How many calories do you burn jumping rope

This is one of the most often asked questions by folks interested in incorporating rope jumping into their fitness routine. I'll add some stats I've found online, later, but let me clarify some factors that will affect the number greatly.

1. Your current fitness level. The more active you are now, the less calories you will burn jumping rope. You'll need to add some speed, and tricks or both to your jump rope regimine if it feels too easy.

2. Your jump rope proficiency will factor greatly. If you are a smoothe operator, and the rope is easy for you, that means you are more efficient. You'll clearly burn less calories. The good news is, you can add some jump rope skills to make jumping rope more fun and a creative outlet.

Jumping rope is an incredibly portable, fun and efficient form of exercise. And when you break through the learning curve of jumping rope, it really starts to get fun - and the possibility of moves you can do, really are endless.

Experts say in order to improve heart and lung health, jumping must be performed three to five times per week for 12 to 20 minutes at a stretch. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends trying 130 revolutions per minute, which is equal to running at 6 miles per hour or cycling at 12 miles per hour. Just 10 minutes of rope skipping is equivalent to a one-mile run.

Nutri Strategy says about the same thing here:
The number of calories you burn depends on your age, gender and size, but here are some estimates for an hour's worth of jumping rope for someone who weighs 190 pounds:
At a slow pace, 690 calories
At a moderate pace, 863 calories
At a fast pace, 1,035 calories

Now the caveat to all of this, is that MOST people cannot jump rope for more than a few minutes at a time without getting really winded.

Here are a few pointers to get you started jumping rope like a pro:

1. Try short burst of jumping when you first being. (30 sec or so) Focus more on your technique- hands close to the body, turning the rope FAST- The faster you spin your rope, the lower you can stay to the ground. This will create that boxer style. Focus on fast arms, low feet, straight legs.

2. Only jump on hardwood flooring. Cement is pretty brutal, grass is a no go. I choose a piece of plywood and throw in on my lawn for a quick workout. Works great.

3. As you improve, go for longer bouts. And when it starts to feel easy, add some footwork and arm action to make it fun and interesting. The "educators corner" on my website shows a nice little beginner to intermediate level routine you can try.

Happy Jumping!