Are there any notable weighted jump rope benefits?
Jumping rope is one of the least fussy, easily accessible forms of exercise out there—a classic in its own sense.
From a young age, jumping rope is one of the more popular games children play. Unknown to many, however, is just how impactful jumping rope is as an exercise.
But what happens when you amp things up by adding resistance through adding some weight to the jump rope. The addition of weights to a jump rope leads to the formation of a weighted jump rope.
A light jumping rope, also known as speed rope, has great benefits. However, like always in fitness, there comes a time when you have to up the ante hence the introduction of weighted jump ropes.
Let’s look at how impactful weighted jump rope benefits can be when added to your routine.
WEIGHTED JUMP ROPE BENEFITS
1. BURNS HIGH AMOUNT OF CALORIES
Weighted jump rope benefits you from the onset because it makes you work more—every jump counts when you are using a weighted jump rope.
Look at it this way; it is much harder to jump a three-pound rope than jump a light, speed rope. Therefore, while jumping a weighted jump rope, you engage a lot of muscles throughout the body.
This facilitates a high energy consumption rate, thus leading to the burning of high amounts of calories.
Weighted jump rope benefits you, therefore if you’re looking to cut down your calorie levels.
2. UPPER EXTREMITY MUSCLES
Weighted jump ropes engage both upper extremity muscles and lower extremity muscles. Consequentially engagement of the upper extremity muscles leads to their strengthening and also facilitates weight loss.
3. EASY TO LEARN
No matter how old you are, chances are jump ropes have been at some point in and around your life.
So, although the prospect of jumping weighted jump ropes may seem daunting, the principles remain the same.
If anything, weighted jump ropes are easier to get the hang of. A lot of times, speed ropes trip you up or get annoyingly tangled.
Weighted jump ropes ensure that the rotations are slowed down just enough to ease you in.
4.WORKS MULTIPLE MUSCLE GROUPS
The addition of weights to a speed rope creates resistance, which is the basis of any strength training exercise. A weighted jump rope ensures that weight is evenly distributed throughout the jumping rope.
Therefore, while jumping rope, multiple muscles are engaged equally. The generated resistance thus prompts the building and strengthening of said muscles.
5. PORTABLE
One of the biggest challenges to staying consistent with workout routines is finding the time to work out when moving.
However, if you build your routine around equipment such as the weighted jump rope, you’re never disrupted. If it means you travel a lot, you can carry it with you. All you have to do is find the space.
As such, you get to enjoy weighted jump rope benefits from wherever.
6. GIVES MORE MUSCLE CONTROL
The instigated resistance from the weights on the weighted jump rope creates a certain amount of force. The task of controlling this force is thus left to the muscles.
Doing this constantly develops high levels of muscle control. Muscle control is intertwined with muscle strength, which improves on things like body composition.
7. IMPROVES CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS
As mentioned above, weighted jump rope engages multiple muscles, which expends more energy. Expending such amounts of energy meaning the heart gets to work overtime.
This is because the heart has to pump at a faster rate than accustomed. After a while, this leads to the strength of heart muscles such as the arterial walls. This, therefore, improves cardiovascular fitness.
8. VERSATILITY
The weighted jump ropes allow you to adjust the intensity of your workouts just in itself. Certain weighted jump rope sets come with a variety of weights.
These weights give you the option of switching the intensity of your workout from high to low and vice versa. In the end, you come away having had a versatile workout. An approach that is beneficial in the long run.
9. BURNS FAT AND BUILDS LEAN MUSCLE
Jumping weighted jump ropes can be used as a strength training exercise. The resistance the weights generate ultimately leads to the burning of fats.
Fat deposits are burned as energy to facilitate the production of energy to perform this exercise. Due to the shedding of extra fat deposits, the strengthened muscles thus bulk fat-free.
10. SHOULDER DEVELOPMENT
Shoulders are a difficult part of the body to strengthen. As such, even among fit people, the shoulders are some of the weakest parts of the body
When jumping rope, however, the shoulder is forced to contract and stabilize. The contraction and stabilization are prompted to control movement in the interlinked area, such as the lower arms.
Add the weight that comes with a weighted jumping rope, increasing the rate at which the shoulder develops.
WHAT MUSCLES DO WEIGHTED JUMP ROPES WORK?
One of the reasons why jumping rope is such a tiring exercise is the number of muscles engaged. This, in turn, leads to a steep demand for energy hence the tiredness.
The resistance engendered by the weights engages multiple muscles in the upper and lower body. Some of the upper body muscles engaged include the arms, back, shoulders, and core.
Lower body muscles engaged include the hamstring, calves, glutes, and quads.
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU JUMP ROPE?
Weighted jump rope benefits are commensurate to the amount of time you spend doing the exercise. This, however, doesn’t mean running yourself to the ground.
To attain the full weighted rope benefits, you have to pace yourself. This means conducting an assessment of various things.
This includes your current fitness levels, personal goals, and history with an injury. Based on the answers to these questions, you can then decide on a convenient timeframe.
Your timeframe should also be based on the standard recommendations. There are various recommendations for a weighted jump rope workout.
For instance, you could either jump rope every day for about 20 minutes or twice or thrice a week.
HOW HEAVY SHOULD MY WEIGHTED JUMP ROPE BE?
The weight of the weighted jump rope you use is similar to what I’ve mentioned above. Your personal goals, history with injury, fitness levels, and skill level.
There are varying weights that depend on things like the intensity of the workout you’re going for. The size of the weights ranges from a quarter pound, half a pound, a pound, two pounds, and so on.
If you’re just starting on jumping rope, opt for the lesser loads. However, if you’re starting out jumping but have experience in other forms of exercise, it’s okay to start a little higher.
CONCLUSION
Weighted jump ropes are as easy as it gets when it comes to starting. It can be low impact or high impact and is easy to start.
This means it’s a form of exercise that can be done by people across many age groups. It is also a bit more pocket friendly.
When you weigh up the cost vis a vis the benefit of getting into jumping weighted rope, let this tip the scale.
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