Is jump rope better than running?

Jump rope is known for being an excellent way to burn a lot more calories per hour than other forms of cardiovascular exercise. How does it compare to running, though? If your goal is to become a better runner, then no. If you’re looking to improve your cardiovascular strength with the least obstacles, then jump rope may prove more effective than running. Let’s find out how. 

Running is something we as humans are uniquely excellent at, especially long-distance endurance running; however, it is not without its issues.

Bad form can lead to many issues in your ankles, knees and hips. A lot of older people have to reduce the amount of running they do due to the issues that can arise. Those who have a higher BMI also can experience pain from the impact of running on hard surfaces like concrete or tarmac. Shin splints and runners’ knees are just two of the many struggles runners can face. It can be hard to find safe routes to run with flat even surfaces and no traffic to dance with. Also, for amateur runners, keeping a consistent pace can be a difficult challenge.

How can jump rope address these issues? If comparing the speed step on the spot to running, it can be much easier to achieve efficient form with significantly reduced impact on the joints. If jumping to music it can be very easy to match your jumping to a specific pace and track this as a variable of intensity. You did 90 bpm for 3 minutes last session? Great, let’s try 95 bpm this time - that’s a 5% increase in speed. Although shin splints can be prevalent in jump rope, it is much easier to eradicate with good form and jumping surface choice. Talking of jumping surfaces, all you need is a 1m² space to speed train, meaning you can do it in the corner of your gym, home or back garden. Being able to do it indoors means you have no weather, traffic or dangerous terrain to worry about.