and concentrated in the calves and shins, so the build-up has to be slow.
- Type
- Cardio
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Jump rope
- Works
- Calves
- Also worked
- Quadriceps, Shoulders, Forearms, and Abdominals
- Also called
- Skipping and Skipping Rope
Before you start
- Size the rope by standing on the middle — the handles should reach roughly to your armpits.
- Stand tall with elbows close to your ribs and the rope resting behind your heels.
- Jump on a forgiving surface if you can. Concrete is the fastest route to sore shins.
How to do it
- Turn the rope with your wrists, not your arms — the elbows barely move.
- Jump just high enough to clear the rope, two to three centimetres.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet with a slight knee bend.
- Keep your gaze forward and your torso upright rather than looking down at the rope.
Cues that help
- Wrists turn the rope, the arms stay quiet.
- Small jumps. If you can hear yourself landing, you are jumping too high.
- Stop the set on the first ugly rep, not the first missed one.
Common mistakes
Too much, too soon
Ten minutes of skipping on day one is how people get shin splints. Start with 30-second intervals and build from there.
Swinging from the shoulders
Big arm circles waste energy and make the rope timing inconsistent. Tuck the elbows in.
Double-bouncing between reps
An extra small hop between turns halves your work rate and builds a habit that is hard to break later.
How to progress it
Start with intervals — 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, for ten rounds — and grow the work interval before you shrink the rest. Once you can skip continuously for five minutes, add variations like alternate-foot steps or double unders.
How to track it
Log duration, and distance only if your rope counts it. For interval sessions, log the total working time so the trend reflects work done rather than time spent standing around.
Log your jump rope
Opens the cardio form with Jump Rope already filled in. Free account, no card.
Jump Rope questions
How long should I jump rope for?
Ten to fifteen minutes of total work is a solid conditioning session. Beginners should build to that over several weeks of intervals.
Why do my calves hurt so much?
Skipping loads the calves and Achilles far more than running does. Build up slowly, and give yourself a day between sessions early on.
What kind of rope should I buy?
A plain PVC speed rope is fine and cheap. Beaded ropes give more feedback for learning; weighted ropes are for later.