Sick of Running? Get Your Cardio in With These Heart-Pounding Jump-Rope Workouts

Updated on Sep 30, 2020 at 5:48 PM

Cardio gets a bad rap for being boring, and we get it: running, walking, and cycling feel pretty one-dimensional when you're doing them day in, day out. Aiming for variety in your workout routine helps you stay engaged and on track, and it's just more fun! So what's our newest go-to when it comes to cardio? It's an exercise you may remember from the good ol' playground: jump rope.

Jump ropes are great cardio tools because they're lightweight, cheap, portable, and they don't require a ton of time or space to get a sweat in. And believe us, you will be sweating, especially if you follow one of these eight jump-rope cardio workouts we dug up on YouTube. There's a routine to fit every time limit and fitness level, and whichever one you choose, you'll be ramping up your heart rate and breathing hard by the end. So grab your jump rope, pull on your shoes, and keep a towel and your water bottle nearby — let's get sweating!

20-Minute Jump-Rope Workout by Amanda Kloots

Have some time on your hands? This workout lasts a full 20 minutes and gets pretty creative with the jump rope. Beyond jumping moves, you'll be using it for side stretches, tricep pull-downs, and even some balance challenges.

Beginner-Friendly Skipping Rope HIIT Workout by Mitchelle Adagala

Simple and effective, this HIIT-style workout gets into all kinds of creative jump-rope moves, including jump-rope jacks and front kicks. Pay attention to when the rest intervals appear, and repeat for one-to-two more rounds for the full workout!

10-Minute Jump-Rope Workout by Class FitSugar

In this 10-minute workout, Class FitSugar host Anna Renderer takes you through a quick warmup, then gets into a set of fast intervals with more advanced jump-rope variations like high knees and single-leg hops. In between intervals, you get a nice active rest period — enjoy it, because it doesn't last long!

10-Minute Jump-Rope Weight-Loss Workout by MrLondon

You'll up your cardio with bodyweight moves in this 10-minute workout, which starts with 30 seconds of each jump-rope set, goes into a 10-second sprint, and finishes with equipment-free moves like jumping jacks and standing crunches. You get a rest at the end of each mini set, and trust us, you'll need it.

A Skipping-Rope Workout For Weight Loss With Cheryl Loh

You can use this video as a warmup or a superquick standalone workout. It's easy to remember, too: you'll do 50 reps of the first jump-rope move, 40 of the second, 30 of the third, and so on until the final on-the-floor ab move.

Ultimate Jump-Rope Cardio Workout by Tone It Up

The five jump-rope moves demoed in this video are great for a quick warmup or a full workout: for the full routine, do 30 seconds of each move, rest for a minute, then repeat the circuit for three rounds. You'll be drenched by the end!

HIIT Cardio Skipping Workout by Dannibelle

This intense workout features seven different jump-rope exercises, and you do each one for 30 seconds with no breaks in between — we know. You do get a 90-second rest in between each of the three circuits, and the workout moves so fast, you'll barely realize how much you're sweating until you're done.

Jump-Rope Weight-Loss Workout For Beginners by MrLondon

This workout is 17-minutes long, and it does not mess around. For each move, you'll do 30 seconds at a slow pace, followed by one minute as fast as you can, then 30 seconds of rest. Four moves, two sets, and several buckets of sweat later, you're done.