Weighted Jump Ropes vs Weight Handles

Are you toying with the idea of buying a weighted jump rope? When you go to buy a jump rope you’ll find two different options. Some weighted ropes have the weight in the handles and others carry the weight in the rope itself.

Weighted jump ropes are a great way to get a full-body workout in a short amount of time. Weighted jump ropes can change your routine from mostly an aerobic exercise to a full body workout. You can target other areas of your body that you don’t use as much when you jump with a regular rope like your core and back muscles.

Which type of rope gives you the most of these benefits? My research shows that weight in the rope is a better overall workout. See why that’s the case.

Jump Ropes With Weight IN THE HANDLE

When your search for a weighted jump rope you are likely to find many options that have weighted handles. One advantage of using a rope with weight in the HANDLE vs in the rope is that the rope is easier to control, while still being more challenging than a regular rope.

The first time I picked up my one-pound rope it felt like swinging around a fire hose. In fact, the first one I bought I returned because I thought I could never do it (keep reading though).

Weighted handles are better for toning your biceps and forearms because the weight is all in your hands. However, the better jump rope form you have, the less you actually move your arms. So while you are holding weights, you are not moving them around a lot.

Why Choose A Jump Rope With Weight IN THE ROPE?

Using a rope that is weighted forces more of your body to work harder, not just your arms. If you take a 1lb rope and swing it around your body you will find that it’s much more difficult than if you hold one pound in your palms and swing an unweighted rope.

The centrifugal force required to swing the one-pound rope around is significantly greater. It feels like swinging around much more weight than one pound. This also means the calories you burn is much greater with a weighted rope.

The way I’ve proven the calorie-burning piece is using a heart rate monitor. I can see that my heart is pumping much harder using the weighted rope than the weighted handles.

Best Weighted Jump Ropes

If you are in the market for weighted ropes, the gold standard is Crossrope. They are high quality ropes with ball bearing handles, but they are expensive. I started with the “get fit” bundle. Over time what you tought was impossible, will get easier and you’ll probably want MORE weighted ropes.

I don’t sell these ropes or make any commission on them. I USE them and they are very high quality, see my review here. The only disadvantage is that the length can’t be changed.

If you need to spend less there are two alternatives that are available on Amazon. This Rush rope is a nice lower priced alternative.

I choose every product I review. I may earn an affiliate commission if you buy from one of the product links, at no extra cost to you. This income supports this site. See the full disclosure.