Jump Now...!

JUMP - How one rope and the right techniques can make for the toughest workout of your life

Gym teachers loved jump ropes because they were both cruel and cheap - even the fittest high school jock would belly over after a fast fifteen minutes. The same is true today. Far from being an effete workout, jumping rope, when done properly, is a ball-buster. Because it incorporates all of your muscles simultaneously, it's more physically demanding than running, cycling or tennis.
According to various sports and medical journals, a steady jump provides the same aerobic activity as running at 5,7 mph. And, says Dr. Gerald Fletcher, a cardiologist at Emory University and a member of the American Heart Association, skipping rope significantly increases speed, flexibility and cardiovascular strength, without the joint stress caused by other, similarly beneficial activities, such as running (provided you're wearing the proper shoes).
An intense workout in a simple package is what draws so many professional athletes to ropes skipping. "Some men think rope jumping is wimpy. It stems back to seeing little girls do it," says Michael Olajide Jr., a middleweight boxing champion until a torn retina ended his career. "But jumping rope demands explosive power; arm, chest and leg strength; and a well-oiled cardiovascular system. Boxers do it to learn how to stay controlled at a level of extreme discomfort. And I don't think you'll find many men who call boxers wimpy."
Michael Chang, Jimmy Connors, Jerry Rice, Hershel Walker, Mike Tyson, Marvin Hagler, George Foreman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kareem Abdul Jabbar - all skip rope, as do collegiate wrestlers and most professional wide receivers. Even ever serious method actor Daniel Day Lewis has embraced skipping rope as a suitably torturous form of exercise.
It's combination of muscle control and aerobic activity that makes rope jumping so effective. Most aerobic exercise happens when your body is somewhat loose. But for you to skip successfully, your body needs to stay rigid and disciplined. "Even though (jumping requires) minimal movement, your whole body is coordinated and semitense," says Olajide, whose Aerojump classes (in which rapid, technical rope jumping is combined with push ups and sit ups) were once tested on the New York Jets. "Your muscles work faster, both in the upper and lower body. It's very tight, very controlled. You get arm and leg definition quickly." You also thrust your body into an anaerobic state - so keep your paper bags handy.
Rope work "tests every aspect of your physical game - strength, agility, speed, endurance," says Olajide. "It can make you feel queasy and high simultaneously." Like witnessing a bris, only you sweat more.
To avoid gasping like a hooked flounder, start by jumping for up to fifteen minutes a day, aiming for ninety revolutions per minute. Hop only once per revolution, to establish a rhythm and keep up your speed. Land on the balls on your feet. In the beginning, remember to take frequent breaks, walking around the room to keep moving. Otherwise you run the risk of cramped calves or cardiovascular meltdown. Once you're swift enough to double Dutch with the neightborhood kids, add more time and speed-reaching up to 130 revolutions per minute. Feeling invicible? Add a set of push-ups or squats every three minutes.
Technique is critical. You'll want to swing the rope close enough to nearly tap your feet, then jump so it slides smoothly underneath you. Keep your arms taut and down by your hips. Your wrists are all that rotate - anything else and the rope will rise, snagging your feet like a seine net. Do not jump more than once per revolution. If you can, you're moving the rope too slowly.
Buy either a leather or a nylon and plastic rope. Leather is traditional and has more heft, while nylon cuts a cleaner line and moves faster. Rope length also, ahem, matters. How long is too long? Stand on the middle. The ends of the rope should come up to your pecs. So if you're six feet, you'll want a nine and a half - to ten foot rope. Any longer and you'll have too much cord to whip around (it's not as much fun as it sounds). Any shorter and you'll have to explain where you got those leather burns on your shins.
Just jumping up and down is only the shallow waters of it. It gets a lot deeper.