Should Distance Runners Jump Rope?

The interesting question would be to compare the shocks induced by jumping rope for 30 minutes compared with a 30 minute road run?

Jumping rope (if done with good technique) can be a good aid to training because it also works the upper body (arms and pectorals) and, consequently, more calories are burned. Observing the good boxers who jump rope, they hardly lift their feet from the ground, so the trauma is minimal, but inexperienced runners tend to 'jump' too much causing strain which might lead to injury. The good rope jumpers are extremely efficient at what they do, and it is a tremendous workout.

The trick is to learn the proper technique and that is not easy to pick up as an adult..

Ghost in Korea

I am not an expert, but my observation has been that high school girls that run 5-10 miles per day as their training do much better in cross country meets than the girls who do double dutch all afternoon.

When did the measurement of calories burned become useful for determining what kinds of activities are helpful for distance runners to improve?

As far as my own experience, the best way to improve as a distance runner is to run a large quantity of miles with consistency over several months. It's not one workout, or one week, but a sustainable level of running that becomes progressively easier, as you build endurance and strength.

As the workload becomes easier, expect better performance out of yourself on the two or three days per week on which you push yourself. Run very easy the other four or five days to recover.

Once you adapt to this over a year or so, add an easy 3-5 mile second run, one day per week, then gradually add moring runs until you do them daily. This increases your weekly totals by 21-35 miles by the end of the second year.

All available data from observing ordinary varsity high school and college runners over the last few decades indicates that the better you are able to tolerate and sustain easy miles over time, such as 80-100 easy miles per week for a few years, the better you are able to push yourself in the tough workouts and races to acheive performances that are better than you had ever done. The human body appears to adapt, over time, to that which it can survive.

Run too hard, too often, and you will break down. Run easy miles, regularly, and you get the equivalent of a new baseline for your athletic performance, where an easy ten mile run has your heart working no more rapidly, than sitting in a chair does for a sedentary person. Over a few years, that restful ten miler is at a faster and faster pace, allowing your optimal training and races to also be faster.

Mark Nenow jumped rope. He did some things on the track and roads.

If you ever watch Haile Gebrselassie's biopic, Endurance, you'll notice he jumps rope. He's okay... not like my running idol or anything, so it's probably not worth it to do.

how is it possible to jump rope when you train like an elite runner.

it would be a huge beating on your legs with training 120+ miles and doing jump ropes.

I am in favor of jumping rope. In high school, my 800 pr was 2:12. Freshman year of college, it was 2:08. Between freshman and sophmore year I started jumping rope in addition to my running. Sophomore year in college I ran 2:02.

Granted, I was not doing very high mileage (the highest during that time was 65 miles per week due to injuries, the jumping rope was actually started to strengthen my calves), but I think it helps regardless of mileage. I am not sure whether or not it helps longer racing as much, but I don't think it hurts.

65 miles a week for an 800 runner is waaay too many and jumping rope really helps with full contact racing indoors especially.

What an excellent contribution to the topic at hand!

Do you walk to school or carry your lunch?

ok some of the jumping rope videos on utube are amazing.

One of the best French Master's runners (Joel Picazo, Paris) who ran a 2:30 marathon at age 50, used rope jumping as part of his training, and he credits jumping rope with enabling him to run well as a master.

Jumping rope, you should land on the front part of your foot, so it is an extra kind of training which might benefit general fitness.

Also you will notice the improvement in muscle tone in the upper body from jumping rope.

Novices should start with 5 minute sessions of rope jumping, and eventually progress to 30 minutes several times a week.

In essence, it is a form of cross training. But, the key, once again, is to develop a good technique, in which your feet gently make contact with the ground. The less you raise your feet the better. Novices lift their feet way too much, creating strain and injury.

Suggestion: Take youself down to your nearest boxing club and learn from the pros there.

Ghost in Korea

Jumping rope, especially for middle distance runners, is a good lead-up to some more powerful plyometrics. Make sure to do it on a softer surface, like the track or on a dirt / cinder trail.

The double-dutch comment made me laugh, but no one was insisting you should cut out some running and replace it with some rope jumping.

There is more to running well than a combination of running volume / quality. Also 80-100 miles a week is a bit high for most females - even at the DI level. I think few women hit 100 miles a week, 80-85 sure, but 100? Maybe I am way off.

This story is right from Vigil's mouth ... When Deena Drossin, an All-American in college, asked Vigil to work with her he asked what kind of running she was doing. She said about 70 miles a week. He replied with, go average 100 miles a week for a year and then come talk to me. This was said to an already nationally elite runner with years of training experience. She was ready to handle it - the rest is history. I am just using this as an example of what type of mileage is common for good DI runners in good programs (she went to Arkansas). The 100 miles / week of base building was what Vigil thought she needed to do to reach her goals.

Old half miler---65 miles a week is too much for a half miler? You've got to be kidding --ever hear of Peter Snell?

You don't run hard all those miles--Obviously you don't know shit about training.

I'm 46 years old. I jump rope on my backyard trampoline, usually for 80 minutes at a time. I usually do it after dark--not that my neighbors don't already know that I'm a nut.

I guess I have a moderate amount of leg lift to get over the rope. It's a pretty strenuous workout for me--I feel spent afterward.

I wear thick socks with mocasin-like leather stiched onto the bottom for cold weather, and I jump most of the year until it snows (then I stop). Once or twice a week. It's mind numbingly boring, although I listen to music (XM-radio) while I do it.

Also also do a lot of rollerblading (usu. 90 minutes). I'm still a runner, and I put in 10 milers on Sat. and Sun. when I can ge to the woods (hafta drive), but the tramp and the rollerblading save all that pounding I'd have to do on pavement, but still give me a great workout.

I think I read that Ingrid Kristiansen was a rope jumper. She wasn't too shabby.

easily the POD...

Don't skip rope! Pogo in a mosh pit!