Workout Wednesday: Jump Rope

I just joined a new gym in Houston about a month ago and it is really awesome. I love the environment and all of the different types of equipment that allows for me to get a full workout. The gym is also popular and during peak hours it can be a challenge to get on the machines I need.

So, in the meantime, I always pack some basic workout tools in my bag that I can use upstairs in the stretch room. A weighted ball, ankle weights, and... a jump rope. Now, for those of you who can remember spending your recess time with the other girls singing about Ms. Mary Mack and Strawberry Shortcake while jumping rope, you may think it was just a lovely time with friends. For those who are fitness minded and have recently used a jump rope, you know it has greater purposes than entertaining elementary girls.

I recently purchased a weighted jump rope and a few minutes utilizing that simple instrument left me winded and sweaty. I was shocked!! I have since then tried to incorporate a few minutes of jumping rope into my workout plan; from those workouts I have come to the conclusion that there are 3 main benefits of jumping rope:

1) Weight Loss
2) Increased Cardiovascular Fitness
3) Muscle Tone


Weight Loss
I know this may seem crazy, but let's break it down with some numbers. There are 350 calories in one pound, which means to lose one pound a week, you have to eliminate 700 calories a day. You can either a) cut out those calories from your diet or b) burn them off with exercise. Personally, I love food (healthy of course) so I prefer using a combination of both. Did you know that jumping rope for 30 minutes burns 300 calories. THREE HUNDRED!!! I am not a fan of math, but I do know that if you jump rope for thirty minutes every day and cut only 400 calories from your diet, you can lose a pound a week. It sounds crazy, but it produce HEALTHY weight loss. And isn't that what we all want?

Muscle Tone
If you want to be lean and tone heading into 2013, jumping rope is the best way to get those muscles in shape, especially in your lower body (legs, glutes, and calves). This is where the benefits of a weighted jump rope comes in. These ropes are a bit heavier than your average jump rope in the toy section, so are a bit more expensive, but is a great investment in your fitness goals. With the extra weight in the handles of the jump rope, this improves muscle tone for your upper body (chest, arms and core). It now becomes a full body tone session!!

Increased Cardiovascular Fitness

As I mentioned earlier, my first time jumping rope since childhood left me in a puddle of sweat!! This simple, but powerful exercise really gets the blood flowing, which is obviously great for the old ticker!! Additionally, it will increase your ability to do daily tasks without losing your breath, and help increase your stamina when you are working out. This is great for me, because I have three flights of stairs that I go up and down multiple times a day just to get to my apartment... and I tell you there are times I just want to stop and pop a squat on half way up.


So there you have it, three benefits of jumping rope. And I assure you there are many more, but I dislike long lists!!

I encourage you to go out and make an investment and get to jumping. It is something the whole family can do; or with a partner you can switch back and forth to do minute-long intervals with one person jumping and the other taking a break. And if you like... you can sing a little nursery rhyme while you get your workout it in. I promise I won't judge.


Until Next Time...
~ Q. Olivia