When most people think about jumping rope the picture of little girls laughing and playing comes to mind. What many people don't realize is that jumping rope is one of the best exercises and has many benefits for adults. It is a great way to burn calories, strengthen your heart, increase your stamina, and tone your muscles. Jumping rope for only 15 minutes at a moderate pace can burn up to 200 calories. That is more than walking, running, biking, and aerobics.

Not only does jumping rope have amazing health benefits, it is also a very cheap exercise to do. A good jump rope will only cost you anywhere from $15-$25 and will last you for a long time. A jump rope and a supportive pair of athletic shoes is all you need to get started with this exercise. Also, jumping rope can be done just about anywhere. It can be done outside, in the basement of your home and at your local gym. A jump rope is small enough that you can pack it in your suitcase and have a workout right there for your trip.

Jumping rope can be a workout all by itself or it can be incorporate with other exercises such as running, biking, and aerobics. It can be used as a warm-up for 10 minutes or can be incorporated into your interval training.

If you plan on using your jump rope alone as your complete workout, the best way to do this is to learn different jump rope exercises and techniques. To get a full workout, you don't just have to simply do the classic jumping rope. You can do double jumps which is one jump with two passes of the rope around your body. You can do jumping on one leg and alternate your legs. You can do crisscross jumping rope in which you cross your arms and jump over the rope with every other jump of the rope. Or you can try get the maximum workout and aim to increase your speed. When trying to increase your speed, think about professional boxers and how fast they jump rope.

Jumping rope is an efficient and convenient exercise that will work your whole body and burn calories quickly. It is definitely not just for little girls.