Jump Rope History

A jump rope, skipping rope or skip rope is the primary tool used in the game of skipping played by children and many adults, where one or more participants jump over a spinning rope so that it passes under their feet and over their heads. This may consist of one child twirling and jumping the rope, or with a minimum of three children taking turns, two of which twirl the rope while one jumps. Sometimes the latter is played with two twirling ropes; this form of the activity is called Double Dutch and is significantly more difficult.

Children often chant jump-rope rhymes while jumping rope. These can range from pure nonsense to comments on current events. Participants may simply jump until they tire or make a mistake, they may improvise tricks, or they may have to carry out a predetermined set of tricks. People also practice solo jump-roping for exercise. There are hundreds of different tricks/techniques of skipping rope.

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Competition

Jump rope (rope skipping) is practiced on a competitive level world-wide. Athletes compete in individual and team events. In freestyle routines, the jumper(s) has(/have) a set time limit to demonstrate a combination of skills; in many competitions these are choreographed to music. During the speed events, athletes must complete a determined amount of successful jumps within a particular amount of time. For example, the world record for 30 second speed is 188 jumps. In July 2004, Brisbane, Australia hosted the World Jump Rope Championships. Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Japan, and the United States of America each medalled. The 2006 World Jump Rope Championships is to be held in Toronto, Canada in mid-July. The 4th Asian Rope Skipping Championship is to be held on 9 February 2007 at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India.

Though many believe jump rope is a simple, fun activity, others consider it a sport. Serious jump rope athletes train rigorously year-round. Jumping rope takes immense strength, endurance, focus, and patience, and can be much more than a simple game of chanting rhymes.

In the United States, the main organized jump rope organization is the United States Amateur Jump Rope Federation. The USAJRF is composed of hundreds of jump roping teams throughout the country. These teams perform at high school and sporting events, take part in competitions, and attend workshop training camps throughout the year. The USAJRF sponsors these camps and competitions throughout the United States.

Two competing jump rope organizations once functioned in the US: the Internation Rope Skipping Organization, and the World Rope Skipping Federation. IRSO focused more on stunt-oriented and gymnastic/athletic type jump rope moves, while the WRSF focused more on the aesthetics and form of jump roping. These two organizations have now merged into the USAJRF.

World records

• On October 12 2006 42,223 skippers (most of them children and teachers in primary schools) skipped for 30 seconds in 335 schools in The Netherlands. Videos, pictures and on-line-articles can be found here.
• On March 24 2006 a mass participation record was set in the United Kingdom and Ireland. 7,632 children skipped continuously for three minutes in 85 different locations across the country. This was part of a joint effort to re-introduce skipping into schools by the The British Rope Skipping Association and Skipping Workshops. This record has been accepted by Guinness World Records.

Jumping rope as exercise

Jumping rope is an activity that is not only for competition or recreation, but for a cardiovascular workout, just like jogging or bicycle riding. By doing this aerobic exercise one can burn up to 1300 calories after one hour of vigorous activity, with about 0.1 calories consumed per jump. Ten minutes of jumping rope is roughly the equivalent of running an eight-minute mile. Jumping rope is much easier on one's knee joints than jogging, since the impact of each jump or step is absorbed by both legs. Jumping rope is also good for the arms and helps strengthen the shoulders. This combination of an aerobic workout with the footwork involved with it makes jumping rope a popular form of exercise for athletes, especially boxers and wrestlers. Jumping rope is minute-for-minute the one of the most comprehensive and beneficial exercise a person can do. Its a sport that can be done as an individual or in groups and can easily be incorporated into anyones lifestyle. Best of all jump rope exercise is fun and entertaining. If one utilizes the proper jump rope technique then jumping rope becomes so simple and so easy to learn that almost anyone can pick it up. All ages and all fitness levels can learn to jump rope with ease.