Whether you’re looking for a fun way to kick off your New Years resolution or you’re looking to add some variety to your workouts, you might consider doing a jump rope challenge.
Jump rope challenges are a great way to hit those weight loss goals, learn a new skill, and hold yourself accountable. But, which one is the best?
Here are the 7 best Jump Rope Challenges:
- 12 Days of Crossrope by Crossrope
- 7-Day Challenge by Jump Rope Dudes
- 30-Day Jump Rope Challenge by Refinery29
- 5-Day Summer Jump Rope Challenge by 12 Minute Athlete
- 30-Day Jump Rope Challenge by BuyJumpRopes
- Kids Heart Challenge
- Nintendo Jump Rope Challenge
Over the past couple months I’ve researched, signed up for, and participated in nearly 10 different jump rope challenges. I’ve included my experience with each, below, along with what you can expect.
Good luck!
1. 12 Days of Crossrope by Crossrope
One of the best jump rope challenges is the 12 Days of Crossrope, by Crossrope. I loved the structure of this challenge and their jump rope app is pretty solid too.
Once you sign up, you’ll receive an email with instructions on how to get started. First, they encourage you to invite your friends.
Invite your friends
I ended up doing the challenge by myself, but I like the idea of inviting your friends to help keep each other accountable. Crossrope will send you a unique link which you can share with your friends via email, WhatsApp, or other social media channels.
Once you decide who will be participating in the challenge, they instruct you to get your jump rope.
“Get your ropes”
The challenge includes the use of both a speed rope and a weighted jump rope. It’s not required, but they do recommend purchasing one of their jump ropes which comes with both a basic cable and heavy cable.
While I’m a big fan of Crossrope’s product, it is a bit expensive. Instead, I used my own speed rope and weighted rope. Here is the speed rope and weighted rope that I used.
After you get your jump ropes, they’ll have you download their app.
Downloading the app
I’ve used a variety of different jump rope apps in the past, and, honestly, the Crossrope app is now one of my favorites. It’s super easy to use and includes some great content.
The basic version of their app is free, which gives you access to this challenge, along with 8 other jump rope challenges. It also gives you access to a few different jump workouts, some jump rope tutorials for beginners, and an activity tracker.
The paid version (which I did not sign up for) is kind of expensive. However, if you enjoy the free workouts and challenges, there are hundreds of workouts that come with the paid version.
Another cool thing about this challenge is they have a whole community of like-minded fitness enthusiasts on Facebook.
Join the community
After getting setup on the app, they suggest you join their Facebook group which as close to 100,000 members. Joining this group is totally optional, but seems like a great place to meet other people doing the challenge, get answers to your questions, and stay motivated.
It’s worth checking out.
The challenge and how it works
The challenge itself is 12 days of increasingly difficult workouts. The workouts combine both jump rope and body-weight exercises for a pretty well-rounded routine.
What I liked most about the workouts is they made sure to mix it up, there’s a lot of variety from day-to-day. You’ll be doing everything from body-weight squats and planks, to freestyle jump rope and jump rope jacks.
I will say that some of the jump rope exercises in this challenge are a bit more advanced, like crossovers. It might be wise, for beginners anyway, to practice a bit before taking on this challenge.
I loved the challenge though, would highly recommend this to anyone looking for something new to try!
2. 7-Day Challenge by Jump Rope Dudes (learn to jump rope)
If you’re not familiar with Jump Rope Dudes, definitely go check them out. They’re one of my favorite Youtube channels, constantly putting out great content. Their 7-Day Jump Rope Challenge included!
Once you sign up they’ll send you an introductory email with instructions and what to expect going forward. Prior to starting the jump rope challenge they instruct you to join their Facebook group and get a jump rope.
Full transparency, this challenge is definitely for beginners. The workouts and tutorials in this challenge will help newer jumpers become more proficient with their jump rope.
“Get Accountability”
One of the cool things about this challenge, similar to Crossrope’s jump rope challenge, is they have a Facebook group to help keep yourself accountable. The group has nearly 30,000 members!
You can request access to the group using the access code: DO THE THING
Once you’re approved to join the group, introduce yourself and get acquainted with some of the other members. I find this is a great way to get motivated and help yourself stay on track.
Next, you’ll want to get a jump rope.
“Any jump rope works to get started”
After enrolling in the challenge and joining the Facebook group, you’ll want to get a jump rope.
While they say any jump rope works, they definitely suggest getting the Crossrope set. I’m pretty sure they’re sponsored by Crossrope.
I love Crossrope’s products, however they’re a little expensive. If I were you I’d pick up either a standard jump rope or a solid weighted jump rope to get started. If you find you really enjoying jumping rope, you can always upgrade to a nicer jump rope later.
Once you have your jump rope, it’s time to get started.
The challenge and how it works
The challenge itself is pretty simple. For 7 days, Jump Rope Dudes will send you a different video everyday with a different topic. Again, these topics are primarily focused on becoming a better jumper.
For those of you who are more advanced, Jump Rope Dudes do offer other challenges and tutorials which are more fitting.
Here are the topics for each day, with a short summary:
1. Beginner Basics (Finding Your Rhythm)
The first day of the challenge is spent finding your rhythm. They actually have you do this by jumping with out the jump rope (which works really well).
Small and controlled jumps is ultimately what you’re going for here. Feet together, maybe 6 inches apart, knees slightly bent, and only jumping an inch or two off the ground. Count your jumps as you go.
Once you have that down, they’ll have you incorporate the jump rope and tie it together.
2. Hand Placement + Arm Extension
The second day is spent dialing in your form, specifically how you’re holding the jump rope and your arm placement / extension.
To kick things off, they’ll have you practice your regular bounce and rhythm to recap on the first day. Then they’ll dive into your hand placement and arm extension.
Obviously these are very basic and simple tutorials. The remainder of the 7 days are similar.
3. Jumping Rope Fast
The third day is spent learning how to jump rope faster. They focus specifically on footwork and how that impacts the speed at which you’re able to jump rope.
In order to jump rope faster, they cover how high you’re supposed to jump and the utilization of your hands and wrists when rotating the the jump rope.
4. Correcting Your Posture
Day 4 of the jump rope challenge covers all the elements that make up good form and posture when jumping rope.
Without correct posture you can injure your back or knees fairly easily. This is an important step for any new jumpers. Keep a straight back, shoulders back, knees bent, head up, etc., etc.
5. Correcting Jump Rope Mistakes
Day 5 of the 7-Day jump rope challenge covers what to do when you make a mistake. They cover a pretty simple move you can do to help recover from a mistake (side swipe).
They’ll have you do a couple rounds of practicing the side swipe by purposely messing up and then recovering with this move.
6. Jump Rope Run In Place
Next, they’ll cover how to run in place while jumping rope. This is a pretty common jump rope move, one definitely worth learning if you don’t know how.
They have you start by doing a couple rounds of running in place without the rope, focusing on the timing of your hands and feet. Next, they’ll have you incorporate the jump rope.
Pretty straightforward!
7. HIIT Workout
In the last day of their 7-Day challenge they’ll have you combine everything you’ve learned in a jump rope HIIT workout.
High Intensity Interval Training, known as HIIT, is a pretty common workout format Jump Rope Dudes (and JumpRopeHub) use. Once you understand the structure, you can put together endless workout variations.
That’s a wrap! Another jump rope challenge in the bag…
3. 30-Day Jump Rope Challenge by Amanda Kloots (for beginners)
Another great challenge to try is the Jump Rope Challenge by Amanda Kloots. It isn’t nearly as elaborate as the Crossrope challenge, but it’s great nonetheless.
Amanda Kloots is a celebrity trainer and creator of AK! Rope, Dance, Body, and Baby Bump, a fitness routine that utilizes jump rope.
What I liked about this challenge is it’s simple. This would be a great jump rope challenge for a beginner. While it does include some body-weight exercises, it’s more focused on jumping rope. And, the jump rope moves required for this challenge are very basic.
The challenge and how it works
Each day of this 30-day challenge has a unique workout. Some days you’re only jumping rope and other days you’re doing a combination of jumping rope and body-weight exercises.
Of the 30 days, 4 days are set aside for rest and recovery.
The only thing I’m not a big fan of in this challenge is the type of body-weight exercises they had me do. Its really only focused on abs. The only exercise I did, outside of jumping rope, was planks.
For me, these workouts made for a great warm-up. I would usually do these before moving on to my actual workout.
That said, I think this challenge is great for someone newer to jumping rope or someone looking to get back in shape after taking some time off.
I’m pretty sure that was Amanda’s intention though, when creating this challenge:
“Jumping for two minutes at a time is a challenge for most people, and hopefully by the end of the 30 days you’ll be able to complete 10 minutes”
Amanda Kloots
To help you track your workouts and stay on track, Refinery29 included a calendar outlining each day’s workout.
The calendar
As you can see in the following image, each day has it’s own unique workout. Most day’s workouts only last for 3-5 minutes. I loved the variety of workouts though. It’s a great way to grow your jump rope skills!
4. 5-Day Summer Jump Rope Challenge by 12 Minute Athlete
Looking to get in shape for the Summer? Check out the 5-Day Summer Jump Rope Challenge by 12 Minute Athlete.
What I like about this challenge is it’s a great way to learn new jump rope skills and tricks. Each day they give you a new jump to learn (with video instructions). Then, they incorporate that jump into a HIIT workout.
Once completed, you’ll have 5 new workouts which you can include in your fitness routine going forward.
The challenge and how it works
This challenge is a quick one, lasting only 5 days. That said, each day they give you a pretty solid workout. The workouts are pretty dynamic.
The workouts focus primarily on your lower body and abs. Each day will include some combination of jumping lunges, burpees, v-ups, pike jumps, among other exercises.
For those looking for more of a full-body workout, you might go with a different jump rope challenge or add in some upper-body exercises to their workouts.
Additionally, each day includes a new jump rope skill to learn.
Day One: Criss Cross Feet Jumps
The first day you’ll learn how to do criss cross feet jumps. These are pretty simple… you’re essentially crossing your right foot over your left, then left foot over your right.
Day Two: Front to Back Jumps
Here you’ll learn how to do the front to back jump (also known as scissor jump). Also very simple. Jump with your right for forward and left foot back (as if you’re about to do a lunge), then alternate, left foot forward and right foot back. With each jump you’ll switch feet.
Day Three: Side to Side Jumps
For day 3 you’ll learn how to do the side to side jump. With each jump you’ll bring your feet out to your side, then in, then out, then in (as if you were doing a jumping jack). It’s pretty straightforward.
Day Four: Criss Cross Hands Jump
This was my favorite day in the challenge. The criss cross hands jump (or as I know it, the crossover) is one of my favorite jump rope tricks. With each jump you’re crossing your arms, making the rope into an X when you jump. It takes some practice to master.
Day Five: Double Unders
The last day of the challenge focuses on double unders. These are another jump rope trick that can be tough to master. For each jump, you rotate the rope around your body twice. It will definitely take a few tries.
5. 30-Day Jump Rope Challenge by BuyJumpRopes
The next challenge I reviewed, the 30-day Jump Rope Challenge by BuyJumpRopes, was pretty straightforward. Not a lot of bells and whistles, but still a banger.
Their focus when creating this challenge was weight loss. It combines jumping rope with body-weight exercises, in a circuit format similar to HIIT. All of the body-weight exercises focus on the lower body (legs and butt).
By the way, if you’re not familiar with BuyJumpRopes, definitely check them out. They are based here in the United States, out of Washington. Great products, made here in America, with solid prices.
The challenge and how it works
This challenge is broken down into 6 different sections, each made up of 5 days. And, each section is comprised of some variation of squats, step-ups, and jumping rope.
One thing I was a little confused on was the total duration of this challenge. As you’ll see on the calendar (posted below) it instructs the challenger to rest on the 7th day of each section.
I interpreted that to mean the challenge lasts a total of 6 weeks, with 30 days of total workouts (5 per week).
It’s not a big deal either way. If you feel physically fit enough to perform the entire thing in 30 days, go for it. Otherwise, I’d stick to only 5 days per week over the course of 6 weeks.
One thing I did like about this challenge was the reps for each exercise increase the following day. For example, 10 squats and 20 step-ups the first day, 12 squats and 22 step-ups the second day, 14 squats and 24 step-ups the third day, and so on…
Again, nothing too special here, but a fun challenge nonetheless.
The calendar
I took a screenshot of the challenge schedule for you to view. As you can see it’s super simple. You shouldn’t have to spend more than 10-15 minutes on each workout.
6. Kids Heart Challenge
This is a great one for children! The Kids Heart Challenge, formerly known Jump Rope for Heart, is an event that’s sponsored by the American Heart Association.
Held at schools across the United States, the Kids Heart Challenge teaches kids the importance of exercise and diet through a variety of fun, interactive lessons and games.
For more about the organization, take a look at our What is Jump Rope for Heart article.
Registration
In order for your child to participate their school must register on the organization’s website. This must be done well in advance of the event (which takes places in February).
The American Heart Association will send out a variety of materials, clothing, and prizes which are used during the event.
You can use this tool to check if your child’s schools is already enrolled. If they’re not enrolled, you can contact their support team to help you get registered.
The challenge and how it works
Once registered, the American Heart Association (AHA) provides the school with some instructions for organizing the event, a some classroom-based ideas and resources, jump ropes to use for the challenge, and info and tools to help with raising funds.
On the last day of the challenge the school will usually have a “Jump Off Day” where the everyone gathers to finalize the fundraising and give the students a chance to show off their new jump rope skills.
To get a jump start on the challenge, check out their resources page with numerous jump rope tutorials.
Kid’s Heart Challenge app
There is an app which your child can download to create a profile and track their progress. They can also use the app to send emails, social media messages, and text message to assist with fundraising.
The app is available for download on both the Google Play Store and iTunes:
7. Nintendo Jump Rope Challenge
In researching these different jump rope challenges, I came across a really unique challenge which was created by Nintendo back in June. The Nintendo Jump Rope Challenge is a virtual jump rope game created as a fun way to get exercise throughout the day.
The game was created by a small group of developers in Japan, while working from home. I believe they’ve made the game available to download for free, on the e-shop.
The challenge and how it works
The Nintendo Jump Rope Challenge is only available on the Nintendo Switch, which I don’t have. I’ve considered picking one up though so I could try this out.
I’ve watched numerous videos on it though and it’s pretty simple!
The game is played using the controllers with the Joy-Con straps attached. Once you boot up the game and attach the controllers you can begin.
By default, the first day is set to 100 jumps. You can adjust this to whatever you like, to make it easier or more difficult.
Each day after that, the number of jumps you need to do increases. So, each day of the challenge is meant to be progressively harder than the previous.
That’s essentially it, there’s not a whole lot to it.
