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This article reviews 5 of the best skipping ropes on the market. The jump ropes selected for this review have received significant customer feedback and rated 4-stars or above. Thus, if you decide to buy any one of the 5 excellent skipping ropes below, you know it has been built to last.
Benefits of skipping
Skipping, or ‘jumping rope’, is a staple of the boxer’s daily training diet. Primarily used as a warm-up and cool-down exercise, skipping confers many physical benefits. Bruce Lee purportedly said that ‘10 minutes of skipping rope is like 30 minutes of jogging.’
Though I’ve yet to encounter any research that supports his statement, anyone who’s vigorously skipped for ten minutes will probably agree with him. So why is such a seemingly simple and, excuse the term, old fashioned exercise so stimulating?
Skipping is a whole-body fitness developer
This probably has something to do with the way skipping works the body. When performing this exercise multiple major muscle groups are simultaneously recruited; such as the quadriceps, back and shoulders and of course the heart and lungs (diaphragm).
In addition, a plethora of ‘synergist’, or stabilising, muscles are engaged to, well, stabilise the body during the movement. I suppose, in short, I could have just said that skipping in some way activates every muscle in your body. It’s no wonder then that ten minutes of jumping rope gets the blood pumping and the sweat pouring.
But of the benefits conferred by skipping the buck doesn’t stop at augmented physicality.
Skipping improves multiple components of fitness
Skipping helps to sharpen the boxer’s coordination and agility. Both extremely important attributes of the pugilist. Furthermore, unlike an exercise such as running, as good as it is, you can’t ‘switch-off’ when skipping.
The moment your mind wanders you’ll miss-time a jump and consequently find yourself untangling the rope – which is highly irritating – or whipping you’re arse – which is painful. Thus this is one of the few exercises that gives your mind a workout as well as your body.
Skipping ropes are super cheap
As exercise equipment goes, skipping, relative to the many benefits reaped, has to be one of the single most inexpensive available. For less than the price of a cinema ticket and small popcorn you could be the proud owner of a skipping rope – and a good one will last years.
Moreover, not only are they dirt cheap but they are eminently portable (something that can’t be said of TOPIOM’s wooden water-filled rowing machine) and require little space
to use.
Benefits of regular skipping
Improved cardiovascular and respiratory performance
Enhanced muscular endurance across a range of muscle groups
Sharpened coordination and agility
Mental stimulation
So now that we have an idea of why we should start skipping (if you don’t already), which rope should we use? To help you decide I’ve listed the 5 best skipping ropes. Have a read, buy a rope, and get jumping!
The 5 Best Skipping Ropes
Product Particulars (click image for availability)
Anti-Slip soft skin-friendly handle
Ergonomically shaped handles coated with custom memory foam
Premium ball bearing: ensuring a smooth and effortless spin
Lightweight & Portable
The TechRise rope is excellent for beginners. Because it is made from lightweight materials it is not as physically taxing as heavier ropes thus enabling the beginner to focus more on technique as opposed to fighting fatigue. Also, a finer rope is more forgiving when you miss-time a jump and whip the side of your leg.
Product Particulars (click image for availability)
Adjustable rope length
High quality bearings to facilitate smooth rope rotation
Non-slip texture design ensures firm grip and prevents slip
Weighted bars to enhance skipping intensity
The Bestwon is an extremely well rated rope and for good reason. As far as skipping ropes go this is probably one of the best built products on the market. A praise-worthy feature of the Bestwon is the function that enables you to adjust the rope length.
In the olden days we had to settle with tying knots in the rope. Of course it's best to avoid doing this as it can upset the balance of the rope by placing more weight on one side and it hastens wear and tear.
Product Particulars (click image for availability)
Premium quality ball bearings
Adjustable rope length
Non-kinking wire
Anti-slip handles
Option to buy extra weights to increase intensity
If customer ratings are anything to go by Multifun's interactive skipping rope is better than sliced bread. I know, hard to believe. But it's received nearly 3,500 reviews - and the vast majority of them are five stars!
What's so good about this rope then?
Well, besides the fact that it looks pretty cool, Multifun's skipping rope is of superior design and build quality. Like the Bestwon, the rope length is fully adjustable, which means you don't have knot or, worse still, cut the rope down to size.
But the best thing about this jump rope is that it features an inbuilt skip counter. In addition to counting skips, the 'onboard computer' also times your session while estimating total calories burned.
Best jump rope #4: Valour Strike (£16.95)
Product Particulars (click image for availability)
Looks awesome
Premium quality materials
Leather rope
Weighted handles
Adjustable rope length
Free Allen Key!
£27.95
The Valour Strike Leather skipping rope will not only aid you in your quest for augmented physicality but will make you feel like Sugar Ray Robinson in the process. Just look at it, the thing's a veritable work of art!
Other pluses include not only that free Allen Key so subtly advertised in the image but also adjustable rope length technology and - yes and! - removable weights. Furthermore, because the rope is made from high-grade leather this product will last for years.
Best jump rope #5: BeastGear skipping rope (£14.95)
Product Particulars
Superb customer feedback
Premium quality materials
Adjustable rope length
Composed of exclusive industrial strength aluminium
You get a little bag to put the rope in!
The BeastGear skipping rope has got to be one of the best rated ropes on Amazon. With over 7,000 reviews and still retaining five stars this is one popular piece of exercise equipment that's made a lot of people very happy.
Its popularity probably has something to do with its durability and ergonomic design. The premium quality ball bearings improve the spin rate which makes for smooth skipping experience. Furthermore, the rope can be adjusted to accommodate all heights.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully throughout this blog I've convinced you of the benefits of skipping and why, whilst on our long pilgrimage to physical perfection, we would be wise to include it into our exercise repertoire.
Yes, the fact cannot be escaped, skipping is one of the few exercise that requires significant skill-based development. Unlike learning, say, a resistance movement (biceps curl), or body weight exercise (press-ups), which can both be mastered in a minute or two, skipping can take weeks, even months of diligent practice before you'll develop the confidence to dare jump rope in public.
This is one of the primary turn-offs for many people. However, the invested effort will more than pay off when you start to reap those many benefits outlined in the introduction. So, what you waiting for?
When you get your new jump rope, put it to use and start developing your boxing fitness.
(As we are very interested in user feedback at Hungry4Fitness, I would be very grateful if you could take a few seconds out of your day to leave a comment. Thanks in advance!)
Blog Author
Adam Priest, former Royal Marines Commando, is a personal trainer, lecturer, boxing and Thai boxing enthusiast