In early history boys jumped rope more than girls. Today there are teams of both boys and girls who skip rope in teams for competition. There are many benefits to doing a jump rope workout besides the fun of chanting and jumping up and down. Skipping rope can be done alone or in groups and can be done almost anywhere there is enough room to jump and swing the rope.
Jumping rope can be dated back to ancient times. Chinese, aborigines, and Egyptian men jumped hemp ropes and bamboo sticks. The children observed the men jumping and started to do the same. It spread in time and evenutually jump rope came to America. It is believed that Dutch children were the first to jump rope in America. During the 1800s mostly boys jumped rope as it was seen as unhealthy for girls to do. In the mid 1800s girls started to jump rope too and it was not damaging to their health as once believed. During the early 1900s jumping rope was less popular perhaps because televisions were now more affordable and more families owned one.
Jump rope workouts are now used by adults and children. Adults and children now know that skipping rope is a great way to exercise and burn off calories. You can burn eleven calories a minute by doing a jump rope workout. If a candy bar has 300 calories, this means jumping rope for about twenty seven minutes will burn off the calories of that candy bar. It is an interesting fact that Muhammad Ali used a jump rope workout for his training. Many popular athletes now use a jump rope workout as part of their overall training session.
Other advantages of a jump rope workout is that it helps with brain and hand coordination, makes strong muscles, helps you think and act quickly and helps develop balance. It can be done inside or outside. Music and chants are fun to jump rope by, and you can find some online. Parents may remember some chants from their childhood. It is inexpensive and can be taken anywhere. You can have contests with friends and family by making up your own competition or seeing how many times you can jump without stopping or stepping on the rope. Girls can compete against boys. Who will jump better? Start a jump rope team and see !