Have you ever jumped rope?
I'm not talking about the children's game you used to play on the elementary school playground, I'm talking about real skipping rope.
Where the only thing you can hear is the rope hitting the ground, the sounds of the gym and your own breathing. No fun and games here. Skipping is hard work!
An MMA fighter, boxer and kickboxer jumps rope for the same reasons that virtually every athlete jumps rope:
Very good reasons to start skipping rope
1. Endurance
Jumping rope is a lot harder than some people think until they try it. Those people may be used to other forms of cardio, but not to the relatively explosive nature of jumping rope.
It may not seem that hard to get your feet an inch (or less) off the ground. But try it. If you do it many times a minute, it will eventually become much harder. Your heart rate will increase, you will start to sweat. It is a great boost if you want to work on your fitness.
As you practice more, you will also notice that you can jump longer and more often than you did in the beginning.
2. Footwork
Jumping rope requires much more foot discipline than you might think, as well as endurance. Small, precise and well-controlled movements, even under stress (or exhaustion, at the end of a training session) are not easy. Jumping rope teaches you that.
Precise footwork becomes part of your natural muscle memory. Jump rope, especially more advanced moves like the crossover, double skips, switch skips, etc., and watch your footwork improve.
You know that light-footed, almost bouncing movement that some top fighters do? The kind of quick shifting of stances that looks smooth? A lot of that is also made possible by the jump rope.
3. Coordination
This is related to footwork, but it involves the entire body. Lifting your feet requires the ability to mentally establish a timing while your body is in sync with your consciousness. If you watch someone who is good at jumping rope and is also advanced, you can see how the rhythm that has been established.
With good concentration you can go very far. This will lead to more coordination and skill. All day and every day. Coordination is one of the most important parts of developing an effective fighting game. Everything works, there is total control and there are tight reaction times, those things make someone a better athlete and certainly a better fighter.
4. Mental state
Jumping rope is a pain in the ass at first. You mess up all the time, the rope hits your toes, your body is out of sync or you misjudge a turn. There will be at least one time when you throw the rope out of frustration. It just happens and just when you think you are getting good, new techniques are added and it can be very frustrating.
It is also one of those exercises where you are 'in your head'. There has to be concentration, but there is also space to think, and it is harder not to get frustrated with yourself. It is not easy physically and therefore the continued pushing through the burning calves (and arms) also requires mental stamina and discipline.
Jumping rope is just one of those things that is required in martial arts, or often is required. There’s a reason it’s been a core training method for so long; because it matters. MMA fighters, boxers, and kickboxers jump rope because they want to get better, and it’s a great way to hone the things that will make them better.
Try it and see for yourself! We at Fight2Win have a lot of skipping ropes from different brands in our assortment. So if you are looking for a good and nice quality skipping rope, take a look in the Fight2Win webshop or come by the store.