It may be a surprise to some, but skipping is more than just a primary school playground activity or a classic inclusion in any boxing movie training montage (although it’s both of those things too).
Skipping is a virtually universally available form of exercise that you can do regardless of where you are, how much time you have, and, in most cases, how much space you have.
Infinitely cheaper than other forms of cardiovascular equipment and arguably providing many more benefits that may not even be considered, today we’re going to cover the top 10 reasons why you should be including more skipping in your exercise routine.
1. It won’t break the bank
This one is a given. Compared to any half-decent exercise machine, skipping ropes cost next to nothing. Most devices will set you back a couple of hundred, if not thousands, of pounds, whereas you can pick up a skipping rope for the price of your lunch!
2. It’s a full-body workout
Skipping is an excellent full-body workout recruiting as many muscles as you could think of — your calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs, shoulders, and even your arms.
3. Cardiovascular training
Skipping is an excellent tool for improving cardiovascular fitness. In as little as just a few weeks, studies have found missing to have a significantly positive impact on both men’s and women’s cardio. In fact, in one study comparing 30 minutes of daily jogging to 10 minutes of daily skipping, it was found that both forms of exercise significantly improved participant’s cardio, with 10 minutes of cutting being just as effective as 30 minutes of jogging! 1
4. Burns a lot of kcals
Research shows that skipping can burn up to 25 – 30kcals a minute in both men and women, meaning you can burn off up to 600kcals in just half an hour.2 If you’re looking to reach a calorie deficit to lose weight, skipping could be the burner you’ve been looking for to get it without reducing your calorie intake as much.
5. Improves agility
Skipping rope is a great activity to add to your program if you’re involved in any activities or sports involving a high demand for agility. Anecdotally, we can see countless examples of how jumping rope is incorporated into sports training to improve skill (again, ask any boxer how they strengthen their agility!). Still, it’s also reflected in research findings too! 3
6. Increases variety and flexibility
One of the best arguments to incorporate jump rope into your routine is the variety of workouts you can do, from endurance to interval training to improving power output and the ability to do it virtually any place, any time. There are loads of tricks out there that you can learn — it’s a great way to pass the time and impress your mates.
7. Can make you happier
What is one of the easiest ways to improve your mood? Exercise, of course! Performing exercise releases signaling molecules (neurotransmitters) called “endorphins,” which can help improve our mood!
Skipping fits perfectly into the zone of moderately intense exercise, which may be the best intensity to shoot for to ensure you get the improved mood you’re after.4
8. Improves coordination
Coordination is a critical skill for many sports and general activities throughout the day. Skipping may be a super simple exercise to improve motor skills, balance, and overall coordination significantly.
In as little as two sessions a week for several weeks, a study found that skipping improved balance and motor coordination in a sporting population.5 Given the importance of coordination (and credit) in sport and the fact that athletes can add in jump rope with minimal, if any, disruption to their training program, it would be well worth giving it a go-to to see how it improves your performance.
9. Decreases injury risk
Ok, so skipping seems pretty amazing right? But how does it compare to other exercises injury-wise? Well, it may just be top dog in that capacity too…
One study compared running to skipping to investigate these activities’ effects on our bodies.6 Researchers compared the contact force on the knee for 20 healthy young adults when they ran and glanced at the same speed.
Compared to skipping, running produced almost twice the average peak force on the patella or kneecap in the front of the knee joint, the study found.
Running also produced almost 30 percent greater average peak force on the tibiofemoral joint, or the knee hinge formed between three bones: the femur, tibia, and patella.
The researchers also found that skipping burned 30% more calories than running and appearing to be less impactful on the body; that’s a win-win in our books.
10. May even make you smarter
According to the Jump Rope Institute, skipping helps develop the left and right hemispheres of your brain, which further enhances spatial awareness, improves reading skills, increases memory, and makes you more mentally alert.
This has also been reflected in research, highlighting that even as little as 3 minutes of skipping can engage the brain parts associated with being advantageous for cognitive learning.7
Factoring in the jumping rope can influence other cognitive skills, like coordination; for example, we can assume that it can help make you significantly more intelligent.