Jump rope for weight loss: Exercise plan and more

As part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, jump rope exercises can help with weight loss.

A 2017 review found that long-term high intensity exercise programs had links to the following significant improvements in people with overweight and obesity:

• body weight
• waist circumference
• other cardiometabolic risk factors

The American Heart Association (AHA) defines jump rope as a vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. These activities significantly increase heart rate, respiration rate, and body temperature.

The AHA recommends that, for optimal health, people follow one of the following exercise plans:

• 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week
• 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week
• a combination of both

The AHA explains that this level of physical activity can help someone maintain a moderate weight and reduce their risk of diseases, such as:

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) provides a physical activity calorie counter (PACC) that estimates the number of calories a person is likely to burn during a particular exercise.

The calculator considers the person’s body weight and the time they spend performing the exercise.

According to the PACC estimates, jump rope exercises may burn the following calories:

The weight examples incorporate data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlining the average weight of adult males and females in the United States. These are as follows:

• approximately 171 pounds (lb) for an adult female ages 20 years or older
• approximately 200 lb for an adult male ages 20 years or older

The ACE provides the following three jump rope exercise plan levels:

• beginner level
• intermediate level
• advanced level

The ACE recommends people who are not used to high intensity, high impact exercise start with a beginner-level workout. From here, a person can progress to the intermediate level and finally to the advanced level.

For each level, the entire circuit should take between 15 and 25 minutes to complete, including rest periods.

People also need to allow additional time to warm up before exercising as well as some time to cool down after the exercise. Warm-up and cool-down periods are important for preventing injury.

Beginner jump rope workout

The following exercises are appropriate for the beginner-level jump rope workout:

• Forward jogging: This involves jogging on the spot while rotating the jump rope in a forward motion.
• Backward jogging: This involves jogging on the spot while rotating the jump rope in a backward motion.
• Hopscotch jumps: This refers to jumping from a hop to a jump with each revolution of the jump rope.

At this level, people should aim to jump rope for 15 seconds at a time, followed by a 15-second rest period.

The aim is to complete 18 sets in total.

Intermediate jump rope workout

The following exercises are appropriate for the intermediate-level jump rope workout:

• Side hopping: This involves hopping from one side to the other.
• Double jump: This involves jumping with enough height to allow for two revolutions of the jump rope.
• Single-leg: A person hops on a single leg for one, two, three, or four hops in a row.

At this level, people should aim to jump rope for 30 seconds at a time, followed by a 30-second rest period.

The aim is to complete 18 sets in total.

Advanced jump rope workout

The following exercises activate more muscle groups and are appropriate for the advanced-level jump rope workout:

• High knees: A person lifts the knees high toward the chest.
• Criss-cross jumps: Individuals bring one arm over another to form a loop in the jump rope.
• Butt kickers: A person brings the heels of the feet up to meet the butt.
• Double jump: People jump with enough height to allow for two revolutions of the jump rope.

At this level, people should aim to jump rope for 60 seconds at a time, followed by a 60-second rest period.

The aim is to complete 18 sets in total.

Below are some answers to frequently asked questions about jump rope exercises

How long should I jump rope to lose weight?

The AHA recommends that people perform 75 minutes of jump rope exercise or other vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

Alternatively, people can incorporate both high- and moderate-intensity exercises into their weekly exercise routine.

The AHA notes that this level of weekly physical activity can help people maintain a moderate weight and reduce their risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Is jump rope good for losing belly fat?

A 2018 study investigated the effects of a 12-week jump rope exercise program on risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adolescent females with prehypertension and central adiposity.

Prehypertension is blood pressure that is slightly higher than typical, while central adiposity describes an accumulation of fat around the abdominal area.

Participants who completed the exercise program showed significant reductions in waist circumference and central adiposity compared to participants who did not complete the regimen.

Likewise, a 2021 study found that an 8-week health intervention combining jump rope exercise with a calorie-restricted diet improved various health measures, including reductions in body fat mass and body fat percentage.

The study authors concluded that a combination of jump rope exercise and calorie restriction may boost weight loss and cardiovascular health to a greater extent than either of these interventions alone.

Jump rope exercise is a full-body aerobic exercise that increases heart rate, respiration rate, and body temperature.

Research suggests this activity can help reduce abdominal fat and waist circumference and promote overall weight loss. Like other forms of vigorous-intensity exercise, jump rope can also help improve cardiovascular health.

Although jump rope exercise is technically a vigorous-intensity exercise, people can adjust the intensity level to match their ability level and preferences.

People who are trying jump rope exercise for the first time can start at a beginner level and work their way through to the intermediate and advanced levels.

Some research suggests that combining a jump-rope exercise program with a calorie-restricted diet may help boost weight loss and cardiovascular health.

As such, people looking to lose weight may also want to consider changing their diet or introducing other healthy lifestyle habits.