Jump rope is the best cardio workout in quarantine: burns fat and even improves memory

Jumping is great cardio and also burns fat.

The jump rope is an indispensable element in the training of athletes, boxers, figure skaters, football players, and tennis players. And in general, jumping is one of the best ways to burn fat and keep your body toned.

The dynamic load when jumping is minimal - due to the high pace, the muscles do not fully contract or stretch. But this does not mean that the jump rope does not pump them up: jumping involves the calf muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings. Indirectly, the load also extends to the buttocks and abdominal muscles.

With the correct technique, the torso muscles are practically not loaded, but due to the static nature, posture and the vestibular apparatus improve.

The greatest burden falls on the cardiovascular system - this normalizes blood pressure and improves breathing. Studies have shown that after 6 weeks of 10-minute workouts with a jump rope, athletes had the same cardiovascular improvement as those who jogged for half an hour.

Everyone knows that jumping is an excellent tool against excess weight. Theoretically, about 1000 kcal are burned per hour - more than walking (300), swimming (550) and cycling (700). It is clear that jumping without stopping for an hour is difficult, but combined training with a jump rope is much more effective than without it.

Another advantage of jumping is the development of coordination, dexterity and attention. Scientists have proven that jumping rope develops both hemispheres of the brain: spatial orientation and memory improve. In addition, exercises require constant concentration.

And of course, a jump rope is the most accessible for exercise: cheap, convenient and unpretentious.

The health benefits of jumping rope

This is the most energy-intensive workout. In just half an hour of exercise, 300-400 calories are burned, and in an hour - up to 800 or more calories. It all depends on the person’s endurance, the speed of the exercise, regularity and other factors. The more often the training is carried out, the more effective it will be.

IMPORTANT: You can burn no more than 500 calories in an hour of jogging at an average pace.

You can exercise at home (preferably with open windows or in a ventilated room), in the gym, in the yard or in any other accessible place.

The important positive properties of the exercise are:

• training the muscular core, especially the legs and buttocks - thanks to daily jumping rope, you can get rid of “ears” on the thighs (breeches), fat on the inner thighs, flabbiness of the abdomen, weakness of the calf muscles;
• improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system - jumping rope can be used by almost all people who want to strengthen the heart, improve its functioning, normalize blood pressure, and prevent the development of all kinds of vascular diseases;
• training of the respiratory apparatus - with regular exercise, the condition of the lungs improves, their volume increases significantly, all tissues and organs are saturated with oxygen;
• strengthening the spine and joints - the condition of the entire musculoskeletal system gradually improves;
• strength and endurance training;
• improving coordination of movements, body flexibility;
• burning fat while maintaining muscle mass;
• an uplift in mood and a charge of vigor - during training, the “happiness” hormone endorphin is released, thanks to which the general condition of the body improves, the feeling of anxiety decreases, and depression goes away.

There are risks - the exercise is for healthy people, there are many contraindications

A jump rope is a tool with a convenient safety feature: incorrect technique prevents overtraining. Errors and fatigue cause work stoppage but do not pose a risk of serious injury.

However, there are contraindications:

• heart problems and unstable blood pressure – the heart bears the main load. Varicose veins also interfere.

• injuries to the joints, ligaments of the knees or ankles due to the high likelihood of relapse.

• excess weight – if it is 15% higher than normal, then it is better to choose another exercise.

• old age – here it is better to use gentle activities like Nordic walking.

Burning extra calories

Jumping rope is a champion in energy intensity. At a frequency of 120 jumps per minute, the body will burn from 667 to 900 kcal per hour.

According to a 2011 study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports, jumping rope burns calories much faster than jogging. To reach a comparable level of energy expenditure, you will have to run very fast, bordering on sprint speed (639-946 kcal/hour). But how long will you last at this pace?

How to jump correctly

Jump ropes have thousands of options - standard, high-speed (with bearings in the handles), weighted, with counters. Beginners start with simple ones, but professionals (there are tournaments and even a federation in jumping rope) recommend more difficult options.

A rope that is too light interferes with perception: the athlete does not feel the speed and does not always choose the right time to jump. A weighted rope eliminates this problem and is easier to control and pace.

In addition to weight, length plays an important role. If you stand in the middle of the rope, the handles should reach your armpits or be slightly higher.

The number of jumps depends on physical fitness, but the technique is unchanged:

• warm-up before jumping: stretching, squats;

• you need to land on your toes, in no case on your heels - this is fraught with injuries;

• the back is straight, the elbows are pressed to the body, the shoulders and forearms are almost static, the hands are responsible for rotation;

• legs are always slightly bent at the knees;

• it is better not to choose a surface that is too hard or too soft - asphalt and mats are excluded;

• feet must be wearing shoes; bare feet can injure your feet;

The benefits of jumping rope for women

An important consequence of training with a skipping rope will be a beautiful figure - your thighs will be elastic, sagging skin on your stomach will disappear, and ugly “ears” will go away. With regular exercise, women get a boost of energy and a great mood, which is important for working women, mothers on maternity leave, and other categories of the fair sex. No depression, no despondency, only lightness, vigor and thirst for life - this can be achieved by doing just half an hour a day or following a training schedule.

Jump table

If it is difficult to perform the exercise in the required volume, you can do the previous number of times so as not to overload the body and not cause pain in the muscles.

For those who want to lose weight

In the process of losing weight or drying the body, it is important to create a calorie deficit. This can be achieved with a well-designed diet or high-intensity physical activity. For this, cardio loads are especially important, which are easily accepted by the body and do not lead to a state of overtraining. Recovery from such loads occurs quickly, no more than one day (if we were talking about an activity lasting 20-30 minutes). This creates a huge energy deficit in the body.

Every 100 jumps burn 45-80 calories. This indicator depends on the speed and technique of performing the exercise, the weight of the athlete (the higher the number, the more energy is spent on each jump).

When training to lose weight, it is important to combine a jump rope and other exercises - air squats, lunges with dumbbells, push-ups, pull-ups, crossfit elements.

When training to lose weight, it is important not to interrupt the activity: as soon as a person gets tired of jumping, he can do other exercises, and as soon as he gets tired of them, return to jumping. This way, all muscle groups will be involved, which will lead to an even greater energy deficit, save time on achieving goals, and allow you to quickly and without extra costs get your body into the desired shape.

Don't make mistakes! During exercises, the shoulders and forearms should not take on excess load. You only need to work with your hands, then the speed and efficiency of your training will increase.

Jump rope in the hands of a professional

When it comes to jumping rope to burn calories, everything is more or less clear and even a little boring. What is much more interesting is how professional athletes use a jump rope and what it turns into in their hands. Basketball players, athletes, boxers, crossfit enthusiasts, speed skaters, volleyball players and swimmers jump rope.

Boxing

Roy Jones, Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Mohammed Ali - this is not a complete list of those boxers who paid great attention to jumping rope in their training. They jumped for 10 to 30 minutes each workout with occasional one-minute breaks or no breaks at all. Some jumped at a constant speed, while others preferred to constantly increase it.

Boxers use a variety of jumping ropes in their training, never neglecting this exercise. This develops the leg muscles and, unlike running, improves coordination. Jumping rope helps you develop your own rhythm of work in the ring and increase your striking power. Moreover, it is an excellent endurance workout.

Basketball

Basketball players use jumping rope to increase their jump height. It is with the help of this exercise that they strengthen the calf and soleus muscles. They jump for 15–20 minutes a day, gradually increasing this time to half an hour. When jumping, to achieve maximum results, keep your ankles as close to each other as possible. It is believed that the result is achieved after 2-4 weeks of regular exercise.

Skating

For speed skaters, the jump rope is included in a set of exercises for general physical training (GPP). Jumping rope develops endurance and trains breathing.

Swimming

The jump rope is part of a set of exercises aimed at increasing strength and speed. Jumps are performed at an increasing, maximum, near-maximum pace.

Jumping rope for weight loss

Accelerating blood circulation, muscle development, burning calories in combination with cardio, which are achieved through skipping, are much healthier than any diet. Therefore, a jump rope is recommended as an effective exercise machine for weight loss.

How many calories are burned per hour of training?

Jumping is one of the most energy-intensive workouts. If you can burn 500 calories in 1 hour of running at a basic pace, then with a rolling pin you can burn 300 calories more in the same time. This figure may differ up or down depending on the speed at which the exercises are performed, whether the training is carried out regularly, and how long it lasts.

Features of training for weight loss

A calorie and energy deficit is necessary to effectively combat excess weight. Cardio exercises, which include skipping, help with this because they do not overload the muscles and allow the body to recover in just a day. At the same time, every 200 jumps burn approximately 150 calories.

To quickly get back in shape and achieve good results in losing weight, you should perform exercises at the same rhythm, without stopping. If fatigue has reached its limit, you need to switch to another type of activity (squats, push-ups, pull-ups), and then return to jumping again. The effect will only appear if the training continues for 30 minutes a day or more.