Jump roping can be a great way to kick off your basketball practice warm up. It will improve your cardio and your hops. And they’re accessible and easy to take anywhere. They’re one of our favorite drills to kick off a training session with. So today, we’ll share everything you need to know about jump rope for basketball players.
“Jumping rope can help maximize your workout, even if you only have a few minutes. It seriously challenges the cardiovascular system while also helping to improve coordination and muscle strength,” says Kollins Ezekh, C.P.T., director of programming at Mayweather Boxing + Fitness in Los Angeles, reports Self. “You are strengthening the muscles surrounding your ankle joints, your quadriceps, your core, and more—decreasing the chances of an injury.”
We’re going to walk through how jump roping is beneficial for hoopers, some simple workouts you can do with a rope, and even a few tips for getting started the right way. Like do you know where you should be looking when you jump rope?! We’ll also let you know what to look for when shopping for a jump rope, and provide our top three jump rope recommendations based on our experience, reviews by other customers, and top review sites. Basically you’ll have everything you need to get started easily with this game changer. Let’s get after it.
Yes jump roping is good for basketball players! Here’s how it can improve your game:
These quick drills are a great way to warm up your legs before you head out to hoop.
Here are some great ideas from USA Basketball.
Quick feet: The gist on this is you’re just going to spin the rope as fast as you can manage to keep up with. Start with both feet on the ground at the same time while you’re turning the rope as quickly as you possibly can. This is a great starting point if you aren’t able to currently jump rope; if you are a master, you can always work at improving your quickness.
Lateral quick feet: This is just a slight change to what you just did. Just move side to side instead of jumping just up and down. This will help improve your ability to move laterally. This is a great starting point for improving the foot/ankle complex to control stability (balance and control) while being quick.
Hurdle step: For this one you mimic running over a hurdle, and it’s definitely the most challenging. Start with one leg off the ground with the knee up toward waist height. Hold that leg up and in position while hopping up and down on the other foot. This drill is great for improving single-leg power and elasticity. Make sure you start with shorter times (or fewer reps) with this drill as the stress on the lower leg is high. Too much single-leg jump roping can cause shin splints!
Check out all sorts of other jump roping ideas and see helpful visuals of how to do them here.
Here’s a full intro jump rope workout with some basketball to try too:
If you’re just getting started with a rope, here are a few things to keep in mind to maximize your warm up and workout:
Here are a few considerations to keep in mind as you buy your jump rope.
Begin with a jump rope with a little heft to it. “Start with a slightly weighted rope, so you get the added feedback you need to time your jumps and minimize trip ups,” says Srdjan Popovic, trainer and chief marketing officer at Crossrope. A rope weighing 1/4 pound doesn’t really feel heavy, but it will help you learn the mechanics of jumping more easily than a flimsy rope.
A speed jump rope is thin and light, and a good match for those who are more advanced and like to jump at a fast pace.
Make sure you buy a jump rope of the right length. “Having a jump rope that is too long or too short for your height can lead to tripping and injury,” Kollins says.
Lengths tend to range from 7 to 10 feet. Before buying, check the maker’s size chart to find the best length for your height—usually around three feet longer than you.
Here’s how to test if your rope is the right size once you get it:
Look for the best of all worlds. Some jump ropes provide the ability to swap out the handles to upgrade your jump rope from light to heavy. That way no matter the type of challenge you’re looking for on any particular day, you’ll have the equipment you need.
Here are a few popular ropes to pick from to get started incorporating this awesome workout into your basketball training sessions.
This basic rope is great for just testing jump roping out, to see if it’s something you want to regularly incorporate into your basketball workouts going forward. It’s been rated a 4.3/5 by more than 5,000 reviewers. It’s made with braided steel wire rope coated with PVC so it’s fine for the concrete but will do better indoors. The lightweight handles are coated with soft memory foam for extra comfort. And this 10 foot long rope’s length can be easily adjusted when you first get it. Once you open the handle (screw off the cap), there is a plastic sleeve that you pull back, and then a clamp. Just pry the clamp open with your fingers to make it slide up/down the rope. When the length is correct for you, re-clamp and slide the sleeve into place, and cut the extra off your rope. This rope comes with a handy carrying pouch too. And every order comes with a helpful instruction manual with some cool material to help you get the most out of it.
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Price: $7.99
Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart, Fitness Factor
This rope is great for basketball beginners just getting started with jump roping, but who know they want to comit to it. It’s a simple, weighted solution at a reasonable price. This rope has handles with a helpful textured grip and is super easy to adjust. You can change the length as well as add or remove the extra weight in the handles. The rope is made of high temperature resistant thickened PVC so it doesn’t get tangled. And because it has a nice weight to it, it doesn’t move too fast. It’s 9.9 feet long, 0.35 inches wide and has a weight of 0.28 pounds without the added weight.
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Price: $19.99
If you’re serious about regularly incorporating jump roping into your workout, or are already a more advanced jumper, this is the rope for you. This jump rope tops the list for both NBC‘s and GoodHouseKeeping‘s jump rope recommendations. It can sync with Apple Health and Google Fit. And even comes with its own highly-rated workout app that gives you access to fast and effective workouts wherever you go (iOS + Android) – you get a 30 day free trial to start. You can swap out the handles to upgrade your jump rope from light (0.25 pounds) to heavy (0.5 pounds). And the ergonomic, texturized handles make it easy to hold and they’re very durable. Plus, the jump rope doesn’t tangle like others tend to do. The fast clip connection also makes it simple to change rope weights quickly.
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Price: $99
Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart, Crossrope
Now you know how to improve your fitness. As members of the Amazon affiliate program and as Crossrope partners, we will earn a little bit to help fund our site if you make any purchases. Up next, learn more about the pre-game routines of elite basketball players.
