Exercising with a speed rope is one of the most effective ways to get in shape, lose weight and feel great. Skipping is a simple activity that is easy to learn which can be done almost anywhere and any time. All you need is a jumping rope and a little space.
While you could use something as simple as a cut off length of washing line to make a jump rope, that isn’t really ideal and you’d be much better off using a more specialist speed jump rope if you want to make your workouts as effective, efficient and enjoyable as possible so it pays to spend a little time choosing the best rope.
Traditionally, jumping ropes were always made of leather which is great as leather is hardwearing and heavy enough to spin fairly well however leather ropes are not always the fastest or the smoothest to use and are prone to tangles. If you have ideas about doing workouts like double unders (two rope turns per jump) then you may struggle with a leather rope. Also, leather ropes are not usually adjustable so they are difficult to size correctly.
Some ropes are made of PVC. PVC ropes are absolutely faster (and cheaper) than leather ropes however they tend to use very simply hollow plastic handles which means that they too can not easily be adjusted. Of course — you can tie knots in the rope to shorten it however this is far from ideal. And while PVC ropes are quicker than leather ropes, they still lack the real eye-blinking speed needed to do double, triple or even quadruple unders (yes– that’s three and 4 rope turns per jump!).
If you are serious about jumping rope speed, the very best option of rope material is a plastic coated steel wire. With just a flick of the wrist, a steel wire will cut through the air like a hot knife through butter to make your workouts as smooth and efficient as possible. Wire ropes are generally very easy to adjust so you can customize the rope length to your exact requirements.
The best speed jumping ropes also have specially made handles that contain bearings to further reduce resistance and improve your workout. This also means the rope will not twist or tangle which can add unwanted stress to your workout and who needs that?!
So, while you can go low tech and skip with any type of old rope, as even the best speed jump ropes come in at less than £20.00, it makes sense to purchase a good one– one that will last for years and was designed specifically to make your skipping rope workouts as enjoyable and effective as possible. In return, you’ll get a tool specifically designed to get you in great shape in the quickest time possible.
Jump Rope Fitness Fan Blog 