With running being monotonous at times especially while using a similar path or the treadmill, people tend to seek alternative exercises such as jumping rope. Like running, jumping rope equally require a lot of hard work. However, it is evident that the body movement in running and jumping rope remains different. You might require to consider the differences in the two exercises if you think of replacing running with jumping rope exercises. Notably, the goal of your exercise will determine what exercise you need to choose. So, how do jumping rope and running compare?
Calories Burning in Jumping Rope vs. Running
Going for the workout in which one loses more calories is the way to go for people focused on calories more than anything else. However, many forget that calories burning is determined by the effort one puts in while doing any workout. The higher the intensity and time spent working out, the more the calories one gets to burn.
According to the American Council on Exercise, jumping rope slowly is relatively equal in calorie burn to running exercise at 5mph. A person weighing a hundred and fifty-five pounds can lose up to two hundred and eighty-one calories in thirty minutes of either exercise as per the physical activity calorie counter.
There are many factors that affect one’s energy expenditure with your body weight being a great determiner. The more you weigh, the higher the calorie burn during workout sessions. Another major factor in determining one’s calorie burn is the intensity of your workout. A high-intensity running or rope jumping exercise leads to high-calorie burn and vice versa.
However, one should note that the impact of either exercise in burning calories is greatly reduced if the workout is done not continuously. If you stop constantly to catch a breath during your run or to untangle your rope, you will burn fewer calories compared to a person who exercises continuously.
Cardiovascular Fitness Impact by Running vs. Jumping Rope
Like running, jumping rope equally offer great tools for building up your cardiovascular fitness. Some of the lifelong cardiovascular fitness benefits include healthier weight, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and fewer signs of depression and cognitive issues.
Additionally, in October 2018, researchers offered a compelling reason for one to keep up with rope jumping exercises. After following a hundred and twenty-two patients, researchers found that their cardiorespiratory fitness was inversely related to mortality rates. Therefore, rope jumping is associated with a healthier heart and lungs hence improving one’s lifespan.
Evidently, jumping rope is as equally good for your cardiovascular fitness as running. However, with rope jumping having your lower-body muscles involved with absorbing the impact of every jump, consider adding a few variations to engage your larger leg muscles. Some variations include high knees and butt kicks during your rope jumping workout.
Other Relative Merits of Jumping Rope and Running
Running and jumping rope are great exercises to consider while thinking of working out. Rope jumping is known to build a high level of timing, hand-eye coordination, and rhythm. This explains the reason as to why many boxers include jumping rope as part of their workout plan.
Therefore, if developing coordination is the primary goal for your workout, you might have to consider rope jumping exercises more than running. You might also opt-in for jump rope exercises if you have limited space to work out.
However, for people participating in a sport that involves lots of running such as football, running might be essential to add to your endurance, stamina, and strength in leg muscles. For some, running would be preferred since it offers full-body exercise without worrying much about variations like you would in rope jumping.
The Verdict
From the above, it is evident that both running and jumping rope has a great impact on one’s body. Strength, balance, calorie loss, and improvement of cardiovascular health are some of the shared benefits of the two workouts, meaning that either can replace the other.
However, it is great to consider your workout goal before choosing to do either. For some, running might offer better benefits than jumping rope and vice versa. Therefore, choose the exercise that offers success for your workout goals.
Final Thought
With both of the pursuits offering relatively equal impacts on our bodies and health, the choice of which exercise to adopt is enshrined in the goal we wish to achieve and personal preference. However, no matter how much impact each of the exercises has on our bodies, consistency is key and irreplaceable. To achieve your workout goals, you need to exercise regularly and in the right way too. Consider having 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise a week for optimal impact on your body.