Am I too old for jump rope?

It might surprise you to hear but jumping rope can be an incredibly good exercise choice for older folk. The reason is because of one of its unique features that aren’t present in cycling, swimming or even running. It’s the impact intensity.

As people age, the onset and development of osteoporosis become much more prevalent. Osteoporosis is the reduction in bone density which can lead to all manner of complications such as increased mortality rate due to minor injuries and accidents such as falls. The best way to fight back against this age-related problem is resistance training and cardiovascular training which includes some degree of impact.

In swimming, cycling, rowing and other similar sports, there is little to no impact. This means, in an effort to prevent the progression of osteoporosis, these sports do little to help. You might think running is the solution, but because of the asymmetry of the movement pattern, it can lead to other injuries and pains such as the runner’s knee, hip pain and more. This is where jump rope differs.

The primary action in jump rope is bounding. This is where the person ballistically (explosively) jumps up and down on the balls of their feet without letting their heels touch the ground in between reps. Due to this, it has the advantage over running because the movement pattern is symmetrical. On top of that, the explosive nature offers a very good form of impact training without being injury-inducing.

As a professional jump rope coach and certified personal trainer, I have trained many individuals between 55 and 75 years of age. The range of skills may require adapting to suit their fitness levels, but even the simplest jump rope workout can be an incredibly good exercise choice for their overall health.