For a heart-pumping at-home workout that requires minimal equipment and space, you can’t beat jumping rope. As personal trainer Mark Sayer explains, it’s the ideal small-space workout (whether you’re in your living room or a hotel once travel is a thing again) and easy to get creative with by mixing in single-leg hops, side-to-side “slaloms,” and other moves. According to Hari Singh, owner and general manager of CrossFit NYC, jumping rope is more than just good cardio: “Anyone can jump up and down, and anyone can swing a rope around,” he says. “The challenge is doing those two together, which involves coordination and accuracy. It’s not simply a physical challenge, it’s a neurological challenge.” Because of that, Sayer says, jumping rope can become more of a game than a workout. “You have to use so much coordination, you don’t think about how hard you’re working,” he says. Jumping rope is still relatively easy to master, though, especially if you’re using the right rope for you.
While you might be inspired by experienced jumpers who are whipping the rope around at lightning speed and doing double-unders (a move popular in CrossFit where the rope passes underneath your feet twice in one jump), if you’re just starting out you’ll want to avoid so-called “speed ropes” and stick to slower moving ones that’ll make it easier for you to nail down the movement. Below, five fitness professionals share their picks for the best ropes for beginners, as well as for those who are more advanced and looking for a bigger challenge.
