Is skipping rope a good workout?

Senior physiotherapist Michael Dermansky likes the simplicity of a skipping rope workout.

“It is an easy, non-expensive way to work on all these aspects of your health at the same time,” says Dermansky.

“It is a great cardiovascular exercise that has multiple benefits for your health, including direct benefits to your heart health, but also helps improves your balance, coordination, hand-eye movement and agility.”

Is skipping good for cardio?

Cardiovascular exercise (cardio) are activities that help your heart and blood vessels. Cardio exercise increases your heart rate, breathing and blood flow. It’s a great way to work up a sweat, too.

Skipping gets a thumbs up from Dermansky for cardio.

“Skipping is a great cardiovascular training exercise, because it quite quickly elevates your heart rate into the moderate-to-vigorous zone required for heart health improvement,” he says.

Health benefits of skipping 

Dermansky explains the potential health benefits of picking up a skipping rope.

Cardio training

“…because skipping involves continuous, rhythmic full-body movement, it pushes your heart rate into the moderate-to-vigorous zone faster than many other exercises,” he says. “Sustaining that elevated rate trains the heart to pump more efficiently over time.”

Agility and power

“…because you are required to jump and land repeatedly, this is not just strength training, but true power training, a very important aspect of training for performance,” says Dermansky.

A study¹ of university students found that a group who did a ten-minute jump rope training session once per week in combination with other cardio exercises improved their muscular strength and cardio fitness compared to a group who only did cardio exercises and didn’t skip.

Improved coordination

“You are not just jumping up and down, but [you’re] required to coordinate this with the timing of the rope,” says Dermansky.

“This is great training for hand-eye coordination and being able to sustain this level of control for a period of time.”

Skipping can be great for kids’ development, too, improving balance, coordination, and motor skills.

Skipping tips for beginners

Before you step up to the rope for the first time, there’s a few things Dermansky wants you to remember.
 

• Start small: “Start with short intervals (30 seconds) rather than trying to skip continuously,” he says. “For the first few times, even if this means stepping over the rope rather than jumping, that’s a good start.”
• Try without the rope first: “The other alternative is 30 seconds of double leg hops without the rope, before you bring in the additional step of hand-eye coordination with the rope.”
•  Proper set up is key: According to Dermansky, a proper skipping rope, stable surface and supportive shoes are vital. “Use a properly sized rope, standing in the middle, handles should reach armpit height,” he says.

“Skip on a shock-absorbing surface like a sprung floor, mat, or grass, rather than concrete.

“If you don’t have the strength and you begin on a hard surface, it won’t take long for you to develop shin splints from the activity, which will limit your training.

“Wear supportive, cushioned shoes for the same reason [because] you want good shock absorption, to reduce the load on your muscles and bones.”

Safe skipping technique 

Skipping requires a jump rope, and like any piece of exercise equipment, it’s best to know the right technique.

“Keep elbows close to the body, turn the rope mainly with the wrists rather than the whole arm,” says Dermansky.

“Land softly on the balls of the feet, keep knees slightly bent to absorb impact, maintain an upright posture and jump just high enough to clear the rope – higher is not better, it just adds unnecessary work and extra strain on your knees and hips.”

It can be tempting to go all-in with a new activity, but Dermansky says it's important to "build up gradually over weeks rather than pushing for long sessions immediately."

And it may seem like an obvious question, but the one Dermansky hears a lot is: how high do you jump?

“Keep jumps low – a few centimetres off the ground is enough,” he says.

Is there anyone who avoid skipping? 

Despite the benefits of skipping, it has its drawbacks for some people.

People with joint problems

Skipping can be tough on the joints according to Dermansky.

“If you have significant joint problems (knees, ankles, hips) – make sure you build up your strength first and can tolerate load in these joints before you begin skipping,” he says.

People with pelvic floor dysfunction or prolapse

“If you experience symptoms with these issues, see a women’s health physio first before beginning skipping. [The same goes for] certain pregnancy stages."

READ MORE: How to strengthen your pelvic floor

People with untreated osteoporosis and/or balance disorders

“Although the impact and balance work from skipping can have a positive effect on bone health and balance, this must be introduced gradually and safely with these conditions under the guidance of an allied health professional, such as a physiotherapist or accredited exercise physiologist.”

Always consult your GP or health professional about your specific health concerns.

Here’s some exercises you might want to try instead.

What are alternative exercises to skipping?

Here are Dermansky’s top 5 alternatives to skipping that can still help improve your cardiovascular fitness:
 

1. Stationary cycling
2. Swimming
3. Rowing machine
4. Brisk walking or incline treadmill walking
5. Elliptical trainer
   
   

READ MORE: The health benenfits of walking

Please check in with a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program or making a lifestyle change.