Health Fitness & Exercise This 15-Minute Jump Rope Workout Is Great for Beginners Don't forget your water and tunes! By Sarah DiGiulio Sarah DiGiulio Sarah DiGiulio is a freelance writer and editor and a former health and beauty writer at Real Simple. She has nearly 15 years of journalism experience. Her work has appeared in NBC News, The Huffington Post, Today, and other publications. Highlights: * Nearly 15 years of journalism experience * Former editorial assistant at Health Magazine * Former assistant and associate editor at Oncology Times * Former reporter at The Huffington Post * Current freelance editor at Everyday Health Group * Freelance writer and editor, nearly 10 years * Received APEX Award for Publication Excellence - Writing Series, August 2013 Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 20, 2022 Fact checked by Emily Peterson Fact checked by Emily Peterson Emily Peterson is an experienced fact-checker and editor with Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and French. Our Fact-Checking Process Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Getty Images We all know kids love jumping rope, but did you know this recess-friendly activity has incredible fitness benefits for grown-ups? You might think you no longer have the energy, but even beginners can benefit from taking some quick hops (so long as you maintain the correct posture). Jump rope is an effective cardio exercise that works your arms, legs, and core, helps strengthen your bones, and improves balance. To get started, try this 15-minute jump rope workout designed by Buddy Lee, a Virginia-based jump rope expert, Olympic wrestler, and author. Begin each move with your knees slightly bent, holding the rope at about hip height, and your palms facing your body. With each jump, push evenly off the balls of your feet, keeping your knees soft and your torso upright. Resist the urge to bounce between jumps. A note on ropes: If you're a beginner, grab a heavy PVC rope (available at most sporting-goods stores; test the weight by hand). The rope's weightiness will make you jump more slowly. Switch to a lighter PVC version as you advance, so you can jump faster and increase the intensity. 01 of 05 Basic Jump Jason Lee Swing the rope over your head and jump as it passes your feet. You don't have to jump high, just enough to clear the rope. Land evenly on the balls of both feet. Continue for one minute, keeping up a steady rhythm, then rest for one minute. 02 of 05 Alternate-Foot Jump Jason Lee Swing the rope over your head and jump as it passes your feet. Land on your right foot. On the next rotation, land on your left. Continue this for one minute as if you were running in place. Rest for one minute. 03 of 05 Combo Jump Jason Lee Repeat the alternate-foot jump for eight turns of the rope. Next, do eight basic jumps. Continue this alternating pattern for one minute, rest for one minute, then repeat the sequence. 04 of 05 High Step Jason Lee Repeat the alternate-foot jump, but this time raise each knee to a 90-degree angle while jumping. Continue for one minute, then rest for one minute. 05 of 05 Endurance Jump Jason Lee Do either the basic jump or the alternate-foot jump for five minutes. If you can't keep it up that long, start by jumping for one minute, resting for one minute, and repeating for five sets. Aim to complete at least 600 jumps total. You Can Do This Stairs Workout in 15 Minutes—at Home Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Zhao R, Zhao M, Zhang L. Efficiency of jumping exercise in improving bone mineral density among premenopausal women: a meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2014;44(10):1393-1402. doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0220-8