The Jump Rope: Every Boxing Legend’s Secret Weapon
It’s hard to imagine a boxer training for their next big fight without thinking of them jumping rope at godspeed. Whether you know it from binge-watching Rocky or from seeing boxers at the gym, it’s clear that boxers love to jump rope. Seeing a professional boxer jumping away while training is more than a compulsory cliché; it’s an integral component to their success in the ring. Jumping rope lends to boxers’ impressive speed, their coordination, their quick thinking, and helps keep them in enviable shape.
It’s fair to say we’ve all looked at a pro boxer jumping rope faster than we could imagine and wished we had their physique and strength. Though the average Joe isn’t going to have the time to commit to a professional boxer’s full workout routine, we mere mortals can learn much from using their not so secret weapon. Here are some of the benefits boxers find from jumping rope and how you can apply them to your fitness journey.
A Full Body Workout
While it may seem easy, jumping rope is a workout for the entire body. Professional boxers jump rope usually as a warm-up that targets many muscles. It’s a simple exercise that engages the quads, hamstrings, abs, shoulders, and arm muscles – just to name a few. As an aerobic workout, it also gets the heart racing which improves cardiovascular health and endurance. To add this exercise to your personal routine try jumping for a set amount of time or find a cool jump rope HIIT routine to try.
Improved Footwork
One thing that is easy to see when anyone is jumping rope is that it requires them to be relatively light on their feet. You may have noticed boxers take it up a notch by doing fancy foot maneuvers while jumping. Jumping rope teaches them to carry their body weight gracefully and quickly under a stressful and time-sensitive situation: a necessary tool in the ring. You may not have any boxing matches coming up soon, but there is nothing wrong with having improved agility. It can help you in other sports or hobbies, make chasing your little ones easier, decrease the chances of injury, and help reduce recovery time.
Mentally Stimulating
Jumping rope is a highly stimulating activity for the mind. Realizing the success of the workout depends on finding a flow and making the body move in harmony with it is a mental challenge in itself. There is an obvious rhythm to follow and the mind must be keenly aware of where the rope is in relation to the body. This forces the brain to focus and improves spatial awareness: key traits of a good boxer. It is not hard to see how improving thinking ability can be beneficial in everyday life. Challenging your mind with an activity that is both physically and mentally stimulating can help you have a sharper brain now and healthier brain in the future.
Improved Coordination
Boxing is a sport that requires the body to move as a unit with a singular purpose. To successfully jump rope your upper body, lower body, and mind all must be working in harmony. This translates to a pro being able to see an opponent’s move and dodge it or to step and jab at the same time. If you have ever fallen UP the stairs, then you know how important coordination is for us regular folk. Having better coordination helps you move through life more quickly and efficiently. Potentially being a better dancer or finally walking in heels are surprisingly good perks too.
A Mobile Workout
Jumping rope is a simple exercise with minimal equipment. It can be done anywhere for any length of time. This is important as boxers are frequently traveling across the world and training in unfamiliar gyms. Even during their personal time between matches, jumping rope is an easy way to keep their stamina up. How many of us have rested on our busy schedules or travel as an excuse to skip on our daily exercise? Making jumping rope a part of your workout regime makes it easy to do a simple workout on the go. All you need is a rope, space, and a quick session to reap major benefits.
Learning The Body
Believe it or not, jumping rope can teach boxers a lot about their bodies. From choosing the proper height and weight of the rope to evaluating their form while jumping, there is much to learn as they progress. Since jumping rope requires so much stamina and coordination, it would be easy to see if those areas are improving as jumping skills improve. We are constantly being admonished to learn our bodies, not only to improve on our weaknesses but to appreciate our strengths. You may never know how much stamina you have or how easy it is for you to jump high enough to do a double under unless you try jumping rope. Consider using this exercise not only as an opportunity to optimize yourself, but to see how awesome you already are.
If your interest in jumping rope has been piqued, look for a quick guide like this one to get you started. With little startup investment, you’ll be in boxing shape in no time.
