15-Minute Jump Rope Workout Routine

If you are new to jumping rope or find yourself lacking creativity when it comes to planning your workouts, then this post is for you. Here we’re gonna take you through a 15-minute routine designed not only for beginners but for advanced jumpers too.

Warm Up Before You Start

Any jump rope routine should start with some warming up to prepare yourself physically and mentally for exercise and prevent injury. Remember that when you warm up, your heart rate increases and therefore your blood flow. This enables more oxygen to reach your muscles.

According to the National Health Service (NHS), a warm-up should take around 10 minutes and involve light aerobic activity and some dynamic stretching. Doctors recommend beginning with some cardio to gradually increase your heart rate and blood flow. The idea is to keep your intensity low, aiming to raise your heart rate by 20 points (from 70 beats per minute to 90).

Once your heart rate is elevated and your muscles are warm, it’s time to perform some dynamic stretches. These movements increase your range of motion (flexibility) and prepare your joints and muscles for the activity you’re about to perform.

The whole idea of the warm-up is to target the major muscle groups involved in your planned workout. That’s why we designed a jump rope stretching routine with 5 simple exercises you can follow prior to your skipping sessions.

15-Minute Jump Rope Routine: Step-by-Step

Before you start, make sure your rope is perfectly sized to you. Don’t skip this step because it will have a huge impact on your enjoyment during the routine.

Secondly, you must take care of your posture. Your head should be looking forward, not at your feet. Your hands should be right by your hips, so when you’re gripping your jump rope the wrists are the ones actually rotating it. Lastly, you should be landing on the balls of your feet as quietly as possible.

We designed a 15-minute workout routine divided into 3 different intervals. Each of them is broken down into 5 easy-to-follow jump rope exercises.

Let’s get jumping!

Interval 1 - 5 Minutes

• Two-footed jump - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• One-footed jump - 1 minute (30 seconds left - 30 seconds right)
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• Jog step - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• One-footed skier - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• Straddle jump - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds

Interval 2 - 5 Minutes

• Scissors jump - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• Side swing - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• High knees - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• Butt kicks - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• One-footed jump (3 right, 3 left) - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds

Interval 3 - 5 Minutes

• Two-footed jump - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• Max height jump - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• Mini hop - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• Open cross - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds
• One-footed jump (5 right, 5 left) - 1 minute
  • Rest - 15 seconds

Cool Down After Exercise

Many people either skip right over this part or don’t take it very seriously. But cooling down after exercise is important to gradually reduce your heart rate and let your blood pressure slowly recover to pre-exercise levels. This prevents unpleasant side effects, such as passing out or lightheadedness.

The NHS explains that, to cool down after working out, you just need to reduce the intensity of the activity you’ve been doing. For example, turn a run into a jog, a fast swim into an easy swim.

The American Heart Association recommends stretching when you’re cooling down because your limbs, muscles, and joints are still warm. “Stretching can help reduce the buildup of lactic acid, which can lead to muscles cramping and stiffness,” says the entity. They also share the following tips:

• Hold each stretch from 10 to 30 seconds.
• The stretch should be strong, but not painful.
• Do not bounce.
• Exhale as you stretch, and inhale while holding the stretch.

After jumping rope, it’s important to prime all the muscles in your lower body because they are the ones that work the most. Your stretching routine should therefore include your quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. But your arms and wrists are also involved while skipping, so make sure you stretch them too.

Final Thoughts

This 15-minute jump rope routine offers a full-body workout with easy-to-follow exercises. The goal is to keep you moving to improve your cardiovascular health and enhance your muscle tone.

Remember: warming up and cooling down are as important as the exercise itself, so don’t skip them. Making them part of your routine helps you prevent injuries and unpleasant side effects.

About the Author Devin Meek is the Director of Education for Elite Jumps. He's been a jump rope entertainer for over eighteen years and is a three-time world champion competitive jumper. Devin travels the country sharing his passion for the sport, giving jump rope workshops to schools, CrossFit gyms, and corporate wellness programs.