Sydney Bueckert
Fitness Trainer
CES, FNS, GPTS, NASM-CPT
Jump roping isn’t just for kids. Studies suggest the repetitive movement of jumping rope can elevate your heart rate, work the muscles in your arms and legs, burn calories, and boost mood. Plus, this type of exercise can easily slip into any exercise routine as a warmup, HIIT finisher, or as a stand-alone workout.
Here’s all the jump roping benefits you can expect from making this simple and fun practice a part of your regular fitness routine.
Benefits of Jump Roping
Jump roping has surprisingly substantial benefits, below are some of the key highlights.
1. Improves heart health
Jump roping elevates your heart rate quickly, and it may do so more efficiently than other forms of cardio.
A small 2025 study found that adding just 10 minutes of jumping rope to a regular cardio routine can boost cardiovascular capacity (1). Another study suggests jumping rope is better for increasing cardiovascular capacity than the average exercise routine (2). In other words, jump roping may make it easier to exercise longer with less effort (a sign of a stronger, healthier heart).
Jumping rope can also have a positive effect on numerous markers of cardiovascular health. One study found that 12 weeks of regular jump roping improved body composition, inflammation, and blood pressure (3). Improvements in these specific markers can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
2. Burns a high amount of calories
Because jump roping is a high-intensity compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups at once while also raising your heart rate, it can burn a significant number of calories in a short amount of time.
In fact, according to Harvard Health Publishing, 30 minutes of jump roping burns more calories than rowing, cycling, the Stairmaster, hiking, or walking for the same amount of time (4). Regarding calorie burn, it is comparable to running.
Still, most people can’t jump rope for 30 minutes and shouldn’t try to on day one. Gradually work up to longer periods, striving for five, 10, or even 20 minutes to make a larger impact on overall calorie burn. Or alternate periods of all-out jump roping with periods of rest for a HIIT style workout that can burn even more calories.
3. Builds muscular power
Jumping is a plyometric exercise, which can help build muscular power (or the ability to exert force quickly)—particularly in your lower body and although it’s not as effective as weightlifting for building strength and power, it’s a nice addition to any strength training program.
As we age, we lose muscular power more rapidly than we lose strength (5). Maintaining both strength and power is the key to maintaining the ability to complete everyday movements like climbing the stairs, standing up from a chair, or preventing a fall.
One study found that three training sessions of jump roping per week (where each session included three sets of 10 jumps per set, with 60 seconds of rest between) is enough to enhance power in adults over 50 (6).
Power is also essential for building the explosive strength needed for sports or other athletic pursuits like CrossFit or Hyrox (7). In these cases, you’ll also benefit from moves that challenge you like power cleans, snatches, and box jumps. But the repetitive motion of jumping rope can help to build endurance for sports like tennis, basketball, or boxing—where repeated, reactive movements like jumping place high demands on your joints, feet and legs.
4. Enhances balance and coordination
Jump roping challenges lower body stability, forcing your knees, hips, and ankles to both balance and explode in time with your upper body. One study found that athletes who jumped rope ended up with better coordination and balance compared to their teammates who did not. (8).
5. Increases running speed
Gains in cardiovascular capacity, muscular power, balance and coordination, all work together to benefit athletic performance. But studies suggest runners may experience even more benefits from jump roping.
A 2021 meta-analysis found that runners who did jump training put up faster running times (between two to five kilometers) compared to those who didn’t (9). The jumping group also showed significant improvements in their jump measurements, sprint performance, reactive strength, and running economy.
6. Increases bone density
As a weight bearing exercise, jump roping can help strengthen your bones by increasing bone mineral density. This makes it an excellent exercise for people at risk of accelerated bone loss, like women in perimenopause or menopause.
A 2015 randomized controlled trial, published in the American Journal of Health Promotion, found that women between the ages of 25 and 50 who jump roped for just 10-20 jumps a few times a day for 8 weeks significantly increased hip bone mineral density (10).
That said, if you already have osteoporosis (a condition marked by weak bones that are more susceptible to breaking), ask a doctor if jump roping is the right starting point for building bone strength.
7. It’s portable
A jump rope is light weight and highly portable, meaning it’s easy to take with you. Whether you travel or frequently have an inconsistent schedule, having a jump rope on hand means you can work out wherever and whenever it’s convenient for you.
8. Boosts mood
Finally, jumping rope may help to regulate mood and lower anxiety. A 2021 study found that adults who jumped rope had significant reductions in self-reported anxiety scores, improvements in attention span, cognitive function, and a rise in serotonin (a neurotransmitter associated with mood regulation and lower levels of anxiety) (11).
How to Jump Rope
If you haven’t picked up a jump rope in a while, here’s what to know:
1. Get a jump rope that’s the right length for your height. Stand on the middle of the rope with both feet, then grab the handles and lift them to chest height with your arms straight. The ends of the rope (the part where the rope meets the handle) should be level with your armpits.
2. Find the right workout surface. Don’t jump on concrete or asphalt if possible. Rubber flooring, wood, track, turf, or grass all reduce the impact on your joints.
3. Focus on good jump roping form. Stand up straight with your chest up, shoulders down and back, and head looking straight forward. Flick your wrists (rather than making big motions with your arms) to turn the rope. Slightly bend your knees, landing softly on the balls of your feet with each jump.
4. Don’t jump too high. Staying on the balls of your feet and keeping your jumps small (1-2 inches at most) makes the move more efficient and protects your joints. This allows you to jump rope for longer periods of time with less energy expenditure and less impact on your body.
5. Start small. One minute of jump roping is a good starting point. It may sound like not enough time, but the repetitive pounding motion adds up fast, and too much too soon can promote unnecessary muscle and joint soreness or cause shin splints. Easing into a good routine and slowly increasing your jumping time is the best approach.
How Long to Jump Rope for Benefits
Jump roping is best tolerated when you start small (60 seconds of jumping, 3 sets of 10 jumps) and build slowly (two sets of 60 seconds with a 60 second rest, and so on). However, the problem with that is in terms of cardiovascular exercise is that you won’t get close to the CDC recommendation of 150-minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week (12).
The good news however is that the benefits associated with regular exercise can be gained from accumulating exercise minutes throughout the week. So even small bouts of exercise count toward your weekly total. In fact, a 2026 study pulling data from over 40,000 people based in Norway, Sweden, and the US, found that just five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (such as jump roping) reduces premature mortality risk by up to 10% (13).
The other awesome news is that many of the evidence-backed benefits of jump roping are based on pretty small amounts of activity. The longest suggested protocol was 10 minutes, but many of the above studies yielded impressive results with just a few minutes of jumping two to three times per week.
Best Jump Rope Workouts
You don’t need a structured workout to start jump roping. Jump rope for a minute or two to kickstart your warmup or turn it into a fun high-intensity circuit workout by alternating periods of jump roping with exercises like squats, pushups, and rest. Or give one of these instructor-led jump roping workouts a try:
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5-Minute Jump Rope Workout for Beginners
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5-Minute Jump Rope Workout
- 10-Minute Jump Rope Workout for Beginners
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10-Minute Jump Rope Workout
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10-Minute Speed Rope Workout
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10-Minute Weighted Jump Rope Workout
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20-Minute Jump Rope Circuit
What to Look for in a Jump Rope
Your jump rope can make or break your workout. Sunny has a variety of options including a standard rope, speed rope, and weighted jump rope. Speed ropes are great for athletes looking to push the pace, while the weighted rope can help strengthen your shoulders and upper body while you jump.
Each of these jump ropes were designed with a few essential features in mind. First, each option includes an adjustable length so you know the rope will be a perfect fit regardless of your height. Second, combined materials, shape, and weight deliver the crisp, snappy return necessary for athletic movements (the plastic, beaded ropes from grade school gym class could never).
Make Every Jump Count with AI Tracking
Once you have the right gear, the focus shifts to performance.
Tools like the SunnyFit® app use advanced skeleton detection technology to track every rep with precision directly through your phone’s camera. This allows you to focus entirely on your breathing and rhythm while the jumping feature handles your workout progress.
Even better? It automatically captures your "Highlight Moments" saving short video clips of your best sets. It’s a seamless way to review your technique and celebrate your progress without ever missing a beat.
The Bottom Line
Research shows jump roping can improve heart health, athletic performance, balance and coordination, muscular power, and bone density. Plus, it’s an efficient workout—burning a relatively high number of calories in a short amount of time. Studies suggest even small amounts of jump roping (a few minutes or short sessions per week) are enough to see benefits.
The best part: Jump ropes are lightweight and easy to bring anywhere, so you have one less excuse to get moving.
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