If you regard “skipping rope” as an activity for little girls on the playground, think again. It is not only a competitive sport but also a part of most athletic training regimens. Few boxers or martial artists would be in the condition necessary for surviving grueling rounds in the ring without the benefits derived from skipping rope.
“Jumping rope is one of the keystones to any sports training,” says Jeff Ford, a professional mixed martial arts and heavyweight Worldwide Fighting champion. Regular jumping improves coordination, muscular and cardiovascular endurance, balance, rhythm, quickness and versatility, says Ford, who has been training with a rope since he was 13.
What’s not to love about the jumprope? It is inexpensive, portable and effective, a lesson not lost on those who work with school- age children.
The Denver Public Schools district started its Jump Rope League in 1995. Today, more than 600 students in grades 1-8 compete on 20 teams each year. The training season begins in November and culminates in April with a citywide competition held at Manual High School. Asbury Elementary won four out of five events this year; Dora Moore School had the top rope skippers for grades 6-8.
One of the special things about this program, whose uniforms and other support come from the Denver Police Activities League, is that all the coaches are DPS physical education teachers who volunteer their time both before and after school. These volunteers, along with a lot of parental support and involvement, help make this program a success.
“We believe in the whole-child concept,” says Eric Larson, physical education coordinator for DPS. “Studies clearly show that when fitness levels go up, success in the classroom and test scores improve as well.”
The Jumping Beans Jump Rope Program for kids was started in February at the Bob Burger Recreation Center in Lafayette. Molly Metz, a five-time world champion in rope skipping, teaches the program in six-week segments. The program focuses on all the competitive aspects of the sport, from the simple to the exotic: single jumps, double Dutch, long ropes and Chinese wheel.
Parents are as enthusiastic as the kids about their involvement in the program. Aimee Irwin says her 6-year-old daughter, Payten, has more endurance, quicker feet and more confidence in her basketball and soccer activities since she started jumping.
Cyndie Vasquez, mother of 6-year-old Brekyn, has been impressed with what the 45-minute jumping sessions have done for her son’s overall fitness, especially in endurance and coordination for his other favorite sports, basketball and jujitsu.
Adult jumpers
We expect children and young adults to be able to jump rope without too much complaint or aggravation, but how about adults? They often have knee, ankle, back and hip-joint issues.
“We retrain adults on how to run, jump, sprint by using jumpropes in a slow progression so that anyone can eventually jump rope,” says Jon Hinds, owner of Monkey Bar Gym in Madison, Wis.
“Most people think they know how to jump rope but jump too high and hit too hard,” Hinds says. His program starts with an invisible jumprope and a participant’s feet never leave the ground. Then they add a rope, but just do twirling side- to-side and overhead circles. “After four to six weeks, everyone can do regular jumping in perfect form and without pain,” he says.
Other ways with ropes
Howard Waldstreicher, certified fitness trainer and owner of Half Hour Power circuit training studio in the Lowry neighborhood, got interested in ropes via a video from John Brookfield, who created the Battling Ropes System. Brookfield, whose clients include members of the military and Olympic and professional athletes, uses rope — the big thick ones that we used to have to climb in gym class — to help clients increase power, endurance, strength, mental toughness, and aerobic and anaerobic capacity. This is accomplished by keeping the ropes — typically 50 feet long, about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter and weighing 22 to 56 pounds — moving in all directions through a wide range of motion and body positions.
In addition to skills gleaned from Brookfield’s program, Waldstreicher learned of the concept of undulation (keeping an object like a towel, rope or fire hose constantly moving in waves) from a friend in the Israeli army, who would use this method to keep in shape when in the field. He has adapted both modes into his circuit.
Until you have done a workout with rope (just try to last 60 seconds), you have never really been at the end of yours.
“The ropes create a fun way for kids and families to enjoy exercise together,” Waldstreicher says. “Because the object is to keep the rope moving at a constant velocity, the body develops more power and strength as well as cardiovascular improvements. This exercise attacks the entire system in a time period of less than 60 seconds.”
Nili Abrahamsson and Emily Solomon are among those who have been taking Waldstreicher’s rope classes and say that the addition of the large rope to their already tough circuit is a challenge. “At first I couldn’t get the rope to undulate at all,” says Abrahamsson, adding, “Now I often can keep it going for as long as a minute; it is a great sense of accomplishment.”
The challenge of the rope improves core strength, endurance and power, which carries over to other athletic pursuits. Solomon, for example, enjoys doing triathlons but had not been in a pool for months. “After working with the rope, I was pleased to discover that I had no lag time getting back to swimming,” she says.
Denny Coughlin works out at Half Hour Power two mornings a week and says he feels it all day long. “I laughed when I first saw what I was being asked to do with this big rope, but no more,” Coughlin says. “My cardio, core and endurance have all greatly improved.”
Rope benefits:
Jumping rope is valued among athletes, athletic trainers, coaches and other fitness professionals because:
1. It can burn an estimated 1,000 calories an hour; 5 minutes of jumping rope is estimated to be equivalent to 20 minutes of jogging.
2. It can tone and strengthen the whole body.
3. It’s easy to learn.
4. It improves agility, coordination, speed, endurance and timing.
5. It’s easily transportable and is inexpensive.
For more information:
Half Hour Power, 130 Rampart Way, Denver, 720-985-8892; halfhour power.com
Monkey Bar Gymnasium (free online workouts; instructional DVDs for sale), 608-663-7511, monkeybargym.com
Jumping Beans Jump Rope Program, Bob L. Burger Recreation Center, 1290 S. Public Road, Lafayette, 303-665-5588, cityoflafayette.com
Battling Ropes program by John Brookfield, 910-295-4049, power ropes.com
For more information
Half Hour Power, 130 Rampart Way, Denver, 720-985-8892; halfhour power.com
Monkey Bar Gymnasium (free online workouts; instructional DVDs for sale), 608-663-7511, monkeybargym.com
Jumping Beans Jump Rope Program, Bob L. Burger Recreation Center, 1290 S. Public Road, Lafayette, 303-665-5588, cityoflafayette.com
Battling Ropes program by John Brookfield, 910-295-4049, power ropes.com
