Jumping rope requires quick rebounds that recruit mainly the foot muscles and joints, a type of plyometric training that would be useful for runners. A recent study in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance set out to investigate this. A group of amateur runners were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group modified their regular warm-up routine to include jumping rope for two to four sessions per week with a total time of 10 to 20 minutes per week. After 10 weeks, runners in the experimental group had greater arch stiffness and statistically significant improvement in their three-kilometer run time compared to the control group. So, for runners looking for a way to increase their speed, incorporating jump rope training drills into their warmup may be a great way to do so. Dust off that jump rope and get going!

By Heidi Walls, MD

Reference article: García-Pinillos F, Lago-Fuentes C, Latorre-Román PA, Pantoja-Vallejo A, Ramirez-Campillo R. Jump-Rope Training: Improved 3-km Time-Trial Performance in Endurance Runners via Enhanced Lower-Limb Reactivity and Foot-Arch Stiffness [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 12]. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2020;1-7. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2019-0529