How to Find the Right Jump Rope Length for You

Jumping rope is a prime cardio exercise, meaning it gets the heart rate up. Jumping rope can help to inject versatility into your routine — wherever you are. Given how portable jump ropes are, you can pack them for a vacation or into your gym bag. But how can you tell if your jump rope is the best size for your height? Find out this and more below.

As a general guideline for beginner jumpers, opt for a rope that’s 3 feet taller than you. To figure that out, you can simply tack on the extra feet to your height. Or, if you’re curious if a current rope is a match, follow these steps to find out:

1. Step on the middle of the jump rope with your feet together.
2. Pull the rope up toward your shoulders until it’s taut.
3. The end of the cable (not including the handles) should reach your sternum or armpits.

If the jump rope is longer than chest height, it’s likely too big and could potentially slow you down or make it more difficult to find the right jumping cadence. If the end of the rope falls below your armpits, the rope most likely won’t hit the ground when you jump, which means it’s too short. Either scenario will create a more challenging — and potentially clumsier — jump rope experience, especially for beginners.

As you practice and improve your jump rope technique, you may eventually want to switch to a shorter rope, which will rotate more quickly for faster jumps. A shorter rope allows for more compact positioning, which may help reduce fatigue in the larger muscle groups and, over time, produce a faster cycle rate.

Tip: When jumping rope, remember to position the hands in front of the hips, rather than holding them out wide to the sides of your body. Proper technique will help ensure the rope hits the ground when and where you want it to, so you can get into a rhythm.

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1. Adjustable Size Jump Ropes: Some jump ropes come with cables that are separate from the handles. These require cutting and customizing the cables to a certain length before fastening the handles. Other options are adjusted more seamlessly with a built-in function that adjusts the length in seconds.
2. Weighted Jump Ropes: Some jump ropes are weighted, meaning they have extra weight in the handles to help strengthen the arms and shoulders while jumping. A lighter weighted rope (for example, a jump rope with a half-pound weight in each handle) will add resistance and move slower than a basic rope, which can help beginners slow down to practice cadence and form.
3. Thickness: In general, choose a thinner cable if you’re looking to maximize speed in your jumps. If speed isn’t your goal, a thicker cable offers more durability.
4. Terrain: For jumping rope outside on the concrete, a plastic rope won’t last very long. Look for one that is made with a steel cable wrapped in vinyl, which is more likely to withstand tougher surfaces.

Words by: Claire Tak