If you’re interested in an effective jump rope HIIT workout, you’ve come to the right place.
Today, we’ll go over what a good HIIT workout is, how to make it work with a jump rope, and what it might look like.
Without further ado, let’s dive into it.
What You’ll Need For a Jump Rope HIIT Workout
HIIT, also known as high-intensity interval training, is a practice where you switch between periods of intense effort and active recovery. For example, sprinting for ten seconds, walking for a minute, and repeating several times is a fantastic example of a HIIT workout. (1)
Doing a jump rope HIIT workout is more complicated because there are many ways to tackle it. Plus, you need some equipment to pull it off.
Specifically, you need a heavy jump rope for HIIT workouts. Having one allows you to direct the rope effectively and maintain near-maximal speed. We like the heavy rope from Fitpartner. It’s a nice heavy rope, and looks very cool to boot. This rope allows for the speed you need with jump rope HIIT workouts.
If you use a regular or light rope for HIIT, it will likely float and not pick up speed, which will mess with your tempo. Heavy equals control.
As far as intensity goes, consider a heart rate monitor to measure exertion. The goal is to get your heart rate to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate, which you can find by removing your age from 220.
For example, if you’re 34, your maximum heart rate would be:
220 – 34 = 186 MHR (max heart rate)
You can then calculate your target heart rate by multiplying 186 * 0.8 (for 80 percent), providing you a goal of 149 beats per minute. (2)
You’ll want to be in Zone 4 (80-90% of MHR) in the table below when performing HIIT:
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| Zone | % of MHR | Workout Intensity | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 5 | 90-100% | Maximum Intensity | Helps fit athletes increase speed; Very short durations |
| Zone 4 | 80-90% | Anaerobic | Increases Max Performance; Shorter durations |
| Zone 3 | 70-80% | Aerobic | Improves aerobic conditioning |
| Zone 2 | 60-70% | Weight Control | Improves endurance and fat burning; longer durations |
| Zone 1 | 50-60% | Warm-up | Improves overall health; ideal for warm-up and recovery |
A Sample Jump Rope HIIT Workout
Unless you’re pretty skilled with the jump rope, you will probably have to maintain a moderate speed. Otherwise, you’ll trip over the rope repeatedly and be forced to start over.
For example, you can start with an intensity that allows you to jump for 30 seconds and feel quite challenged. Then, take a minute off to recover, and do it again. So:
Jump rope (30 seconds) ⇒ Recover (60 seconds) ⇒ Repeat
As you learn new skills, you can also mix them to make your workouts more intense and engaging.
For example:
High knees (30 seconds) ⇒ Recover (60 seconds) ⇒ Double unders (30 seconds) ⇒ Recover (60 seconds) ⇒ Criss Cross at a slower speed (30 seconds) ⇒ Recover (60 seconds) ⇒ Side Swings (30 seconds) ⇒ 2 minutes of rest
You can then repeat the whole sequence or call it a day. That is one the great things about HIIT – the workouts are very intense, so the duration is shorter.
The jump rope needs to be heavy, or HIIT simply won’t work.
Below is the Editor’s Choice for a HIIT jump rope:
Best HIIT Jump Rope
This HIIT jump rope is heavy, and keeps up with the intense movements that you need for high intensity jumping rope.
The Importance of Warming Up Well
Many people mistakenly assume that HIIT workouts are easy because they take little time. As discussed above, HIIT is demanding and pushes you to your limits. For a 20-minute workout to be as effective as HIIT is, you need to exhaust yourself by the time you’re done.
So, warming up well before a jump rope HIIT workout is essential. In doing so, you can improve your training performance, reduce the risk of injuries, and get yourself in the mood to push yourself hard. (3)
You can start with some dynamic stretching and light jumping before ramping up the intensity. So long as you raise your core body temperature and get a bit of sweat going, you’ll do great.
One of the main injuries that can happen when performing HIIT are pulled muscles. So ensure your muscles are warmed up well. Equally important is to be well-hydrated. HIIT and poor hydration is a mini time bomb!
If you are dehydrated when performing HIIT, your muscles will cramp. So make sure you drink plenty of water always, but especially the day before performing HIIT.
Learn more about high intensity workouts here.
Philip Stefanov
Philip is a fitness writer, blogger, certified personal trainer, and the founder of ThinkingLifter.com. He has spent the last seven years writing fitness content and training men and women in the gym, as well as online. His passion is fitness and exercise, and helping others improve their fitness and wellness.
References
- Robinson, K. M. (2020). High-intensity interval training (HIIT): What it is, how to do it. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/high-intensity-interval-training-hiit.
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021). Can you sing while you work out? Mayo Clinic.https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise-intensity/art-20046887.
- Quinn, E. (2020). Should You Warm Up Before Exercise? . Verywell Fit. https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-warm-up-before-exercise-3119266.
