Jump Rope: A HIIT Skipping Rope Workout For Beginners

HIIT or LISS | Benefits | Tips | Workouts

If you thought skipping ropes belonged solely in the playground, think again. Jump rope workouts are a great way to level up your fitness, burn calories, and boost cardiovascular health.

In this blog, we look at jump rope HIIT, including what the benefits of HIIT skipping are. We’ve also shared a HIIT skipping for beginners’ workout you can try.

Jump straight to the workouts here.

Is Jump Rope HIIT Or LISS?

Is skipping HIIT or LISS? The short answer is that it can be both, depending on how it’s performed.

HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training is a workout format that combines intervals of high intensity with short rest periods, while LISS, or Low-Intensity Steady State, workouts are performed at a moderate effort for a longer duration. You can learn more about the difference between HIIT and LISS here.

Skipping workouts can be adapted to either workout format depending on your goals. Here, we look at skip rope HIIT.

How To Make Skipping Rope Into A HIIT Workout:

Turning your skipping into a HIIT workout is easy: simply alternate between max effort intervals and rest periods. You can tailor the times depending on your fitness level – if you’re new to HIIT try shorter work intervals and longer rest periods and adapt these as you get fitter.

Benefits of Skipping Rope HIIT

There are multiple benefits to a HIIT jump rope routine, including:



• Burns calories efficiently. HIIT workouts burn more calories in a shorter period of time than LISS workouts, and skipping in particular is a great calorie burner. For context, someone weight 60kg can burn over 150 calories every 10 minutes in a skipping HIIT workout, vs 120 calories in the same amount of time running.

• Improves cardiovascular health. Jump rope HIIT training challenges the cardiovascular system and improves both aerobic and anaerobic fitness. The heart and lungs are strengthened, and circulation also improves. Doing HIIT training jump rope regularly can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blow pressure and heart disease.

• Boosts metabolism. HIIT workouts can boost metabolism for hours after the workout has finished, as the body needs energy to return to normal after an intensive anaerobic workout. This means additional calories are burnt on top of those burned during training – great for anyone looking to manage their weight.

• Works the full body. Skipping workouts engage multiple muscle groups throughout the body, including the legs, core, shoulders, and arms. It also works balance, coordination, and speed, making it a great way to boost overall fitness!

• Time efficient. HIIT workouts should last no longer than 20-30 minutes, meaning you get all the above benefits and a shower in less than an hour.

HIIT Skipping Rope Workout Tips

Before you get started with jump rope HIIT, there are a few things you can do to prevent injuries and get the most out of your workouts:



• Choose the right skipping rope: Although there’s no right or wrong skipping rope, different skipping ropes can make your workout more comfortable. Try a few ropes to see which length and weight feel good.

• Warm up properly: HIIT workouts are physically demanding, and warming up can help to protect the body from injury and allow you to feel more comfortable during the workout.

• Begin with basic skipping jumps. If you’re new to skipping, start with a simple single or double skip and make sure you’re confident skipping fast with good technique before moving onto more challenging jumps.

• Increase intensity slowly. HIIT workouts are more tiring than you think, and its important to gradually increase the duration or intensity over time. Start with 5 minutes and work your way up to a maximum of 30 minutes over a few weeks.

HIIT Skipping Rope Workouts For Beginners

Ready to incorporate HIIT skipping into your week? Give these beginner friendly workouts a try. You can adjust the timings to make these more or less challenging.

Remember to put in maximum effort during the work intervals, and rest during the rest periods. This is key to making sure your HIIT workouts are effective.

10 Minute HIIT Jump Rope Workout

This workout is 10 minutes, but with a warm up and cool down it’s 20 minutes total. You can skip the warm up if you’re adding this onto the end of a training session, such as a run or full body workout – as long as the muscles are warm and your heart is starting to work you are good to go!



• Warm up (5 minutes)

  • Jogging on the spot – 30 seconds
  • Jumping jacks– 30 seconds
  • Squat and side kick – 30 seconds
  • Arm circles– 30 seconds
  • Squat jumps– 30 seconds
  • Repeat (two times total)

• Intervals (10 minutes)

  • Basic jumps – 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
  • High knees – 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
  • Alternating foot steps – 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
  • Double unders – 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
  • High knees – 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
  • Repeat (two times total)

• Cool down (5 minutes)

  • Jogging on the spot – 30 seconds
  • Marching on the spot– 30 seconds
  • Child’s pose – 30 seconds
  • Lying cross body stretch – 30 seconds per side
  • Hamstring stretch – 30 seconds per side
  • Wall calf stretch – 30 seconds per side

20 Minute Beginner Friendly HIIT Skipping Workout

This workout combines skipping with bodyweight exercises to add some strength and conditioning. As with the previous workout, we’ve included a 5 minute warm up and cool down. Feel free to swap these out for your own favourite full body warm up and cool down.



• Warm up (5 minutes)

  • Jogging on the spot – 30 seconds
  • Jumping jacks – 30 seconds
  • Squat and side kick – 30 seconds
  • Arm circles – 30 seconds
  • Squat jumps – 30 seconds
  • Repeat (two times total)

• Intervals (20 minutes)

  • Basic jump rope – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
  • Squat pulses – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
  • Alternating foot step skipping – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
  • Push ups – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
  • Double unders – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
  • Jump lunges – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
  • High knee skips – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
  • Plank – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
  • 1 minute rest
  • Repeat (two times total)

• Cool down (5 minutes)

  • Jogging on the spot– 30 seconds
  • Marching on the spot– 30 seconds
  • Cobra – 30 seconds
  • Lying cross body stretch – 30 seconds per side
  • Hamstring stretch – 30 seconds per side
  • Wall calf stretch – 30 seconds per side

For good all round fitness, combine one to two HIIT workouts a week with two to three LISS workouts, two to three strength workouts, and some stretching and mobility work.

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