6 reasons why jump rope should be a part of your daily workout

Jump rope offers numerous physical benefits and has long been considered a serious workout by boxers. It increases the body's flexibility, endurance and coordination while strengthening the cardiovascular system.

In addition, it is also an excellent way to lose weight. The following sections provide six top reasons why you should consider adding jump rope to your daily workout routine.

Endurance

Jump rope builds physical endurance and, over time, your stamina will increase and you'll be able to jump rope for a longer duration. Increasing muscle endurance helps improve the way your body performs while walking, jogging or performing other physical activities. Muscle endurance also helps older adults avoid a possible bone fracture by increasing the body's muscle flexibility.

Jumping rope increases coordination and overall agility. The body must jump and respond to the rope at the appropriate time, requiring optimal hand, eye and body coordination. To improve your coordination, alternate skipping across the jump rope, jumping over the rope or running over the rope at a very fast pace. You can also vary your jumps by using both feet at the same time, alternating your feet or using just one foot at a time.

Jump rope increases the flexibility of your lower legs, ankles and feet. Having optimal flexibility helps you avoid injury during other exercises and sports. According to the Jump Rope Institute, jumping rope daily can significantly reduce incidences of ankle and foot injuries.

Jumping rope for 60 minutes every day helps you lose weight by burning 700 to 1,000 calories per session. You can also jump rope for short intervals with a slow jog or jump to prevent overtiring; then, as you build up stamina, you can increase the workout time and intensity to maximize weight loss.

Jumping rope can be a high-intensity cardiovascular workout that improves the body's heart, lungs and circulation performance. During a cardiovascular workout, your heart rate will increase and your lungs will deliver more oxygen to your blood stream, helping to remove waste products, such as cholesterol, from your body. The heart will also build valuable strength during a cardiovascular workout.

A jump rope is relatively inexpensive and small enough to carry almost anywhere. You can jump rope at the gym, at home, in the park or anywhere else with sufficient space.