Jump rope

Also called rope skipping, skipping rope.

What does jumping rope involve?

Jump rope is a cardio movement in which you turn a rope around your body and make repeated jumps so it can pass beneath your feet. In the standard version, both feet leave and meet the floor together while the wrists guide the rope. The calf muscles contribute strongly, with the quadriceps, hamstrings and shin muscles also involved. Jump rope can fit several kinds of sessions, so this guide teaches the movement without prescribing a workout.

Two rear three-quarter anatomical illustrations of a woman jumping rope on a white background. In the left frame she is off the floor with her feet together and the rope arcing overhead; in the right frame the rope passes beside her body and curves beneath her feet. She holds one handle in each hand with her elbows slightly bent in both frames. The glutes, backs and outer sides of the thighs, and most of the calves are shaded red.

How do you jump rope?

Set up

Choose a rope that can clear your head and feet, and stand where its full arc will not hit anything.
Hold one handle in each hand with the rope behind your heels, your elbows near your sides and your hands just outside your hips.

Execution

Sweep the rope forward and overhead by turning your wrists while keeping your torso upright and your shoulders relaxed.
As the rope approaches your toes, make a small two-foot jump so it passes underneath.
Land softly on the front half of both feet with your knees slightly bent, then turn the rope through the next pass.

Common mistakes

Swinging the whole arms
Wide arm circles pull the handles away from the hips and change the rope's path. Keep the elbows nearby and let the wrists guide the turn.
Jumping much higher than the rope needs
A large jump makes the movement harder to repeat and can leave you landing stiffly. Use only enough height for the rope to clear your feet.
Landing with straight, rigid legs
Meet the floor through the front half of the feet and let the ankles and knees bend rather than locking the legs on contact.

Where it fits in a session

Wherever jump rope fits the purpose of the session.

Follow the plan for that session. Duration, pace, cadence, intensity, intervals and progression are intentionally not prescribed here.

Muscles worked

calf muscles
quadriceps
hamstrings
tibialis anterior

Jump rope is cardio rather than a resistance exercise aimed at one muscle. The calves repeatedly contribute at takeoff and landing, while muscles at the front and back of the thigh and shin also take part. The list describes involvement rather than ranking a training effect.

Variations

Alternating-foot jump rope — Switches the landing foot from one rope pass to the next instead of jumping with both feet together.
Single-leg jump rope — Keeps one foot off the floor while the other clears each rope pass.
Double-under — Turns the rope twice beneath the feet during one jump.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does jump rope work?

The calf muscles contribute strongly to the repeated takeoffs and landings. The quadriceps, hamstrings and tibialis anterior at the front of the shin also take part. Jump rope is still cardio rather than an exercise designed to isolate one of those muscles.

How high should you jump?

Jump only high enough for the rope to pass beneath both feet. If you need a large jump or have to tuck your knees, first check that the rope has room to turn and that your hands have not drifted far from your hips.

Why does the rope keep hitting my feet?

Stop and reset with the rope behind your heels. Keep the hands close to your hips, turn from the wrists and wait until the rope approaches your toes before jumping. Practise one clean pass at a time if the rope path changes as soon as you repeat the movement.

Do both feet have to jump together?

The standard version shown here uses both feet together. Alternating feet and single-leg jumps are separate variations, so changing the foot pattern does not make the movement wrong; it makes it a different version.

How long should you jump rope?

That depends on why jump rope is in the session. A warm-up, a general cardio session and preparation for a sport call for different choices. Follow the plan for that session rather than treating one duration or effort as correct for everyone.

Sources

Lin Y, et al. The Influence of Different Rope Jumping Methods on Adolescents' Lower Limb Biomechanics during the Ground-Contact Phase. Children (Basel). 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9139829/
Yu H-B, et al. Effects of Footwear Selection on Plantar Pressure and Neuromuscular Characteristics during Jump Rope Training. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9913986/