Increase Bootcamp Workout Intensity With This Tool
Tips for Successful Jump Roping(video)
Want to instantly increase the workout intensity in your small group training and boot camps? How about the added bonus of using a dirt cheap piece of portable equipment?
Are you using the jump rope? Jump rope, like push ups or other body weight movements are often under rated for their result getting effectiveness.
It’s assumed that everyone knows how to jump rope and often trainers provide little in the way of actual instruction for clients to become better at the skill. As a result, many clients give up the rope and do less effective fat burning exercises like the step jack or marching in place.
I want to provide you with Jump Rope 101 Basics to help you help your clients get the most out of their jump rope sets in your workout.
It’s imperative that the rope fits the client. If you bisect the jump rope by putting it under your feet, the handles should reach your sternum or armpits. Much higher, or lower will affect the rhythm and make jumping rope much harder. If the rope falls short of your armpits, the rope will not hit the ground as it passes under your feet when you jump. If the rope comes up well past your armpits, you may trip on the extra length and the rope may become tangled as you jump. The jump rope should tick the ground each revolution, which also makes it easier to count reps and get in a rhythm.
In general you can follow a basic chart to determine the correct jump rope length for your client’s height. Someone less than 4 feet 10 inches tall uses a 7-foot jump rope. If you are over that height, but under 5 feet 3 inches, use an 8-foot rope. A 9-foot rope fits someone 5 feet 4 inches tall to 5 feet 10 inches tall. If you are between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 6 inches, a 10-foot rope should work. You will need an 11-foot rope if you are taller than 6 feet 6 inches.
My favorite jump rope is plastic with foam handles. It’s less forgiving than a braided or cloth rope, but a cloth rope ‘floats’ and is slower. It’s an excellent beginner rope and is good to learn jump rope with. Clients will enjoy and get a better workout with a plastic rope once their skills improve.
Here are a few progressions to mastering the jump rope:
Simulate jumping rope – Put both handles in one hand, swing the rope to the side with elbows in tight to the body, each time the rope hits the ground, work on adding a two foot single hop, try on the other side.
Walking skip – Bring the rope over the head, walk forward and step over the rope. Start slowly and slowly increase speed to a slow jog. This requires lots of space and is best done outdoors or in a large gym.
One at a time – Do a single jump then stop, rinse and repeat. Slowly increase from one to two to three jumps in a row, then stop, don’t expect to do one minute continuously in the beginning.
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More teaching points to give your clients:
Don’t jump too high, let the rope skim the ground and only jump about a half an inch up to let it pass under the feet.
Stay on the toes, don’t let the heels touch down. Make sure you show your clients calf stretches after your jump rope sessions.
Keep the hands in close to the hips, elbows in tight to the sides, don’t allow the hands to ‘butterfly’ or come over the head. Jump rope is all wrist action to keep the rope moving.
Using jump rope in an interval format with bodyweight strength moves is a brilliant to keep your workouts fresh and clients burning fat. You can provide endless and intense workout variety for them and possibly re-introduce a long lost skill.
Try these Challenge Jump Rope workouts with your small groups and boot camps.
Get all 31 Jump Rope Challenge workouts <=
