The Best Beginner Guide You Need to ‘Jump’ Starting Your Weight Loss Journey
Ever felt demotivated to go for a run? How about trying something different like jump rope! TeamJoined is here with the ultimate 101 on everything you need to give your fitness journey the perfect ‘Jump Start’!
Jumping rope, or called Skipping when you shuffle quickly, has always been a fun cardio exercise for weight loss. Whilst running and jump rope are similar in some sense when it comes to calorie expenditure (both burn around 100-200 calories per 10 mins depending on your intensity), but there are in fact a lot of differences. Jump rope offers many benefits that other cardio exercises may not give, such as:
- Great effect on weight loss as engages better blood circulation instigated from the calves back to the heart which boost your metabolism drastically
- Improvement on your coordination and posture when you are using your core correctly
- Perfect solution for those who are running tight on time or space - all you need is a rope and 10 mins a day!
*see self.com’s article for more benefits from jumping rope
Getting a handle on the right jump rope
First, go grab your equipment! You are gonna need a pair of flat shoes and the right sports clothing to get started. For your shoes, if you don’t know how to pick one, you can go check out RunRepeat’s blog where they have a very detailed intro to what kinda shoes you should pick. If you are unsure on what clothing to pick, TeamJoined has got you covered. Our Adapt collection is great for functional training and well suited to workouts such as jump rope. Next up, you will need to prepare your rope and mat.
Jump rope comes in a wide range of variations. Generally there are 5 types of ropes out there for you to choose from: basic, segmented, freestyle, weighted and speed.
Basic rope
It is affordable yet strong enough. Great for beginners like yourself to carry around and start your rope workout anywhere at any time so you won’t lose the chance to train.
Segmented rope
Another beginner-friendly rope is covered with light beads. With the sound it makes as you skip and the extra little weight it puts onto the rope, it becomes easier to capture each beat of the cycle and have better feedback on control so you can create your style effortlessly. A great rope for newbies who want to try out some tricks too.
Freestyle rope
It has a lengthened handle with thinner rope. It gives enough space and immediate response to your wrist to perform high level tricks. It could be challenging to beginners since the rope is light and the swing becomes more difficult to feel and handle.
Weighted rope
This rope offers heavier feeling and that emphasizes on your arms and shoulder more. The heavy weight on it makes you feel a bit slower and exert more force however. Great for new jumpers on timing, form and coordination.
Speed rope
Combining the steel wire and the sprinting bearings, the speed of each cycle is maximized. With the solid design of the aluminum handle, it is the perfect tool for those players who want to train with maximum heart rate as well as quick explosive training, for example the boxers and crossfitters.
In short, beginner ropes are like everyday cars, tuned for beginners and have easier handling. Specialised ropes such as freestyle and speed rope are like sports cars, tuned for performance, great for tricks and criss-crosses. However, it can be a challenge for beginners.
Jumping without tripping
Your next step will be searching for your perfect place to get jumping. For outdoor jump rope workout, the ground is usually rough and uneven. In that case, your rope is going to wear off faster as you skip on it. You would need to pick a durable or thicker rope such as a basic or segmented one. For indoor skipping, the floors are usually flat so there will be no limits. However, as it is flat, be conscious of potential slips.
If you would like some extra stability, a jumping mat could be an excellent addition to your collection. A jump rope mat can assist in:
- provides a non-slippery surface to jump on to increase safety when executing
- protects the rope from wearing off quickly to increases the life expectancy of the rope
- acts as a shock-absorbent so your joints are taking less force on landing
The jump rope mat is protecting both your joints and your rope! Unlike a normal yoga mat, it is built with a thicker, tougher and more supportive material so it won’t drag you and your rope down during the workout. However, the rope mat is usually more expensive and heavier than a yoga mat which could make it less convenient to play with. Nevertheless, if you care about the longevity of your rope and the safety of your own sake before you skip, you should get yourself a jump rope mat to achieve it.
Find more Jump Ropes to start your workout on: TeamJoined Jump Rope collection
Before the ‘jump start’
1) Adjusting the length of the rope
First, put your feet together, step onto the bottom tip of the rope with your midsole.
Second, make sure both sides have the same length. When you pull straight, the handle should be at around your armpit level. As you get used to the movement, you can shorten the rope to your waist level
What is a good length when jumping?
How to adjust the length for basic rope?
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Open the Tip of the handle
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Loosen the stopper and lock it at desirable length. Pop back the tip after you have done. Cut off any excess rope.
How to adjust the length for segemented rope?
- Open the tip and bring out the knot inside
- Untie the knot and bring the stopper out
- Take away/add on beads to your desirable length
- Identify the front and back end of the stopper and put it back with the front end going in first
- Tie a knot again
- Push back the beads and the tie and close the tip
How to adjust the length for speed rope?
- Take off the tip of the rope
- Identify the front side (flat) and back side (indented) of the bearing
- Insert the rope from the front side and go around from the back side to creat a loop
- Put back on the tip of the rope
- Adjust the length by pushing into or pulling from the bearing
[Tip] Normally you would tend to swing with your whole arm more at first. The more you practice you can lower the movement of your arm and tuck your elbow in. As you progress and swing less with your arm, you can shorten the rope to around your chest level for better performance.
2) Handling of the rope
The position of the handle is important for the smoothness of rope skipping. Especially when you are doing freestyle jump rope, the thumb position is crucial.
Palms up thumbs up, hold the handle with mainly your thumbs, index fingers and middle fingers. Try swinging by the side, the rope should be pointing to where your thumb is pointing to in the same direction. It is going to let you handle the trail of the rope more efficiently.