Jumping Rope provides numerous benefits for bone health especially as we age. Did you know that landing from a jump, can actually trigger an adaptive reaction that strengthens bones—which is crucial after menopause?
Jumping rope can hit the sweet spot while hard-core plyometrics may be too much impact for your joints to handle, and trampolines may not provide you with enough resistance to be effective.
The benefits of jumping rope as we age
When you’re post-menopausal, any type of strength exercise or jump training will help you increase your bone mineral density and muscle mass while keeping your estrogen levels stable. Jumping rope is an activity that exposes your bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles to a stressor to which they can positively adjust, according to the expert. You gradually activate specific genes over time, which aid in controlling estrogen production and may even prevent the loss of muscle and bone mass that comes with aging.
But make no mistake, jumping rope has advantages beyond bone density. It is essentially a full-body exercise that will increase your heart rate, which can, among other things, improve your cardiovascular fitness. Jumping rope is outstanding for general conditioning,” Dr. Joyner writes on his blog, Human Limits. It provides an aerobic workout and also develops footwork and balance, which he points out are critical for middle aged and older people who want to ward off things like frailty and falls.
A 2019 review of 176 women aged 58 to 79 found that regular plyometric training enhanced their bone health, muscular strength, body composition, postural stability, and physical performance.
How to add jumping rope to your routine
Jumping rope is best performed in much smaller intervals. An easy way to start jumping rope is to perform three to five rounds of 20 to 30 seconds. Doing this twice a week is a great place to start.
While that might not seem like a lot taking it slow and steady is the secret behind gradually adapting to the bone-boosting workout. This also prevents delayed onset muscle soreness that can last up to 48 hours following the exercise.
Slowly begin to increase your intervals each week. A four-week progression could look something like this:
- Week 1: Three to five rounds of 20 to 30 seconds
- Week 2: Three to five rounds of 30 to 45 seconds
- Week 3: Three to four rounds of 60 to 75 seconds
- Week 4: Four rounds of 60 to 75 seconds
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