As I’m sure you’ve heard before…It’s all about quality over quantity — it’s a repetitive saying but it certainly rings true especially with jumping rope. Even if you’re hardcore about your workouts, it’s a good idea to check in every now and then with your form, style, and routine to prevent from plateauing all your efforts. After all, we have to make that calorie burn count.
1. Use a weighed jump rope.
Are you used to jumping rope with a basic rope? One that has zero resistance for an extended period of time? Increase your resistance with a weighted jump rope to help increase intensity, build muscle, and boost your calorie burn.
Rather than steady-state jump rope cardio, add intervals by switching up the movement — for instance, 30 second skips, 30 second side straddle, 30 second rest, repeat for 10-15 minutes — to burn more fat, increase your metabolism, and get your coordination on point. Need ideas? Check out the top 15 cardio jump rope drills to add into your workouts here
3. Throw in weights or body weight exercises in-between intervals Adding muscle to your frame will help increase your resting metabolism, making your body burn more calories even when you’re at rest. Try Incorporate 2-3 days of strength training into your weekly skipping workouts, or take you jump rope to the next level if you can add weighted handles or a heaver rope like a 1/2 lb rope. When you challenge your body with short periods of higher intensity broken up by short steady-state recovery periods, you’ll reap greater benefits all around.Try to maintain a consistent speed for the biggest payoff.
We’ve heard the benefits that drinking water and staying hydrated can do for our bodies but did you know it can boost your metabolism? Check out this study that found drinking about two cups of water before a workout can boost your metabolism by 30 percent. This increase occurred within 10 minutes of consumption and reached a peak 30 to 40 minutes after drinking. Drink up my friends!
5. Get enough protein to keep your muscles working
Whether you’re vegan or full on meat eater. Be sure you’re eating enough protein, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. It can help you meet your goal by reducing hunger and cravings, helping to starve off muscle loss and more. Aim for 30 percent of your daily calories to come from protein. For a daily intake of 1,500 calories, that’s 112.5 grams of protein.
So next time you only have 15 minutes to jump rope, know that you still have plenty of time to burn major calories! Check out my favorite Jump rope HIIT workouts here :)
Happy Jumping Rope!
About the Author:
Karly Kent, Founder of Gratitude Ropes, a former competitive jump roper, certified fitness coach, and mom of two, turned her childhood passion into a mission to help others get fit while finding gratitude and appreciation for life. Whether you're new to jumping rope or want a fun full body workout, Karly has you covered from full body HIIT workouts to all levels of Jump rope tutorials. Karly teaches others how to jump rope, get fit all with gratitude in your hands. That inspired her to launch her own Jump Ropes, called Gratitude Ropes. To serve as a reminder to take a moment and appreciate the tiny wins around us, that’s when our world starts to change. It's the small things that add up and can carry you through those hard times. Welcome to her passion. Jumping rope is her jam!