Having you been skipping your heart out and not seeing any change in your body? You're not alone! At some point in any weight loss or cardio training like jumping rope, there can be a plateau if you're not doing it right. This plateau is a specific period of time where there is no change, either no fat loss or no improvement in cardio training. This is the body's natural reaction to diet or fitness. The body will do everything possible to maintain homeostasis, which is what may be experienced as a plateau. The answer is changing it up you resistance or speed when you're jumping rope. Confusing the body through constant change in cardio training can end a plateau. Here are 7 training tips to push through a plateau:
1.Do not over do cardio (skipping too long with no change).
Straight jumping rope can be a super helpful weight-loss tool, but keep in mind that when you lose weight, your body doesn't just burn fat—you can lose muscle mass, too. Incorporating strength training with heavy ropes helps you maintain and gain muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, and the more body fat you’ll shed.
2. Change up the tempo/speed.
Not all skips are the same. Try doing 30 seconds of slow skipping followed by 30 seconds of intense fast skipping. That will challenge your body and also help beat boredom. If you're looking for these workouts... Check out these jump rope HIIT workouts here
3.Change up the resistance.
Switch up the resistance in your jump rope workouts by changing the weight of the ropes or adding weighted handles. The heavy rope will boost the amount of time the muscle is under tension, while increasing the overall difficulty of the exercise.
4.You’re not working at an intensity that’s challenging for you.
As you get stronger so should your workouts, and just because you’re breaking a sweat doesn’t mean you’re working as intensely as you should be. Try keeping track of your heart rate, it’s a great way to monitor how hard you’re pushing youself. You want to keep it challenging but doable. This will help you make sure you’re working as hard as you need to burn significant calories (and ignite that afterburner effect)
5.Focus on Quality
Busting through a weight-loss plateau is more than calories in and calories out. Processed foods won’t cut it anymore. Eating quality whole foods like veggies, beans, high-fiber fruits and lean proteins are best for your body to burn fat and have enough energy to get through a workout and recover properly.
6. You're just going through the motions.
If you are dreading your workout, chances are you’re probably not jumping rope.( just saying) One of the main reasons people stick with jumping rope is because it’s fun and they get carried away with the time spent doing it. But in the event you are bored sometimes we need to take a little break, let the body rest and remind our selves of our WHY and goals.
7. Take some time off.
Feel like you’re always skipping? In some cases, lack of progress might mean the body needs more time to recharge. Be sure to incorporate “rest days’ or at the very least “ reload weeks” These weeks are exactly what they sound like — a decrease in workout intensity for a short period of time. But rather than zoning out on your phone, focus on quality rest alongside easy movement.
Plateaus can happen for a variety of reasons, both positive and negative. On the plus side, they can be a good indicator of hard, consistent Training. They can also signal poor nutrition or inadequate recovery. And remember, just because you’re experiencing a plateau right now, it doesn’t mean you’ll never see progress again. Take this as an opportunity to hit the reset button and re-evaluate what’s been working and what hasn’t been. Making tweaks to your jump rope workout strategy can give you big results, so if you’re feeling stuck, look at what you can change—before you know it, you’ll be powering through your plateau. Now SKIP to it!
About the Author:
Karly Kent, AKA Jump Rope Mom 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.
Karly knows first hand how striving for our fitness and life goals can make us take our achievements, body, and current lives for granted. Karly teaches others how to jump rope by maximizing your time and fitness goals. Her workouts and jump ropes will burn fat and build muscles faster than your average run.
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, and stay focused on your goals. It's the small things that add up and can carry you through those hard times.
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