5 jump rope skills to improve your workouts

Jumping rope seems all fun and games until it becomes one of the most challenging workouts you’ve ever done

Photo by Mart Production/Pexels

A few weeks into quarantine, we wrote that jumping rope exercises would be one of the most popular workouts this year (and beyond). True enough, the fitness community has seen a plethora of jumping rope workouts and programs made available online—and for good reason.

Jumping rope exercises are considered one of the most ideal workouts because aside from the full body benefits the activity provides, it can also be done anywhere and anytime. The jump rope itself is a portable tool that strengthens muscles and tones the body. But in order to make the workouts a little more versatile, you have to know multiple skipping rope tricks and integrate them into other workout regimens. Yes, we’re talking HIIT, CrossFit, and strength training.

Jump rope endurance workouts

Aside from the basic exercise, there are a couple more tricks you can do to challenge things up a little bit. According to jump rope library Crossrope, these five tricks will help you maximize your skipping rope routine. Knowing these five will get you more accustomed to skipping rope, build your stamina, and challenge your muscles even more. 

Front to back

1. Hold your jump rope with the handles at the sides and rope behind your heels
2. Rotate your wrists to generate velocity and help the rope move around the body
3. When the rope moves toward your feet, jump with both feet so the rope can pass underneath
4. Land in front of your starting position after the jump
5. Repeat step four but land behind your starting position

Scissor step

1. Start with your hands in front of your body holding your jump rope
2. Cross jump to the stride position with one foot forward and one back
3. Jump and reverse your feet position
4. Make sure your feet is about eight to 12 inches apart as you switch

Side swing criss cross

1. Twirl rope on right side then jump
2. Then do the same on the opposite side to criss cross (first)
3. Twirl rope on left side
4. Then do an alternate criss cross (second)
5. Repeat this step and do as much as you can

Single foot

1. Hold your rope with the handles at the sides and rope behind your heels
2. Rotate your wrists and make sure the rope goes around your body
3. As the rope moves toward your feet, hop with one leg to allow it to pass underneath
4. Repeat for as long as you can

Alternate foot

1. Make sure you are holding the handles of the rope in each hand
2. Position your body by making sure your head and neck remain neutral and the spine and torso are tall with the shoulders
3. Make sure to use a light knee and ankle motion while jumping on the balls of the feet
4. When jumping, alternate the feet every time the rope passes through each leg
5. Repeat for as long as you can