3419: Jumping Rope For Weight Loss by Ross Enamait of Ross Training on Simple Workout Routines

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[00:00:57] This is Optimal Health Daily. Jumping Rope for Weight Loss by Ross Enamait of RossTraining.com. And I'm Dr. Neal Malik, reading you some of the most popular health and fitness blogs out there, with permission from the websites, and always with a bit of my commentary at the end. Now don't forget, we have a few shows where we narrate articles for you. Just search for Optimal Living Daily wherever you're hearing this to find all of them.

[00:01:23] And with that, let's get right to today's post as we optimize your life. Jumping Rope for Weight Loss by Ross Enemite of RossTraining.com. As a boxing trainer, I've helped many fighters cut weight over the years. Weight loss is an important part of the job. Unlike traditional sports, boxing is divided by weight classes. A boxer can't box if he doesn't make weight.

[00:01:52] And if he can't box, he doesn't get paid. With that in mind, it's no surprise that I often receive questions about weight loss. One of the most common is related to the jump rope. After all, I'm known to jump rope, boxer's jump rope. So, is jumping rope good for weight loss? The uniqueness of the jump rope. I'm obviously a huge fan of the jump rope. I've skipped rope since the 1980s and plan to keep skipping as long as I'm kicking.

[00:02:21] Aside from the obvious conditioning benefits, I genuinely enjoy jumping rope. It's one of the few conditioning activities that allows creative freedom throughout the session. You'll be hard-pressed to find another tool that is as effective, inexpensive, and versatile. As I often say, if the rope didn't work, someone would have figured it out by now. You wouldn't continue to see million-dollar athletes using a tool that wasn't useful. The jump rope has stood the test of time for good reason.

[00:02:51] Yet, despite the obvious benefits, there is one disadvantage to the jump rope that makes it unique from other conditioning exercises. To put it bluntly, you can't skip rope if you don't know how. There is a learning curve that must first be overcome. And while it isn't difficult to learn how to jump rope, the initial prerequisites can't be ignored. With that in mind, the jump rope should not be your first and only choice for weight loss. If you are overweight and new to skipping rope,

[00:03:21] there are two potential problems that may arise. Problem number one, frustration. First, a beginner won't have the necessary skills to skip rope continuously. Constantly tripping over the rope isn't an exercise. Doing so won't lead to anything but frustration. If you are struggling to lose weight, the last thing you need is to be frustrated by your workout. You'd be better off starting with exercises that are devoid of a learning curve.

[00:03:49] This doesn't mean you can't eventually jump rope, but skipping rope shouldn't be initially viewed as a workout. Beginners must first view the jump rope as a skill. That skill won't become an exercise until you can efficiently perform it. When learning a new skill, I recommend frequent yet brief practice sessions. The best way to learn something new is by practicing when you are fresh. Fatigue shouldn't be part of the equation.

[00:04:16] One option would be to practice with the rope for a few minutes before your primary workout. Put the rope down as soon as frustration sets in. Come back the next day when you are fresh and try again. Within a few weeks, you'll be surprised at how far you've come. Problem number two, skill. Once you've passed the frustration phase and can skip rope repeatedly, there is another problem that may arise.

[00:04:42] Many novice rope skippers lack the ability to remain light on their feet when jumping rope. Instead, their feet come crashing down with each hop or step. As a result, it's not uncommon for beginners to experience pain throughout the lower body, like the feet, shins, knees, etc. The jump rope is often blamed for these pains, when the true source is related to skill. Contrary to what some believe, jumping rope is not a high-impact exercise

[00:05:10] once you are proficient with the tool. It's entirely possible to skip rope while remaining light on the feet. Even when I sprint in place with the rope, my feet aren't crashing down with each step. My feet move fast, but they actually touch down with minimal impact. You'll hear the rope touching the ground, but you won't hear my feet. Most beginners will need time to develop the necessary skill to jump rope while remaining light on their feet.

[00:05:37] I often tell beginners to pretend that they are skipping rope on a thin sheet of ice. If you land too heavy, you'll break the ice. And if you're landing heavy enough to break the ice, you're probably landing heavy enough to cause pain to the lower body. Carrying extra body weight certainly won't help the situation. If you land heavy while trying to lose weight, you are asking for problems. Once again, there's a learning curve that first must be realized. You versus them.

[00:06:07] The natural question, therefore, is, why do so many boxers skip rope when cutting weight? The answer is quite simple. Skipping rope is like riding a bicycle. Once you know how to skip, it becomes a skill that you never lose. Thus, even when a boxer gains weight in between bouts, he still possesses the skill to jump rope effectively. The boxer can jump right back into action without dealing with the problems I just mentioned. They won't be frustrated by the rope,

[00:06:37] and they won't land too heavily with each step. Furthermore, when it comes to weight loss, the exercises that you perform are just one piece of the puzzle. As an old saying suggests, you can't outwork a bad diet. If you eat and drink too much, it won't matter what exercises you perform. You'll continue to struggle with weight loss. For instance, I've trained many fighters who live at a weight that is 10 to 20 pounds heavier than their competition weight.

[00:07:06] That heavier weight is referred to as their walk-around weight. It's the weight that they live at when they aren't actively cutting for an upcoming bout. Many fighters will train hard in between bouts, but still remain at their walk-around weight. They don't begin losing weight until dietary changes are made when preparing for a specific fight. During that time, the training often remains similar to what they were doing before. The biggest change is to the diet. Sacrifices are made,

[00:07:35] which means they eat and drink less. Final thoughts. In summary, if weight loss is your goal, don't be so quick to focus your attention towards a tool such as the jump rope. The jump rope can eventually become a tool that you'll use forever, but trying to rush through the learning curve will only cause problems downstream. You'll be better served to first focus on strength and conditioning activities that involve minimal impact. Furthermore, it's important to understand that

[00:08:05] no exercise is as important as diet when weight loss is the goal. Oftentimes, what happens in the gym is secondary to what happens in the kitchen. I don't say this to suggest that exercise isn't also important, but you certainly shouldn't put all of your eggs into one basket. Doing so can lead to overuse, particularly for beginners. Therefore, in many ways, you could say that there is no single best exercise for weight loss. Don't let others fool you to believe otherwise.

[00:08:35] Instead, clean up your diet and slowly make exercise a part of your daily routine. Eventually, it will become part of who you are and what you do. Once you reach that stage, regular jump rope training will be a more realistic and sustainable goal. You just listened to the post titled Jumping Rope for Weight Loss by Ross Enemite of RossTraining.com and I'll be right back with my commentary. If you're a small business,

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[00:10:34] I agree with Ross that skipping or jumping rope is a fantastic exercise. It combines coordination and balance and is a wonderful cardiovascular exercise. Oh, and since Ross mentioned boxing, I can't help but remind you that just try throwing punches even just in the air. You'll find it's a fantastic cardiovascular exercise too. Have you ever tried throwing punches for like a full three minutes? Try throwing punches for even just one minute.

[00:11:03] I guarantee that at the end of that minute, your heart will be racing and your shoulders will feel exhausted. Okay, back to jumping rope. Now, as Ross mentioned, if you're new to it, you're going to want to start slowly. If you skip rope for just 30 seconds, it's probably going to make your heart feel like it's going to pop out of your chest. I know that's how I felt when I first tried it. Oh, and my coordination was terrible. Just as Ross said,

[00:11:32] I would get super frustrated when I didn't have the coordination to keep the rope jumping going. My timing would get thrown off and I would end up jumping too soon or too late and the rope would get caught on my feet. So, one of my trainers taught me a trick. He said, put the rope away and let's just practice hopping up and down without it. We're going to use an invisible jump rope. And just like it sounds, my trainer had me jump up and down while rotating my wrists

[00:12:02] as if I was holding an actual jump rope in my hands. Now, the point of this was to just focus on my form, making sure that, as Ross said in today's article, I remained light on my feet. The focus wasn't on timing my jumps with the rope, but instead was simply making my form perfect. Gradually, we reintroduced the rope. Now, it still didn't go great right away. I had to stop and restart quite a bit while I got my timing down. But, having good form to begin with

[00:12:31] made the process a lot easier. So, if you are interested in jumping rope but are afraid that you're just not coordinated enough, it's okay because now you have another option. Try the invisible jump rope trick. No rope needed and you'll still get a fantastic cardiovascular workout. Alright, that'll do it from me for today. Don't forget, I'll be back here tomorrow for our usual Friday Q&A, so definitely come back for that where your optimal life awaits. have to started. So, get So, you