Skipping Exercises: 4 Surprising Benefits of This Workout

If you thought we meant missing exercise, then, well, that makes all of us. Jokes aside, jumping rope is fast becoming the cardio favorite of many fitness enthusiasts, from noobs to veterans. Skipping exercises are known for their convenience, affordability, versatility, and sense of enjoyment. Plus, if you know your way around a rope, then you know that it can be punishing—in a good way.

Skipping exercises are well-known for their cardiovascular promises. In 2013, Sport Science published an article that evaluated 28 middle-school boys in a seven-week jump-rope training program. The results showed improvement in balance, endurance, muscular strength, body composition, and flexibility—similar to a 2012 study in The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning.

But did you know that the benefits of jumping rope stretch far beyond getting your heart rate racing? Read on to find out why you shouldn’t skip those skipping drills.

Ever wondered why boxers train with a jump rope? Not only are skipping exercises great for conditioning, but they also develop coordination, which is important in the ring. Manny Pacquiao’s fancy footwork is no fluke. Going around the ring while throwing hooks and jabs needs synchronization and timing—both of which you can learn by jumping rope. Moreover, a 2015 study in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine showed soccer players who used skipping drills in their training had better motor coordination and balance.

Once you’ve mastered the basic skipping skills, progress to double-unders (swinging the rope under your feet twice with one jump), alternate foot jumps, side swings, and crisscrosses.

When you place impact repeatedly on the same spot, your bones toughen up. In a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, respondents doing maximum vertical jumps 10 times a day thrice a week for six months showed enhanced bone mineral density.

Furthermore, skipping exercises train you to land on the balls of your feet rather than the heel, which prevents strain on the knees, pelvis, and spine. Just make sure you’re wearing the proper footwear and jumping on a flat surface.

As a primarily cardio workout, using a jumping rope does not generally build muscles, but it can help maintain them. It works the legs, sure, but proper form can also challenge your core and arms.

To ensure that you’re getting the most of your skipping exercises, keep your head and chest up; push back your shoulders. Make your posture straight, then tuck in your elbows. Swing the rope using your wrists. Engage your abs.

To develop muscle with this workout, find a weighted jump rope and a strength-building program.

In 2016, the American Council on Exercise published a study that demonstrates how trampoline-jumping is just as effective as running but much more engaging. Despite their elevated heart rates and increased oxygen expenditure, participants deemed the exercise light to moderate, suggesting that the “fun aspect” disguised the physical challenge.

Jumping rope works the same way. It’s something you associate with childhood and recess. Double Dutch was no easy feat and required mad coordination skills, but your eight-year-old self never minded all the hard work you needed to log in to master it. Moreover, studies show that jumping at medium- to high-intensity works faster than jogging in burning calories. Who wouldn’t want a shorter, more efficient workout?

There’s a lot of shaking involved in jumping rope, so make sure you’re not snowing dandruff as you skip. CLEAR Cool Sport Menthol Anti-Dandruff Shampoo for Men cleans off the grime that leads to annoying flakes. It also has Taurine and Triple Anti-Dandruff Technology to remove, resist, and prevent dandruff.

Keep yourself cool with Dove Men+Care Deodorant Spray Clean Comfort. Not only can it manage sweat and odor for 48 hours, but it also moisturizes your skin. Wash up after with Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Total 10, which has ActivSilver, an antibacterial ingredient that washes off all the dust that your jump rope will send flying to your skin. Skipping exercises, yes, but don’t skip the hygiene.