Jump Rope Workout

Jump rope workouts that fit into ten minutes

A rope costs less than a month at the gym, fits in a bag and gives you a hard cardio session in the space of a doorway. This site collects plain, tested routines and the technique that makes them work.

4-week beginner planFrom 30-second rounds to 10 minutes of total skipping, three days a week. Technique basicsWrists not arms, small hops, soft landings. Fix the five most common mistakes. Choosing and sizing a ropeBeaded, PVC, speed or weighted, and how long it should be. Workouts by levelBeginner, intermediate and advanced sessions with exact timings. Interval workoutsTabata, EMOM and ladder formats with rope. Footwork and tricksAlternate step, boxer skip, high knees, criss-cross and double unders. Shins, surfaces and safetyWhere to jump, what to wear and how to avoid sore calves. Tracking progressSimple ways to measure improvement without a gadget.

Why skip rope?

Skipping is one of the most intense forms of cardio you can do without equipment beyond the rope. The Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference researchers use to estimate energy cost, lists rope skipping at roughly 8 to 12 METs depending on pace, which puts a moderate pace in the same range as running at about 9 to 10 km/h. Because each landing is a small, springy hop, it also trains the calves, ankles and the timing between hands and feet.

The trade-off is that it is repetitive impact. Most beginners are limited by their calves and breathing, not by willpower, so the plans here build volume slowly and use short rounds with rest.

Where to start

  1. Get a rope that fits: stand on the middle and the handle tops should reach about your armpits. See sizing.
  2. Learn the basic bounce on a forgiving surface. See technique and surfaces.
  3. Follow the 4-week plan, three non-consecutive days a week.
  4. Move on to the level workouts and intervals.