Everything Old is New Again

"From building on your cardiovascular engine to improving your hand-eye co-ordination, skipping is a great workout for all fitness levels as you can attack it at a pace that suits you."
"By using your muscles in both your upper and lower body throughout, the time spent doing alternative low-impact cardiovascular work isn't going to match the potential calorie burn achieved during a 20-minute [skipping] session."
Alex Rennie, instructor, Third Space studios

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"[It's harder than it might seem, but it builds] endurance, stamina and agility [while incorporating the added benefit of being] less detrimental to the knees than other calorie-burning workouts like jogging."
John Odametey, 29, architect

"[I was] frustrated that I couldn't seem to remember the basics of spinning the rope round with  your wrists [but] pretty impressed at how many different exercises could be done."
Polyanna Ward, 26

Was a time when it was pretty standard for male high school athletes taking part in their school's phys ed and sports teams to become familiar with a simple rope used by children -- mostly girls -- in the playground. Before-game-practise workouts usually featured skip-rope bouts to warm up and hone nimbleness and timing. That rope would just whiz about the muscled teen in preparation for a game as part of a regular exercise routine.

Calorie-burning is said to be maximized when all of the major muscle groups are worked at the same time. The measure of the workout, whether a steady pace or turning to one of higher intensity, is up to the skipper and what is meant to be accomplished; toning the body and burning fat, or consequently focusing on training the body reflexes to peak performance. Or both, since both, after all, will fall into place.

Jump rope workouts     Men's Journal

Treadmills, bikes and cross trainers have long since taken the place in exercise routines of the once-lowly skipping rope, mostly the use of which is considered a child's game, and consigned to the primary school playground. In boxing it is another matter altogether for its health benefits. There are classes dedicated to rope skipping led by boxing coaches, and popular enough that they'll remain a mainstay in the fitness itinerary.

Skip-rope jumping isn't for those experiencing joint aches. A 45-minute class will typically utilize a number of techniques. For those tired with the lower-intensity alternatives to running, however, including spinning, rowing, etc., jumping on reinforced floors wearing supportive shoes lends to skipping, a less knee-destroying opportunity; straightforward, with no need to attend specific classes to re-acquaint with a rope.

Women's Health

Participants who skipped for ten minutes daily experienced equal cardiovascular improvements as compared to those who ran for 30 minutes instead, according to a 2013 study. Rope-skipping becomes a rapid calorie-burner. Aside from the ordinary skipping rope there are quite a few alternatives. Some of which track the number of turns, minutes of activity and calories burned. As well, there are high-tech-end of the spectrum ropes that link to  smartphones, offering recommendations for workouts.

Fitness skipping transcends playground jumping, including double-unders to crossovers and side swings. Skill boosting to acquire a flexible set of skipping workouts is a challenge in and of itself.

"The skipping rope is small but mighty. It may look simple, but, when used in the right way, it can provide a full-body cardio and strength session that targets your biceps, triceps, deltoids and chest, as well as toning your thighs, hips and glutes."

Mark Reigate, head trainer, Fitzroy Lodge Amateur Boxing Club, London