Pump up the jump: burn maximal calories using minimal equipment with these jump-rope programs

Think you need a roomful of fancy equipment to get you to the next level in fitness? Think again. Though it weighs mere ounces and takes up less space than an extension cord, a jump rope provides one of the most effective, comprehensive workouts you'll ever experience.

Anyone who participates in a sport that requires fast footwork and quick changes in direction will benefit from a regular turn of the rope. And, because it's a snap to change the degree of difficulty, anyone--regardless of skill level--can use jumping rope to accomplish her fitness goals.

"It's great cardiovascular exercise," says Mindy MyIrea, creator of Jump Inc., a California-based company that trains personal trainers. "It also promotes coordination and strength, as well as muscular endurance."

Jumping rope is a serious calorie incinerator: Depending on your skill level, workout intensity and body weight, you'll burn a fat-busting 10 to 15 calories per minute. Better yet, MyIrea says that if you use proper technique, you're unlikely to get injured. "It's about half the impact of jogging, because you stay close to the ground."

Nothing beats jump rope's versatility, either. Use it for interval training during a weight program, add it to a step class or use it for your pretraining warm-up. Or, as MyIrea recommends to her clients, at various points during your walk or run, stop and jump rope for a few minutes. You can even use it as your primary cardio session by following this month's workout three to five times a week.

Workout Session

Ready to get a jump on things? First, take some time to master proper jumping technique (see "Skip Tips," page 55). If you're using our jump rope routine as a stand-alone cardio workout, start with 30-second increments of the Basic Two-Step, taking an equal amount of time between sets to actively recover with walking, stepping or weight training. Work your way up to 10 two-minute jumping intervals with brief recovery periods in between, and then pump up the intensity by adding in some of this workout's fancier footwork. You can alternate the moves, working on each one until you perfect it, or just mix and match them in any way you please. Ultimately, you can work your way up to two or three 30-minute jump-rope workouts a week.

Before and after your workout, be sure to warm up and cool down with a low-intensity activity, like walking or easy jogging for three to five minutes.

Basic Two-Step

Why do it: As with all jump-rope moves, this one works the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes, as well as the shoulders, triceps, and biceps. It teaches you the technique that forms the basis for all other movements.

Exercise: Hold an end of the rope in each hand and stand with your feet together in front of the rope line. Bend your elbows and hold your arms close to your sides at about waist level, with forearms slightly in front of your body. Spin the rope overhead, and as it approaches your toes, jump over it with both feet simultaneously.

Skip tip: Jump just high enough so that the rope skims under your feet as you jump. Remember: Avoid making big turns with the rope or jumping too high.

Boxer Shuffle

Why do it: Transferring your weight from side to side requires a bit more coordination and stability than the Basic Two-Step jump.

Exercise: Spin the rope and, as it approaches your toes, lightly shift your weight onto your right foot. On the next spin, shift your weight onto your left foot. As you change feet, continue shifting weight from side to side without hesitation.

Skip tip: Spinning the rope a little faster will actually make it easier to get into a good skipping rhythm.

Low Kicks

Why do it: Emphasizes the quadriceps. Enhances upper/lower-body coordination and agility.

Exercise: As you spin the rope and it passes underneath you, lift your right foot off the ground, bend your knee and then straighten it out in front of you; it will take two turns of the rope to execute the kick. Alternate left and right kicks.

Skip tip: Keep the kicks low and gentle. Avoid hyperextending your knee as you straighten your leg. Although you may feel like you need to jump higher, jumping just slightly off the floor will keep your movement smoother and more coordinated.

Leg Curls

Why do it: Places the emphasis on the hamstrings. Besides enhancing coordination and agility, this move also requires a bit more balance.

Exercise: Lean slightly forward from your hips, spin the rope and, as it passes underneath your feet, bend your left knee back and gently kick your left heel toward your glutes. On the next pass, kick your right heel toward your glutes. Continue alternating.

Skip tip: When you do this "trick" right, it will feel like you're running in place. You may find it easier to spin the rope twice per kick. Keep your abs pulled in to help maintain good alignment.

Cross-Country Ski

Why do it: Takes your coordination to a new level. Because the leg movement is bigger than most other jump-rope tricks, your lower body must work harder.