A Jump Rope Workout That Burns Belly Fat

Doh! Jumping rope is a great exercise that burns lots of calories and has the potential to help in losing fat…but burning belly fat. Genetics determine which fat gets burned and from what part of your body. By all means, get to jumping rope, but I wouldn't expect to get six pack abs any sooner than if you did some other form of high intensity aerobic exercise.

http://thefitclub.blogspot.com

Scott,

Yeah, I realize that you can't target where you burn the fat…it is just more of a catchy title…I get tired of using "lose fat" "burn fat", etc. Nice site by the way.

Rusty

Love the site. Yeah I am a trainer to and I have a few of my clients using the jumprope for their cardio…Keep up the great postings….
Work Hard,
Ahmad Baari, C.P.T.
Miami Personal Trainer

Ahmad,

Thanks buddy…I'll do my best to keep the info fresh daily or at least every other day.

Cheers,

Rusty

First of all, I think this site is great! I have been trying out your recommendations and I am getting tighter and leaner!

Question: I really don't like lifting weights =( If I stick to interval cardio training (jumping rope, sprints, etc.) and watch what I eat, can I achieve a really "toned" look? I find when I lift weights I tend to gain muscle, but don't lose much fat, which doesn't look too attractive!

Keep up the great advise! And by the way, it may seem "strange", but I actually like the whole "James Bond" tightly short thing you have going on in the picture!!

Jennifer,

Yeah…girls seem to give me a thumbs up on my tiny "James Bond" swimsuit…but guys thing I'm a freakshow if I wear that to the beach in the U.S…LOL!

I bought it at the Diesel store in Playa Del Carmen…right near Cancun, Mexico. I wear it sometimes when I go to the coast to go "skimboarding" (if you don't know what skimboarding is, I will write a post about it)…I live in Seattle and for the most part people up here wear those Abercrombie style knee length board shorts.

For women especially…I think sticking to intervals, cardio, jumping rope is the way to go! The more I workout, the more I realize that great tone is really just a result of low body fat.

Yeah…try to focus 90% of your workout on just building up a sweat with intense interval training alternated with steady cardio…you will get toned all over. I haven't done a single leg lift in 4 years and my thighs are extremely toned now! I guarantee that you will get a better butt from this strategy…lunges are just going to build muscle under the fat and your jeans are going to get tighter!

Hope that helps…and thanks for the compliment!

Rusty

Hey there
Great site
Just a question for you. I am in pretty good shape around most of my body, however there is a certain band of fat that is difficult to loose. This is my hips and lower abs. Im pretty sure this is genetic. I watch what i eat, and have just started jumping rope. I am doing around 20mins per day of pretty vigerous jumping. Will this help me burn that pesky fat around my lower abs and hips? I do a little bit of fat on other parts of my body, but hardley any at all.
I was just wondering whether jumping rope will be the answer that i have been looking for to get that killer body for summer
Hope to hear from you!
cheers
Dan Bakers

Dan,

Yep…everybody has that spot on their body where the fat is the last to go. Jumping rope is awesome for sure…but it wouldn't hurt to maybe throw in the low intensity stuff right after.

I like to get my heart rate pumping and work up a sweat with the high intensity interval cardio like I posted above, but then I'll hit a treadmill for 10-20 minutes to keep the heart rate up with minimal effort. You don't have to walk fast at all, to keep the heart rate high…so you are basically getting a bit of extra fat burning without that much more effort.

I would recommend to just keep jumping rope and increasing your proficiency there…until you reach a fat burning sticking point…then at that time throw in the low intensity stuff to kill off that last little bit of fat.

Rusty

PS: I am about to post an article about fat burning sticking points…so it was ironic that you asked me this question right at this time.

fantastic article. I love reading your posts, pelase come up with more

Adrianne,

Thanks a bunch. I try to post 4-5 times per week…I enjoy comments as well.

Thanks,

Rusty

Hey Rusty! i think i have a crush on you! just by your personable responses and your seemingly intelligent advice.. i love it! and this site

Okay just alittle humor. Ive continued to do your HIIT cardio routine for about 2.5 weeks now and have actually noticed results! Strangely enough Ive cut down on my cardio to an avg of 3x/week but have gotten better doing this than my reg. cardio routine 8 days a week and staying on for what seems like forever. Q: How long will it take for my body to adjust and for the HIIT to become less effective? What is the next step after that?

Secondly, I jumped rope for the first time for fitness yesterday… it was tough! and i was sweating and all out of breath by 10min.. and today my calves are on fire! and my abs are sore too but that could be due to the 6m Ab Ripper I did too..
Q: I have some "hot" calves already -) I'm a girl and Im not looking for anything that will make my calves appear any more muscular/toned/ bigger. In fact, I wouldn't mind a more "dainter" slender leg. I like the idea of jumping rope to get my heart rate up and burn belly fat but do I continue to do so?

Ok, and lastly I am DYING to get a firmer/shaplier/perkier bottom. This is actually my new #1 fitness goal. You mentioned in an earlier response that for females a interval/steady cardio should do it? For some reason, i just don't think so! well not in my case.. i find that excessive cardio for me actually makes me lose shape back there than helps it! Lunges and squats? I have enough leg and thigh muscles and don't want that tighter jean look.. so what else are my options?

Thanks so much for this great site!

Tam,

You still think I'm okay, even after doing the jump rope routine? Jumping rope is rough! I'm proud of you for making it 10 minutes. It felt like 30 minutes, didn't it?

So let's try to answer some questions…

It will take your body a while to adapt to the HIIT routine you are doing. Once that happens, then just increase or decrease the length of the interval or rest time. I did 30 seconds of sprinting follwed by 60 seconds of rest for a while, then 30 and 30, then 60 and 60, then 60 and 30…you get the picture.

So let's talk about your butt! There is a bit of a catch 22 here, because some of the exercises that firm up the butt…won't keep your legs slender and "dainty" (never used that word on my blog before). That is why I tell women to focus on intense cardio, because that will have a great overall slimming effect for the lower body.

If you do want a perkier butt, then lunges do help. Here are some tips to insure that you are targetting the butt when you do lunges:

1) If possible, try to find one of those step aerobic platforms…you know the platforms that are 8-10 inches off the ground.

2) With a dumbell in each hand or light barbell across the shoulders, step un onto the platform.

3) Make sure you are stepping forward far enough. The short lunges don't work your glute and hams well, they work your quads.

4) Push off the platform with your heel and back to standing position.

Note: The two most important steps in making this a butt exercise is to lunge prettty far forward and push back into standing position with your heel. The lunges where people take a small lunge forward are more for your quads.

Hope that helps Tam!

Rusty

Hi,

Im just wondering if jumping rope with tone up your pecs and arms. I've been weightlifting for a while now, but as big as im getting (my chest for example), it doesnt seem defined. I want a toned body now so just started jumping rope (along with my regular workouts). How much will this help??

Hi,
i want to jump rope to be healthier (and of course lose some fat)…
the only thing i absolutely dont want is to have bulky legs because of jumping rope. do you suggest that i should continue jumping rope or what other excercise should i do? Thanks!!

Dana,

Yeah…continue to jump rope, that is fine. What you want to do is avoid exercises that cause a "burn" in your legs…exercise bikes are the main type of cardio that causes this. A burn will pump you legs up a bit which causes muscle growth in your legs.

Jumping rope and running outside or on a treadmill are all great choices.

Rusty

Thanks for your help. today i tried jumping rope and now my legs are killing me (especially my calf muscles). does that mean that they will grow?? sorry to keep bugging you!

Dana,

Jumping rope won't build your legs. No need to worry at all. I have never heard of anyone adding mass from jumping rope. You will be sore the first few times due to the explosiveness of the movement. Jumping rope is great for toning your legs without adding mass and it is one of the best exercises for people in sports that require verticle leap like volleyball and basketball.

You aren't bugging me at all…I enjoy answering questions!

Rusty

Hey Rusty,
First of all i THANK u for that article. but there's something i didn't get.
my problem zone is my stomach.
does the rope jumping help there or not?
thanks again!

Lauren,

Actually jumping rope will burn fat like other intense cardio. The benefit you get with jumping is that it does tighten up the muscles of the core quite a bit. This is due to the fact that you are transferring force from your legs to your upper body. You core has to stabilize the body to a certain extent so this is a nice side benefit. Your abdominal region will be nice and tight once you do finally burn the fat.

You can't spot reduce and only focus on burning stomach fat. Focus on overall fat loss and you will eventually lose it from your stomach as well. It may be the last to go, so you may just have to lose more weight.

Rusty

Hi,
i was talking to my friend telling her how im going to start jumping rope and all. she told me not to because it will stunt my growth…im sixteen is that true?? it doesnt really make sense to me but i m desperate for even an extra inch in my height. Thanks!
Dana

I'm going to start trying this now, thanks Rusty ;D

ill try to keep you informed on how its going just to let you know

if it works

Dana,

You will not stunt your growth at all by jumping rope. Not a concern at all.

Edgar,

You will like this workout. It is tough. In fact the first time I jumped rope for 10 minutes it felt like 45. It works really well.

Rusty

Holy cow, 15 minutes 30 seconds fast ; 30 seconds rest

WOW IM IN PAIN LOL

Sweating up a storm

Thanks again ;D

Edgar,

You will be sweating 2 hours from now!

It works well!

Rusty

Bought a rope 2 days ago, I'm going to give that a shot. If I'm doing the rope thing is it too much cardio to do the HIIT on the treadmill on the same day?

Jace,

I wouldn't recommend doing it on the same day for a long period of time. My theory is this…your body can handle an excessive amount of stress for 3-4 weeks without too many negative effects. If you want to really kick start your weight loss, then do both on the same day for 21 days max…at that point, you will want to back off and do on alternate days.

Hope that helps,

Rusty

This makes me consider boxing.

Hi Rusty,
Thanks for the great article! I have started jumping rope, it's pretty intense. I usually just jump with socks in the basement. Now, i realize that i should wear shoes because i have had shin splints for the past 5 days. What kind of shoes do you recommend b/c i am in the basement which i think is built on concrete. Are Nike Shox ok?? I got a fitness pad to put on the carpet so i have a little more cushion as well. Also, should i continue jumping with my shin splints…and what is the best way for them to heal and prevent future recurrences? Thanks so much!
Stephanie

Stephanie,

Nike Shox should be fine…also, it will take you a while to get in shape to jump rope. Do it and then wait until you feel better before you jumping again. It may take you 3-4 days in between, but eventually you will be able to jump every day if that is what you want.

For shin splints…they are hard to avoid, but riding on a stationary bike can make them feel better. Over time once you adapt to jumping rope, you won't experience this feeling.

Rusty

Hello,

I heard of many benefits about rope skipping, however there is this one question that i would like to know..Does rope skipping caused your skin to "sag"? Reason for asking this is because i saw this forum , with people saying that rope skipping may not be people with fats over their body as one skips, the skin is vibrating or something like that.. because u are jumping up & down, eventually, the skin will "sag" and the fats beneath it will "sink".. Hmm, just trying to clear up this point as i really wish to achieve the "toned" look that everyone is yearning for.. Haha… im quite tall too.. standing @ 167cm.. I used to run, so now my calves toned and round.. don't seem to like it…haha.. however, im really interested in rope skipping, therefore, hope i can get some advices from you . Thanks a lot! ^-^

hey im wondering if jumping rope will give me 6 pack abs????? i wana get fit for my cricket team and tone up so i can look good and feel good about my self so im not scared when a girl asks me to take of my shirt lol im 17 years old i got 14percent body fat i can c my upper abs bt i want those v lines if you know wat i mean and how long will it take? thanks

Elliot,

Jumping rope will help you burn body fat, which in turn will reveal that V muscle and six pack abs. Make sure you also run and do various other types of cardio. This will make your body look great! If you are at 14% body fat, you could realistically lose 1% body fat per week. So it would take 6-8 weeks of hard cardio and clean diet to get nice abs.

Rusty

Thanks ill be auiming to lose 1percenteach week im going to do 45min jump rope on mon tues cricket training weds cricket training thurs cricket training but in those mornings ill be doing some sprints for 30mins (100yards)and on friday ill be doing 45min jump rope because yesterday i did an hour of jump roping and it was jhard lol! but i could feel the burn around my v lines

and how much is 1% body fat in pounds or kilograms? please

Elliot,

Just divide your weight by 100. If you are 150 pounds, that would be 1.5 pounds per week of fat (you may lose more weight overall, but this is the amount of fat you would typically lose). Your workout looks great, you should get the desired effect for sure. Note, you could lose fat at a qhuicker rate at first and then slower once you get close to your target rate.

Rusty

That guy in the jump rope video should have selected something from VisionQuest … I mean c'mon is there a better jump roping/wrestling movie out there … Long Live the Bablers!

Alan,

Thousands of people will read this comment over the life of my blog, yet I will be the only person who understands what this means. That is hilarious.

How in the world do you jump rope to this…LOL?

Rusty

Will jump roping help my arms be less flabby? because that is one of my main focuses.

Karen,

The biggest thing to tighten your arms is to drop body fat. Jumping rope will certainly help you do that. I know it sounds crazy, but focus on diet and cardio and your overall body will become much less flabby, including your arms. Do some resistance training as well, like dumbbell presses and pulldowns, etc. If you workout at home, some chair dips, pushups, dumbbell curls, and overhead presses will help a bit. Just remember that the flab is body fat…you just need to lose that.

Rusty

Rusty,

I just had a baby in Nov 2007, and I would like to loose the fatty flab on my stomach and gain flat abs; My chest has gotten a little bit out of hand, therefore I would like to turn that fat into muscle and achieve a firm lift. I've gained a roundnesss to the buttocks area which I would LOVE to keep and my thighs just needs toning. I would LOVE to have bigger legs… I know jumping rope will help me, but explain the benefits of it and what should I do to achieve my goals in each area that I've mentioned.

Thank you!

Seven,

A good way to burn fat and build your legs a bit at the same time is to do cardio on an exercise bike. Aim for a bit of a burn in your legs it will do the trick for sure. Jumping rope will do a lot of great things for your body. It isn't as good for building up the legs, but it is incredible for toning your calf muscles.

An alternative is to do jumping rope for one minute followed by medium to high rep lunges…then another minute of jumping rope. Do this for 15-20 minutes total and fat will fall off your body. Seriously…this will be tough and you will get a great metabolic response…you will burn calories long after the workout is done.

Hope this helps!

Rusty

and one more thing if i do 45min for 4 times na week and two days lifting weights should i get abs in no time???

and will that help of getting flat chest/

Elliot,

Your chest will pop out a bit when you are at a lower body fat percentage. Honestly, you don't need much mass at all to have an impressive chest with a line down the middle (the Abercrombie look). Drop that fat and the abs will do the same thing. You just gave me a great idea for a post.

Cheers,

Rusty

allgd so roughly how long will it take to see results?? and when i sit down all the fat comes lol and looks like im overweight ??? and if i do those exercises what i said above would i have a great bodi before i go to london at the end of this year ??? and do you have any other exercises i can do??

Elliot,

Make sure you don't go near any form of calorie at all 4 hours before working out…and even make that meal 4 hours before working out low calorie…seriously, this is the key to insuring that your body will burn body fat like crazy when you workout.

You hit this hard and you will look amazing for your London trip. You are smart in giving yourself so much time. I love it when people don't procrastinate. You have to get below 8% body fat to look good sitting down. I know exactly what you mean by looking fat when sitting down with your shirt off.

Kick butt!

Rusty

lol thanx ill give u a notice ina couple months time to tell u how im going

Will jump roping help to reduce cheek and facial fat? for some reason I tend to have a propensity to store fat on my face, meanwhile having a fairly slim body. I would like to get rid of the extra puffiness in my cheeks. Also, how long until I should see results in the reduction of facial fat with myself on a 20 minute a day jump-rope schedule? Thanks!

Ryan,

An HGH increase should do the trick to help you burn off stubborn body fat. Jumping rope increases HGH so it is possible that this could help. Are you a younger guy, because sometimes the face leans out when you get into your mid 20's.

Rusty

Thanks for the quick reply! I am 19 BTW.

Ryan,

I guarantee that if you keep your body fat low, your face will "lean out" over the next 5-10 years. It is one of the nice things about growing older as a man. George Clooney is a prime example of this…he had rounded facial features and his jaw looks more square and his face is more angular now that he is older.

Something to look forward to,

Rusty

ow do i tone up my lower abs? im starting to see my 4 pack coming out just need to take a few more weeks and it might be better.but how do i get thsoe v lines i want to buld muscle round my v line areaa cause thats what im aiming for.and hwo long will that take? and Thanks

and im 17 by the way.

Elliot,

You need to get below 10% body fat to see a full 6 pack instead of a 4 pack. The "v" happens at around this same bodyweight, but may not show up until you have at least 1-2 years of solid training under your belt.

Rusty

One day last week I jumped rope for about 30 minutes straight and my shins and calves since then have been hurting–only when I jump though. I've limited myself to 20 minutes now and even took a day off here and there, but my shins and calves continue beginning to hurt almost immediately after starting a jump rope session. What should I do, I hate to take time off? Is it normal for the shins to hurt in addition to the calves? Before I did the 30 minute session I've been jumping rope for a few weeks, so I thought my muscles in my legs would already be able to withstand that intensity, but it seems like my muscles haven't really hardened yet.

Ryan,

I'm glad you brought that up. I was limping for a week after my first jump rope session. I then experienced the same pain that you are describing while jumping, but that went away after 3 weeks. Once the pain went away, I immediately felt more athletic. Seriously…after a month of doing this, every physical activity felt easier. Jumping rope exposes any weak points in your body. Now I know why boxers do this. Stick with it and you will really enjoy the results.

Rusty

hey I'm starting to see some results my lower stomach is getting skinnier so now how do i get my lower abs to get stronger ? should i keep jump roping and will that show my lower abdominals

Elliot,

Have you been doing planks? Do those after you jump rope…keep your diet clean…you will have great abs soon.

Rusty

yea i do heaps of planks lol.and i do like 200 push ups like elevated push ups etc at night time i do jump rope in the morning to get my heart rate going fo the day and do a jog for about 45min .

so if i do that 5 times a week plus running two times a week.how long will it take? 2 to 3 months?

and how can i get abs like this? lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dzby0pu5zI

Elliot,

Once you see "4 pack abs" you are about 2-3 months away from really good six pack abs. It will be no problem to get abs like that guy in the video. Just get that body fat down and hit planks hard over the next 2-3 months.

You will get there!

Rusty

im down to 77kg or as 171pounds now and i was 81kg a few months ago do i need to get around 160pounds to start seeing my lower abs?

im 6'1" 18 years old and 174-180 lbs…i say this about my body weight cus depending on which scale im on, it tells me diff things. i dont have my own scale at home so i use my friends and the one in my gym. i believe that im 174, cus when i weighed myself at school for this health test thing the school made all the students do, i was 174. im guessing my friend's scale is like 5-6 pounds off?

any ways, i was originally 196 lbs and drastically lost it all to 174 lbs in 2.5 weeks. i ate small 6 meals and drank lots of water (propel most of the time) and do not eat anything after 5 pm.

my workouts consist of stretching and doing side crunches in the beginning of all my workout routines.
i do weights on odd days and run 2.5 miles or 20 mins after weights.
and on even days, i concentrate on my belly and run 2.5 or 20 mins.

after a while, my body just stopped losing weight and im still 174, still doing the same thing everyday. im not gonna lie, i dont kno if its the motivation or whatever, but since im not seeing anymore results, i tend to skip workout and stuff (not often but sometimes, i think its also because i have a part time job now…).

my friend who is a body builder told me about HIIT and i decided to look it up online and came to this site. i've been doing it for a while now (like 3 weeks), but i still see no results so im starting to skip out on the workouts again.

i got exactly 1 month to lose about 15 lbs. i just want my belly fat to go away. my chest is nicely defined and so are my arms. im currently 34 inches around the fattest part in my waist (stomach; i lost 2 inches off my waist).
PLEASE HELP!!!

p.s. you might say that the 22lbs i lost in 2.5 weeks may be water weight, but it was pure fat. my friends who see me on daily basis told me that i had significantly lost weight and were really concerned for me.

Jimmy,

I have one tip that should make all the difference in the world for you. Don't eat a single calorie 4 hours before working out. If you need to double up on your meal after working out that is fine…just go into your workouts in a fasted state. This is going to increase your body's natural release of HGH and will burn off all that stubborn body fat.

Also…eat low carb that last meal before that 4 hour fasting period before your workout. I know it sounds like a simple fix, but it should make a big difference for you.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Rusty:

Seconded (thirded?)– VisionQuest is the finest jump roping movie of all time… perhaps a more representative skipping song:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xp9852hq0W0 Oh. Yeah.

Been skipping for many a year. No finer gym-less workout to be found IMO.

Thanks for the great site — and yummy pics.

Angus,

Brings back "Early MTV" memories. Many of these readers are too young to have been there when MTV launched. I remember when all it played was videos! We would actually watch videos for hours.

Good link!

Rusty

Can I jump rump with ankle weights on?

Is it okay to jump rope on carpet as opposed to hardwood floors?

I have a question. When jumping rope, does your body fat continue to shrink after working out periodically for a few months or does it just plateau eventually? In other words, would it be anymore noticeable in terms of fat loss when working out the same amount of times at 1 year from the starting day as opposed to just like 3 months from? thanks!

Ty,

You can jump with ankle weights on for sure. As far as carpet goes…as long as you can maintain a high speed, I don't see why not!

Ryan,

You can do the same workout and still make progress, but you have to push the intensity a bit. Read this post and this is explained better:

"Performance Based" Cardio to Blast Through Fat Loss Sticking Points

Have a great one,

Rusty

Thanks for all your hope. I am just wondering why all of my jump ropes break on me after a month or so of use. I am even using the sturdy speed rope ones from Valeo, and they too break on me at the point of the ball bearing. I don't get why, is it because I'm jumping too fast or something. I hate having to keep buying ropes because they break on me…even the high quality ones. Am I doing something wrong here? thanks!

i have a question. Ive always been athletic during highscool, afterwards i stopped becuse I worked and went to school for 5yrs after highschool i was always 120lbs. I started working at a sit down job for a year now and ive gained 10lbs, mostly it looks like i gain a beer belly and love handles. is there specific workouts that can help reduce that hanging belly or the love handles? thnx

Ryan,

I haven't heard of that before. Try the nike brand ones. I have one that I used for years and it still hasn't snapped.

Adriana,

Here is my prescription. Cardio on an empty sotmach. Don't eat any type of calorie 4 hours before working out. You can have a cup of black coffee 30 minutes before working out or Green Tea. Do 10-15 minutes of really tough cardio, followed by 20-30 minutes of steady moderate cardio. This has been the winning combo that will target stubborn body fat.

Rusty

Im 68 kg and i rollerblade everyday for an hr,may be more.and bike for 15 min as well.i want to start jumping the rope because i need to tone my muscles especially my arms,legs and abs.how often do you think i should jump the rope?can i do the three of them in one day?rollerblading,biking and rope?isn't it to much?thanks alot and great site.I love it.

Mariana,

If you are doing that much activity, you may just want to jump rope 3 times per week. You can do them in the same day. What you are going to notice is that your calves will be really sore the first few times you jump rope. In the long run it will probably make it easier for you to rollerblade, but it will be tough at first.

Rusty

hey im 160 pounds now.i seee a 4 pack foring but how do i tone my lower abs were the 6 and 8 is iv lost 8 kiilograms now im 73kg how much of more weight should i lose/ koz i heard if you jump up and down if you still see fat you have to lose mroe is that true even if you got a little bit of fat? just curious i am stil a bit fat but not as fat as 3 months ago. soo yea wat else kan i do iv also joined a gym

ohhh and is stationary bike good for my lower abs?

Hey, I was just wondering which work-out plan is better for overall fat reduction. I recently heard from somewhere that the first 30 minutes of a work out is essentially a warm-up and that everything after that is fat loss…so this prompted me to ask you this: which work-out plan is better; 6 days a week, 30 minutes of jump roping OR 3-4 days a week but 60 minutes of jump roping (maybe with other HIIT thrown in that time as well)? I've been doing the 6 days a week at 30 minutes each and have noticed that during the first couple of months I've shed some fat, but now I'm noticing a plateau so… I'm wondering if by working out for longer durations in less days if that would yield better results? Again, thanks a bunch! Your awfully helpful and I really appreciate your advice.

One other thing, I heard that eating slow-digesting protein right before bed, like peanuts or cottage cheese would keep your metabolism firing during the night and burn more calories/fat…is this true?

thanks!

Elliot,

If you still only see a 4-pack then you probably have a about 10 pounds to lose to get really defined. The stationary bike is a great way to burn fat…some will come from your lower abs…I still think the treadmill is better.

Ryan,

I think it is best to not eat much right before bed. I don't like to eat anything if possible, but if I'm hungry I will have a tiny bit of protein like you described.

As far as cardio goes. The best approach is to do intense cardio for 10-15 minutes, followed by moderate steady cardio for 20-30 more minutes. This is a really good way to burn off stubborn body fat. The more intense the first part is, the better effect the steady cardio will have. Do this 5 days a week and you will get results again.

Have a great one,

Rusty

Hey,
I just got to know this site and bought myself a jumping rope. I actually wanna tone my sides (hips) and lose fat in the front stomach. I decided to do 15 min of rope for the first week, 30 the other, then 45 and finally an hour. I am giving myself a month….is it sufficient? If not, can you tell me how long will it take? I really want the toned look. Thanks.

Hey, i received a email from you and by mistake i deleted it in a way that i dont even have it in my deleted messages…i dont know what it contained…is it the answer to my question? please reply back thanks.

and once i lose at least another ten pounds what should i do to make them mostly visible for a six and a 8 pack ? my mate got it hes about 140 pounds is that what i should get to as well??? and then start to do crunches and all of that etcc???? now i am 158 pounds

Hey there, read your entire article and all the comments and am planning on getting a jump rope and looking forward to trying this workout! I am 19 years old, 220lbs and around 6' tall. My question is that most of my body fat is in my upper torso (love handles, belly, upper chest) I was wondering if jump roping would affect my upper chest as well as my belly? I have some 'man-boobs' persay I would like to get rid of at the same time. Do you have any recommendations as far as that goes? Thanks.

Elliot,

It is hard to say what weight you will need to reach. Once you see that 6-8 pack, drink a lot of water and do cardio that really makes you sweat the night before going to the beach. Continue to eat water after doing the cardio as well. You are trying to flush out a lot of sodium that is trapped under your skin…read this post:

Water Retention, the Enemy of Muscle Tone

Carey,

Jumping rope is exactly what you need. Your body will adapt by tightening everything up, including the man boobs. Obviously a lot of that has to do with your body fat level, but jumping rope makes your body adapt a bit by tightening up more than other forms of cardio. Warning…your calves might get smoked the first few times! Another warning…5 minutes will feel like 1/2 an hour when you are first getting used to this.

Rusty

Rusty,

Thanks a lot for the reply! Took a small shot at the jump rope today, didn't last long. You were right, my calves did burn whilst jumping and I am glad you clarified that it might happen, otherwise I would have thought I was doin something wrong. I figure it will only get easier over time, thanks again for the tips, Ill be sure to be back if I have more questions.

Hey there again, I apologize for the double post but had a question after I submitted, I live in a small town, about a couple hours from any major city, but after searching all over the town I found a place that had a speed jump rope, the only problem was it was the last one on the shelf, and it wasn't adjustable. According to your recommendations it supposed to be 6 inches from your collar bone…well this one is about half an inch from it. How important is the length of the rope, and why? If it is really important then Ill try to make a trip into the city sometime this week to see if I can find an adjustable one. Thanks again for your time and help! Cheers.

Why aren't you answering my question? :s

Carey,

An adjustable one is the way to go. If it is too, it will hit the ground too much and this slows the rope down. Hold out for an adjustable one if possible.

Tia,

Sorry I missed your questions. Some days I have 50-60 and I occasionally miss one. I don't think you should build up to jumping rope for an hour. That is a LONG time. Aim for 30 minutes and then 30 minutes of jogging or an exercise bike or something. If you don't have much weight to lose you will look great in a month.

The e-mail that you received was an automatic e-mail that my blog sends out for first time commenters. It tells people that their comments won't showup immediately and to "subscribe" for free to my site by entering their name and e-mail in the upper right hand corner of the site.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Hey,
Oh ok..sorry. I didnt mean it in a wrong way. I totally understand! Will jumping the rope for 30 minutes help me lose inches in what we call "love handles" in a month? Thanks

hey im about 70 kilograms now should i start doing sit ups and all that now? to start building my abs? and still do rope jump as well?? and just tell me anything that i need to do to get abs in about 3 or 4 months Thanks

Just want to say man, I love this HIIT stuff. No longer am I bored with jump roping or even dreading a work out. Time flies when going extremely intense for the 60 seconds or so and then resting for the next 30. Seriously, It feels like I'm only working out for 10 minutes now when it is really 30! Awesome. Only thing I worry about now is snapping my jump rope going this intense, I just hope this new one I bought lasts a while. Thanks, I also think you should re-post this blog post on the front page again of your site, more people need to see this gold!

elliot,

Here are some six pack ab posts from my blog. You will find valuable information on these pages. I don't recommend sit-ups or crunches by the way:

http://fitnessblackbook.com/?s=six+pack+abs

Ryan,

You are an animal! Yeah…snapping the rope is a pain. Maybe go online and see if there is a high end rope that won't break. HIIT does make the time fly. The rest time feel like 5 seconds!

Rusty

you missed out my question…heheh..

Helloo,

I've been rope jumping for a while now, but without routine whatsoever. My question is, should I get a regular routine and would it hurt to train every single day?

My goal is a serious flat belly (which I'm not far from having) and lose the fat on my iner thighs… How long do you think it would take me with a bodyfat percentage of 19.57?

Thanks in advance and your site is really helpful:-)

LC

LC,

It is tough because there are a lot of variables here. Make sure you go over to categories and click "Dieting for Fat Loss". Getting your diet right and doing this jump rope routine 4 times per week will insure that you reach your goal.

Rusty

This is the best fitness site I've seen yet. I make it known to everyone I meet and hope you keep up the good work. The information you provide is tops. I'll share this with all the local high school coaches.

charles,

Thanks a bunch! Word-of-mouth recommendations are always appreciated. I think it would be a blast to coach high school athletics. I probably learned just as much about life through sports than I did in the classes. Coaches have a HUGE impact on kids!

Rusty

hey iv gained a 1 kilogram in the past 2 weeks but iv ben doing weight lifting i dont feel fater but iv got more muscle i was wondeirng if thats a kilogram of muscle that iv put on>??? and willl that help me burn more calories??? im currently doing 45 min stationary bike and 15minutes weights and 25minute run latere in the afternoon andmy body is use to it now will i be abel to get abs in the next three months now?? i am now 72.5 kilograms.

I want to tone without losing weight. Is that possible?
thanks,
Michelle

elliot,

You should be able to reach your goal if you work hard. Some pointers.

1) Do your lifting first
2) For stationary bike do 10-15 minutes of intervals
3) Rest 5 minutes (your body will release fatty acids into the blood stream as long as your intervals were tough enough)
4) Do a medium to low intensity on the treadmill for another 30 minutes (low intensity cardio will use these fatty acids for fuel…so they won't go back to being stored as body fat).

Note: Don't eat a single calorie 4 hours before doing this routine. Also…i'm not sure you will want to run in the afternoon every day after doing this…maybe just do that 2-3 times per week max. Also…you may want to lift for 30 mintues instead of 15.

Michelle,

To tone without losing weight, get stronger without losing or gaining weight.

Rusty

Hi im 14 and i was wondering if jumping rope could help me get six-pack abs? Iv tarted to jog about 4 times a week for half hour to an hour but i do rest when i jog and walk for some cause in the middle i run at top speed,and if it would help do you know how long it would take to get a six-pack doing both of these and i know you dont have to but could you PLEASE post a good diet(i just cant do one,i am slim though i just eat unhealthy) and a good workout routine please hope you thanks man! Oh and my email address might not workso could you post it here sorry man

oh and i weigh 70kg or 72

aiight im 70.6kilograms now lol im halfwae through i fink im just wondering if i can i see a 5 pack coming through in the mirror how can i start building the six pack so everyone can see.. im currently lifting weights for half hour and 40minutes on the bike then i walk home for a cool down.what do i have to do now to start poping the abs out or however they say it so i kan shhoww that othher people can see my six pack like the guys of stomp the yard. thanks

Luke,

Getting your body fat low enough is what is going to allow you to see your abs. Jumping rope can help a lot, but diet plays a huge role. There are too many variables to outline an exact diet, but you can create the ideal diet plan following the principles on these posts.

http://fitnessblackbook.com/category/dieting_for_fat_loss/

Elliot,

Read these posts and it will be more than enough info to get you going. The main thing to remember is that you will see incredible six pack abs when you get really lean…this is key. Also…read about an exercise called "planks". Most of the articles here speak about both:

http://fitnessblackbook.com/category/six-pack-abs/

Have a great one!

Rusty

Thanks for the advic man! iv read the one on letting yourself be hungry sometimes and thats cool but do you know what exercises are the best for getting six-pack abs fast? Also i live in ireland so i cant use the machines in the gym im too young and my mother moved to the countryside a few years ago and we live in a spot where no kids are and my friends live a good bit away so i cant see them so im kinda stuck in the house all day any advice man? I am slim thoughand have a trampoline outside do you think if i went on that for a good while it would burn a lot of calories and how many calories? sorry for writing and asking all of this but i appreciate the advice alot! Thanks!

i play basketball n i wanna increas my calf strength to increas my vertical jump will this help? and wud it help if i wore ankle weights?

Timi,

I actually think wearing a weighted vest while jumping rope will help more. Rudy Gay has a 40" vertical leap and here is his workout:

Now talking about a 40+ vertical, how can you increase your vertical jump?

"Everybody knows about calf raises, lunges and the jump rope.

But how about simple squat jumps?

It's actually one of most effective exercises to improve your vertical jump! But you have to do them right:

1) Normal squat position.

2) Go down so that your thighs are parallel to the ground.

3) Explode into the air as high as possible.

4) When you land, go down quickly into the parallel squat position. Hold this position for one second and repeat for the required number of repetitions.

You can also vary this exercise: try to jump back in the air as soon as you land (8 reps.)"

Hope that helps!

Rusty

Yo u didnt answer my question!!!!!!

Luke,

Sorry buddy I must have missed it. The trampoline will burn a little bit of calories. I would recommend running and pushups and pullups and things like that. It is hard to estimate how many calories jumping on the trampoline would burn.

Rusty

Ok man and its cool thanks for the info!

thanks a lot ill try those

I've made a decision to lose 10 lbs and tighten up my abs, thighs, butt, breasts, and hips to get my hourglass shape back over the next 60-90 days. My plan is to continue eating a healthy diet and use the following to lose the weight and firm up: Turbo Jam; jump roping; Jazzercise; and hula hooping. Am I headed in the right direction?

Also, how many times per week should I jump rope to get to my goal?

Finally, it's hard for me to not eat for 4 hours when I'm trying to do it. What types of no-calorie foods can I eat to help take the edge off until I get to a place where I can workout on a totally empty stomach?

hi,

is it ok to jump rope barefooted?

thanks!

I have noticed a GREAT change in my body since I have started jump roping. I have developed great calves and my forearms are toned! I am up to jumping for 4min (great for me) I am working on going longer. My favorite is crossing my legs in between jumps I get a great burn in the calves! Keep up the great work Everyone out there!

i want too know whether skipping ropes have negative effects on your body like does it damage your body? and how many times should i do the 15 minute jump rope routine.im sixteen btw. how many times a week should i do the routine.

Your site is great!
I m new to skipping ropes. I have 2 young kids that cant leave them from home to go park exercise.. Think that skipping is a great exercise for me while staying at home to burn off the fat!

May I know how long do i need to see result if I skip about 10 min for 5 days in the morning?
Thanks

Hi Rusty,

I like the feedback you're giving to us readers/commenters. I read one of you response in regards to lunges not really slimming your thighs. Do you recommend just not doing any real type of lunges or squats to slim your thighs? This is my only problem area. I actually started jump roping again over the weekend and worked up a good sweat. I do 5 minute intervals sometimes 6 minutes.

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

hey, i was wondering what exactly are "planks" and what do they do? i think you mentioned them earlier- thanx

okay i have a lot of fat on my stomach and i exercise everyday but i still havent gotten rid of it.. if i jumprope for 30 minutes every day or almost everyday will this burn off the fat while doing other exercises to target my whole body?

or is their something else that i can do to eliminate this fat?

Hey Rusty,

I came across this page and absolutely loved the info from it.

I want to consider jump roping, but i'm afraid i have very low endurance.

I can't even jump straight for 2 minutes.

I don't even know if i should jump for 20 or 15 minutes. I heard that you have to jump so and so long depending on your age, weight and height.

well i'm 5 feet, 21 years old and already 135-140 lbs.

I really want to burn off the fat around my stomach and especially my thighs, each thigh of mine is bigger than my stomach!

So is jump roping good for me at all?

Please and thank!

My old dad was an old school boxer and taught boxing and physical training in the army. He taught me from an early age never to skip on concrete (with a graphic description of his youthful experiences of it…). A sprung wooden floor is best (a boxing ring is ideal) or at least some dense rubber padding.The only thing worse than a concrete floor, is a concrete floor AND bare/stockinged feet (wince).But skipping is great.And you can be creative with it…

i had a baby last july and i still have my "pooch" and my upper thighs are still problems for me. i am 5'6 and i weigh less than 120 and it seems as if i have no muscle tone at all. i bought a jump rope a cpl days ago, havnt yet used it, but i need an routine that i can achieve the results i need in a short amount of time a day…..its hard with to workout with a one year old running around……haha. anyways, all i want is a nice butt, nice legs, and that "pooch" gone. oh yah and i noticed that my knees are FAT!! HELP!!! thanks

Rusty,

Just found this article today. Quick background. I am a former pre-elite rower looking to get back into it. I trained 10-12 per week and consume a lot of calories because I was training so much. I stopped rowing and continued to consume all those calories and developed a very very very sweet tooth and now i'm absolutely huge. I hate myself for becoming this way. Clothes don't fit anymore…I usually wear the same 4 t-shirts over and over because that's all that fits. I want to get back into rowing mid-november or start of december. I weighed in at an atrocious 287 pounds! Ultimately I need to get back into the 220's but obviously that won't happen by the winter. What I do want is be in the 240's by then and still dropping!

My current workout routine currently consists of:
Indoor Rowing on the Concept2 machine about three times a week. Not only is it a great workout but it will keep my body familiar with rowing.
I am weight training four times a week. It's a 6 week fast rep program I read about in the most recent Muscle & Fitness magazine. I was attracted to it because it said that fast reps (working fast twitch muscles) will not only help build up explosive strength but also burn a lot more calories compared to a normal lift session.
Lastly I just started to use the jump rope yesterday. My father always said to use it but I never did, consistently at least. I'm no stranger to the jump rope. What I usually do is several sets of 100 jumps. Yesterday I did 16 sets of 100 while drinking lots of water in between. I just read about HIIT in this article and I think i'll do that today and stick with it.
I'm not sure about your "no eating 4 hours before" theory. Doesn't the body need fuel to tackle the task at hand? How can one eat 4-6 small meals a day if I can't eat 4 hours before my workout? And what if I do 2 workouts daily? I can't NOT eat.

My diet sucks. I eat too much crap. I've cut down considerably but I'm still having trouble defeating those demons. It's getting better though.

287 is HEAVY! My body hurts from carrying all of this weight and I hate it. The bulk of my weight is in my upper body. My stomach got huge, I have back fat, and there are stretch marks on my underarms. As gross as all of this sounds I hide my weight pretty well. I don't look round. I am tall (almost 6-4) so that helps i'm sure.

Is it realistic to think I can get in the 240's by the winter if I stick with this program? It's only 12 weeks or so away.

Will jumping rope make my breast sag? Will it cause any problems with any part of my body?

hey rusty! i've been jumping rope for about a week now after reading your posts about the benefits of jump rope. and i've got one question, when you say "high intensity", how would you know what's considered high, wouldnt it be relative?
plus no one (almost) would be able to do high intensity training when they first pick up jump rope because it takes some time to get used to, tripping over the rope and all.
so what is considered high intensity?
the routine i do now is..
200 jumps within 90 seconds.
rest for 30 seconds.

and i continue that for 15-20 sets.
that's around 3000-4000 jumps within 30-40mins.

how many jumps per minute is considered "high intensity"?

Hi Rusty!

I love the site. I totally look forward to slimming down now, knowing that I don't need to splurge on a super-expensive gym membership or fancy shmancy sporting equipment!

I'm nearly 17 years old[month away], female. I'm overweight [192lbs]. The reason I got so fat was because most of my day is spent sitting in my chair, studying. And over time, I've gotten so lazy, that my current lifestyle just doesn't support weightloss or fitness in any way.

So I'm thinking of jumping the rope for 15 minutes [30 seconds on; 30 seconds off] about 3 times a day MWF, and two times a day on the remaining days. I feel like this'll give me enough spurts of energy to be less lazy throughout the day, and keep me fresh.

Like I said, I currently weigh around 190lbs [a LOT for a teenage girl of only 5'6]. And I was hoping to reach the 140s over the next six months. I know 50 pounds is a lot, but a good deal of it is also water weight. I wear size 15/16 jeans and L/XL T-shirts. I'm hoping to get down to a size 6 in jeans and S/M in T-shirts. I know it sounds like a lot, and it IS a lot to lose. But I'm willing to stick to this plan and reduce the fatty foods and complex carbs in my diet as well increase my daily water intake to 6-8 glasses.

Do you think my goal is attainable? If not, how can I tweak my plan to increase my chances of succeeding?

Thanks,
Fatty91

Hi Rusty,

I just came across your site and think it's great! I'm looking to loose about 10 pounds and define my upper body. I've been doing cardio on the treadmill for a while now the only problem is I only seem to be noticing a difference on my already stick thin legs, it's doing absolutely nothing for my upper body where I have problems (stomach, arms and upper back). I have an extremely low metabolism (I have hypothyroid) so things go very slow for me anyway.

I'm a 23 year old female, 5"5 and 125 pounds, do you have any recommendations to battle my slow metabolism and problem I'm having with treadmill cardio?

Thanks!

Hi Rusty,

Great site! Just a quick question that you've answered here before (but for girls). I'm a man and like bodyweight exercises like push-ups and chin-ups and planks…but I bulk up very easily (even the above bodyweight exercises bulk me easily. I am using interval rope jumping, fast for 1 min and easy for 2 - and get this: I sometimes do rope jumping intervals on a rebounder: a mini trampoline. I jump like hell for 1 minute and bounce easy for 2 and continue for 30 mins. My main question, however, is can I get a natural sleek toned look by cutting out the bodyweights altogether? Or is it necessary for us men to do at least SOME strength training? I HATE getting too muscular looking!!!

John,

Click the link at the bottom of my site that says "low body fat percentage"…this is a really short mini-course I made on burning body fat. There is a link on page two to an Intermittent Fasting book I recommend. You would learn a lot from this book, but if money is an issue then go to his site and request the free report. I would suggest that you only eat 3 times per day max and on some days you could get away with less than that. Go to the link at the bottom…this will make more sense.

Patricia,

Not if you invest in a good sport's bra…don't go �