The Best Kind of Cardio Exercise (It’s Not Running or Cycling)

I played on the basketball team during my freshman year at The Johns Hopkins University. At the start of each practice, our coach would make us jump rope for 5-10 minutes. At first, I absolutely hated it. My calves would be on fire before practice even really got started.

However, I quickly understood why our coach had us jump rope. In a short period of time, jumping rope actually became one of my favorite forms of exercise. Over 20 years later, I still jump rope at least a few times each week.

Why Jumping Rope is the Best Kind of Cardio Exercise

Jumping rope is underrated. Here are six reasons why jumping rope is the best kind of cardio exercise:

1. Jumping rope is very efficient.

Jumping rope burns more calories than most forms of cardio exercise, including rowing, cycling, and dancing. Ten minutes of jumping rope is equivalent to running one mile at an eight-minute mile pace. ¹

2. Jumping rope works your lower body and upper body.

Most kinds of cardio exercise only work your lower body. However, jumping rope also works your upper body, especially your arms and shoulders.

3. Jumping rope makes you more athletic.

Most kinds of cardio exercise are one-dimensional and only improve your cardiovascular endurance. However, jumping rope improves your cardiovascular endurance, while also improving your agility, balance, coordination, and explosiveness.

4. Jumping rope strengthens your brain.

The best exercise program for your brain challenges you physically and mentally. Because jumping rope is a complex activity, it actually helps rewire and strengthen your brain.

5. Jumping rope is more fun.

As you get better at jumping rope, there are endless tricks that you can learn. Some of my favorites include crisscrosses, double-unders, running forward and backward, jumping on one leg at a time, and creating different combinations of these moves and others.

6. You can jump rope anywhere.

Jumping rope is one of the most portable kinds of exercise. You can do it indoors or outdoors, and you need very little space. I have jumped rope in my kitchen (during the COVID-19 pandemic), in hotel rooms, in gyms, and at all kinds of outdoor locations. Always bring a jump rope when you travel.

What if you always get tripped up when you jump rope?

Some people avoid jumping rope because they always get tripped up. If that sounds like you, here are three potential solutions:

• Adjust the size of your jump rope. If your jump rope is too long or too short, you will be more likely to get tripped up.
• Use a weighted jump rope. Your arms will get tired more quickly, but a weighted rope is easier to control than a speed rope.
• Use a cordless jump rope instead. You can also buy jump ropes that just have handles without the cord.

Jumping rope gets easier with practice. It is the worth the effort.

What if you are unable to jump rope for a long time?

Jumping rope for 10-20 minutes (or even longer) is a great workout. However, it is difficult to jump rope for that long if you are a beginner.

Try jumping rope for 1-2 minutes at the beginning of your workouts. It’s one of the best ways to warm up before strength training or before another kind of cardio exercise, like cycling, rowing, or running.

You can also jump rope in brief spurts during your workout. For example, you could include a 30-60 second jump rope interval inside of a circuit that also contains other exercises. As another example, you could go for a walk or run and bring a jump rope with you. Stop along the way for 30-60 second jump rope intervals.

Summary and Final Thoughts

Jumping rope is underrated. Here are six reasons why jumping rope is the best kind of cardio exercise:

1. Jumping rope is very efficient.
2. Jumping rope works your lower body and upper body.
3. Jumping rope makes you more athletic.
4. Jumping rope strengthens your brain.
5. Jumping rope is more fun.
6. You can jump rope anywhere.

Jumping rope gets easier and becomes more fun with practice. I’ve been doing it a few times each week for more than two decades. Give it a try, and you will be impressed with your results.

References

1. https://www.crossrope.com/blogs/blog/jump-rope-benefits/

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About the author: Pete Leibman is the Creator of StrongerHabits.com. He is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, executive recruiter, athlete, and peak performance coach. His work has been featured on Fox News, CBS Radio, and CNNMoney.com, and over 500,000 people across the world have read his articles.