Calories Burned From Jumping Without Rope

by John Zaremba

Overview

When life calls for a quick workout but you have no equipment, it might seem as if your options are limited. While a quick set of push-ups will get your pecs pumped and a few sit-ups will make your core feel tight and strong, it might be an aerobic workout you're after. Jumping in place might look silly, but it proves to burn more calories than you might think.
Estimates

Caloriesperhour.com has a calculator that estimates the calorie burning rates of thousands of activities. While there is no specific entry for jumping without a rope, the site has estimates for many similar activities. The calculator estimates that a 150-lb. person would burn 544 calories by performing vigorous jumping jacks for an hour. A five-minute workout by the same person would burn 45 calories. That person would also burn 680 calories an hour by jumping rope at a moderate pace.

How Your Body Burns Calories

Everything you do burns calories---even breathing. Burning calories is how your body produces energy, so the more energy you use, the more calories you burn. Your use of oxygen can be a good indicator of how hard your body is working; jumping rope is a vigorous aerobic exercise, so when you start breathing hard, that means you're burning calories.
Muscle Groups Worked

According to Georgia State University's Department of Kinesiology and Health, jumping rope works several muscles in the legs, calves, abdomen, chest, shoulders, back and arms. Muscle tissue burns more calories than other types of tissue, so working the muscles boosts your burn rate significantly.
Form

Proper form is essential to an effective and safe workout. According to the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Georgia State University, proper form includes jumping on an even surface, lifting the feet just high enough for a rope to pass (if you were using one), keeping the shoulders relaxed, starting slowly and building to speed, and landing on the balls of the feet to prevent stress and injury to the knee.
In Comparison

Simply jumping seems like an odd workout, but before you write it off, consider this: According to caloriesperhour.com, jumping burns exactly the same amount of calories as running in place, and about 20 percent more than traditional jogging.