Rope jumping is a total body exercise that leads to a wide range of fitness, health, and psychological benefits. The magnitude of these benefits is determined in part by such variables as rope jumping volume, frequency, and intensity. The major benefits include improved coordination, agility, cardiorespiratory endurance, speed, strength (especially of the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, pectorals, deltoids, latissimus dorsi, biceps, and abdominals), timing, body composition (see above for details on caloric expenditure), and bone density (exercise which involves impact is essential for making—and keeping—our bones strong).

From our experience, most beginners do best with a 5mm PVC rope with short-to-medium handles. Such a rope, which typically weighs around 4 ounces, provides a reasonable amount of sensory feedback and is relatively easy to control. Those who really struggle with the timing and coordination of turning a rope may do better with a beaded rope or a heavy rope.

The answer depends on a number of factors including your skill level, grip, anatomy (height, arm length, etc.), and jump rope goals, but in general—for a beginner—the top of the handles should reach just to the armpit when the jumper is standing on the middle of the rope with one foot and pulling the handles up so the rope is taut. More skilled jumpers can use shorter ropes. Using a rope that is too long will encourage bad habits that can be difficult to break.

Your grip is your only point of contact with your jump rope and has profound consequences for how successful you'll be as a rope jumper. While to some extent grip is a matter of personal preference, we're confident that the tips below will be useful.

1) Grip the handles lightly, but firmly enough that they won't fly out of your hands. There's no need to "white knuckle" the handles. Gripping them like your life depends on it will create unnecessary tension and lead to premature fatigue.

2) Grip your handles with your thumb on top and then wrap your other fingers around the handles. It's a bit like shaking hands with the handles.

3) Your thumb should rest about halfway down the handle. If you position it at the bottom of the handle you tend to lose control and power.

4) Some jumpers like to keep their index finger extended (see below) to help with controlling the turn and to generate additional power.

5) If your hands sweat profusely consider wrapping your handles in athletic tape or duct tape. You can also sprinkle your hands and handles with talcum powder.

For safety’s sake you want a level, firm, but forgiving surface like a rubberized track or wooden gym floor. Asphalt is acceptable although folks with orthopedic issues might want to use a mat to cushion their landings. Uneven surfaces and soft surfaces such as grass and sand will increase your risk of injury.

Thankfully, we can definitely say not 10,000 hours! On average, with the guidance of a good coach, an absolute beginner can pick up the basics in less than an hour. That means turning the rope over one’s head and jumping over the rope a few times without tripping. Within a few weeks of practice, a beginner can typically complete 20-50 jumps in a row without missing. And it’s not unreasonable for a beginner to be performing crosses and double unders within three to six months of starting to jump, provided they practice sufficiently and follow their coach’s guidance. Optimal practice time varies, but we advise beginners spend about 15 minutes every other day attempting continuous jumps for short intervals (10-30 seconds).

The goal of your jump rope warm-up is to:

1) mobilize the joints that will most come into play while jumping rope
2) elevate your heart rate
3) increase blood flow to the muscles
4) improve performance by preparing the mind for the movements to come
5) prevent injury by preparing the body for the more intense work to follow. Your warm-up should last at least four minutes.

Our standard warm-up includes the following movements: wood chops, empty coat sleeves, shoulder rolls, adductor mobilizations, the waiter’s bow, cross crawl, butt kicks, high knees, shadow jumping, and fast feet.

After jumping rope it’s important to cool down and stretch the muscles that you’ve vigorously contracted as well as to allow your heart rate to return to its resting state. Take at least five minutes to cool down and at minimum stretch your calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes for 30 seconds each. But it’s not a race; if you need more time, take it. And if you need to focus on other areas of the body please do so. It’s your body and only you know what it needs most. 

According to research by McArdle and Katch, an adult weighing 150 pounds will burn roughly 12 calories per minute performing the basic bounce at a pace of 125 revolutions per minute. Jumping at a faster pace, using a weighted rope, or performing a more challenging step can increase caloric expenditure significantly.

The Jump Rope Instructor Certification, which was created in 2005, is the most popular and best-recognized jump rope instructor certification in the world. It’s the ideal credential for those who want to launch a jump rope class, private coaching practice, and/or add a valuable credential to their resume. The home study certification typically takes a month to complete but some folks finish it more quickly. In addition to reading through the instructor’s manual and watching the accompanying videos, candidates must submit two videos that prove their skills as both an educator and a jumper. Click here to learn more and/or register for the certification.

It really depends. In general, you want to clear any new intense physical activity with your physician particularly if you have chronic orthopedic issues. With good form, jump rope is relatively low impact, but if you have pre-existing knee, ankle, or hip issues, it may be contraindicated or at the very least you may need to keep your jumping volume low. Even so, you can benefit from simply swinging a rope without jumping.