Why You Should Include Speed/Jump Rope in Your Training
What’s the difference?
There is a fine line between jump and speed rope training.
A speed-rope is simply a jump-rope designed for speed. It turns much faster and offers a more strenuous workout, as it allows you to perform more jumps during a workout.
They come in different designs;
some are made of soft vinyl, some are beaded from handle to handle with plastic cylinder-shaped beads, some are made of cables with fully customisable handles, and some are simply regular leather or nylon ropes that are weighted.
There are many benefits to using a speed-rope over a regular jump-rope.
Some of those benefits will be outlined below.
What type of athlete is Rope Training suitable for?
Rope training is commonly misconceived as cardio for boxers and fighters. This is definitely not the case.
Rope training is suitable and extremely beneficial to almost any athlete out there.
Some examples of the type of athletes are as follows:
Runners can benefit from increased muscular endurance and lung capacity Ball-Focused Sport athletes can benefit from improved footwork, balance and speed.
All athletes can benefit from improved endurance and increased overall fitness. Even non-athletes can enjoy rope training as it’s an efficient, cheap and fun way to burn calories and ultimately lose fat.
How can Rope Training Improve your Performance? Before even mentioning the astounding physical benefits rope training can give to athletes, the price is very cheap.
In comparison to a cardio machine e.g. a rope seems next to nothing. It develops 3 vital skills that many athletes need. Co-ordination, agility and speed.
These 3 skills, in combination with each other, can make or break an athlete. Developing these skills with rope training is considered the most affordable, beneficial and optimal way.
What else do nearly ALL athletes need? Endurance. Many consider a long session on the treadmill to be among the most tedious of workouts.
They obviously haven’t tried rope training ,It is great for sports like distance running as it increases the capacity of the lungs and optimises muscular endurance and the best thing is that the workouts take far less time.
This means that every minute you spend training is a minute well spent. Furthermore, footwork and speed is improved whilst taking part in this type of training.
Footwork has to be excellent in order to persist for long amounts of time and the speed at which the rope is moving is extremely fast. This requires athletes to think fast, hence increasing reaction times, footwork and speed.
Make Rope Training Fun and Interesting! Some forms of cardio may feel like a “chore” and something that you do not enjoy.
With the various forms of types and ability to change up workouts, rope training can be fun and interesting.
Suddenly, what you once dreaded is now something you look forward to each and every day. You can change workouts up by adding things like:
Alternate feet: Skipping while alternating feet (like running on the spot)
“Skiers Jump Rope”: Skipping whilst jumping a few inches to the right and then the left. Alternating side to side whilst keeping the feet together and torso straight.
“Double Rope Jump”: Skipping whilst jumping a little higher with both feet together and trying to get the rope around twice before your feet hit the ground.
Excellent for power and speed. Overall, whether you are a runner, cross-fitter, any kind of ball-related sport athlete or a boxer/fighter, rope training will benefit your performance “in-game” in one way or another. With the countless benefits to rope training, the small price tag and the short but efficient workouts, what is there to lose?