Jumping rope is an easy, relatively inexpensive way to target a wide range of muscle groups. While jumping rope, both the upper and lower body are engaged. It is an activity that not only boosts cardiovascular health, but also can affect bone strength, agility, coordination and overall endurance.

Jumping rope is an easy, relatively inexpensive way to target a wide range of muscle groups. While jumping rope, both the upper and lower body are engaged. It is an activity that not only boosts cardiovascular health, but also can affect bone strength, agility, coordination and overall endurance. Top athletes aren't the only ones who can benefit from jumping rope; it is a great way to start an everyday workout. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have health problems.

Lower Body Muscles

Almost all the leg muscles are worked out when you jump rope. Everything from the calves to hamstrings to tensor muscles in the thighs are used to jump and land during each rope revolution. The core muscles in the abs are also engaged, especially during jumping variations that require extra balance, such as a one-legged jump.

The upper body also gets worked out when you jump rope. When you swing the rope, muscles in both the shoulders and the arms are called into action, along with the wrists and hands. Back and chest muscles are also engaged, especially in jumping variations in which the arms cross over the body. Of course, since jumping rope is an aerobic exercise, the cardiovascular system gets a good workout as heart and breathing rates increase.

Related Reading: Jump Rope Exercises to Build Lean Muscle

There's more to jumping rope than just the standard two-foot hop. One way to amp up the intensity of a workout is to add more difficult moves, such as incorporating a high step run or moving your landing position from left to right. Increasing the speed of each revolution of the rope can also help maximize a workout.Another option for a jump rope workout is using a weight rope. Just as a normal rope (also called a speed rope) can be used to increase agility and coordination, a weighted rope can be used for building endurance in shoulder and back muscles. Weighted ropes can range from one to six pounds.If jumping rope is meant as a warmup, then 10 minutes is ideal before moving on to the rest of the workout. If jumping rope is the main focus of your workout, duration should be 20 to 30 minutes of varied movements at varied intensities.

Jumping rope is often linked specifically to boxers, but many other athletes can benefit from a good rope jumping workout. Athletes who use repetitive shoulder motions, such as volleyball players and softball and baseball pitchers, could especially benefit from weighted jump ropes. Athletes who play racket sports, such as tennis and racquetball, also can benefit from jumping rope as it strengthens grip and muscles around the elbows and wrists.Jumping rope is also good for athletes who are rehabilitating injuries. It is a lower impact activity than running, but still promotes strengthening of muscles and ligaments.

One of the most important ways that jumping rope can be used is as a means to achieve weight loss. Before we begin to discover how jumping rope can help you lose weight, it is important to learn how weight loss works. There are 3500 calories in one pound--and therefore, in order to lose one pound of weight per week, you must eliminate 700 calories each day. This can be done in a variety of ways. A person can either try to cut all of these calories out from their diet, they can try to burn off all of the calories through exercise, or they can use some combination of both of these methods. Research has found that people who lose weight and keep it off typically use diet and exercise in order to reach their weight loss goals. Jumping rope for 30 minutes will produce a caloric burn of approximately 300 calories--and therefore, in order to lose one pound per week, you must jump rope for thirty minutes every day and cut out 400 calories from your diet. While this may seem intimidating, it will promote the greatest amount of weight loss in the healthiest manner possible.

Another great benefit of using a jump rope during exercise is increased cardiovascular fitness. Your cardiovascular system involves your heart and the arteries and veins that bring blood and oxygen to and from the heart and the rest ofthe body--and therefore, by improving the ability of this system to work, you will not only have a greater ability to perform your daily tasks, but you will become less breathless during exercise as well. While strength training can increase muscle tone, it has been found that low to moderate, sustainable exercises such as walking, biking, or jumping rope are the best way to improve the quality of your cardiovascular system. Be sure to consult with your doctor, nurse, or health care provider to make sure that you heart is healthy enough to begin this type of exercise routine.

Finally, exercising with a jump rope is a great way to improve the muscle tone in your legs and lower body. After the first day of jumping rope, you may experience some soreness in your legs--this is because the muscles have been working hard enough to cause microtears. These microtears will eventually heal themselves in a few days--and because of this damage and repair, your muscles will be stronger, larger, and more toned than when you started the exercise

• its help for weight loose
• Muscles Used to Jump Rope