David Newman | RXSG CEO & Jump Rope Coach
Jumping rope is a great way to get your heart rate up and build strength, as well as work on agility, coordination, and endurance. When it comes to what type of rope you should use, there are a variety of lengths and weights to choose from.
In this article we will share the differences between speed jump ropes and heavy jump ropes and how to choose the right one to meet your goal!
A common jump rope mistake is choosing a speed rope to learn double unders. Contrary to popular belief, we believe that everyone would benefit from training with a heavy jump rope. Whether you are a beginner and just picking up a jump rope or an elite athlete competing at the top of their sport, the benefits of weighted jump ropes are countless. For purposes of this article, we believe that a speed rope weighs in between 1 and 2 oz., and a heavy or weighted rope is anything above 2 oz.
Heavy Jump Rope Benefits
The beauty of a weighted jump rope is that it offers more feedback to the user. A weighted cable forces you to slow down and understand the movement, whether you are practicing single unders, side swings, double unders, or any other trick. We here at Rx Smart Gear are advocates for people training heavy and competing light and are big proponents of people training with our “buff” cable, which weighs in at 3.4 oz. We find that our buff cable offers enough feedback to dial in form, while not too much that it taxes out your shoulders and core.
Everything you know and love about jump rope, from testing your agility and coordination to burning extra calories, will be taken to the next level with a weighted jump rope.
If you’re interested in playing around with weighted jump ropes, we recommend trying out our Heavy Ropes. In here you’ll find 2 ropes, ranging from 1/2 pound (Zeus) to 1 pound (Kronos).
Speed Rope Benefits
The name says it all; the beauty of a speed jump rope is the sheer speed that you can attain with this rope with substantially less effort. A speed jump rope is the ultimate way to get more reps in less time, and we recommend keeping this rope handy when you’re looking to test yourself in a workout or go against a friend on the leaderboard. Most athletes choose to pair their speed jump ropes with Hyper Uncoated, but you can add a little color with a coated Hyper cable.
How to Choose
We mentioned earlier that we recommend to “Train Heavy and Compete Light." If you’re a CrossFitter, think of doing the workout “Fran” with an empty barbell, yes you may PR your Fran time, but you’ll also probably cringe at your form! Or imagine trying to get a pump and only having 2 lb weights for your bicep curls. A weighted jump rope gives you more “bang for your buck." By jumping rope with a weighted rope, it forces you to be more present and intentional with your movement, drilling in efficient mechanics. If you’re looking to see how fast you can go, move up on the leaderboard, or work on speed, a speed jump rope is your best choice! For everything else, you can’t go wrong with a weighted jump rope.
EVO Speed Ropes Comparison
