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Are you struggling to lose weight while working the challenging night shift schedule? Well, do you remember the jump rope you used to own and love when you were a kid? It’s time to get the dust off the old girl!
How can you lose weight working night shift? Losing weight on night shift involves not only eating fewer calories than you’re burning off, but it also involves food timing and regular exercise. Jumping rope is an excellent strategy to burn excessive calories in a short period of time while boosting cardiovascular health and strengthening your bones and joints.
While there is a huge variety of ways to lose weight when working the night shift, we have found that jumping rope pretty much trumps them all. Throughout this post, we want to explain 8 reasons why skipping could be the missing link in your weight loss journey as a night shift worker.
1. Jumping Rope Is an Impressive Calorie Cruncher for Night Shift Workers
Skipping is known to burn a massive 1300 calories per hour, but people more commonly say jump rope burns about 10 calories a minute. (source)
But you might be thinking to yourself… I can’t skip for an hour!
Don’t worry, I can’t either just yet. I skip for around 30 minutes and burn roughly 400-600 calories depending on the velocity of movement and what I do during the “break” period.
For example, instead of just standing still while resting trying to catch my breath, I often hold the plank, complete a set of squats or do jumping jacks for 30 seconds to burn more calories.
This exhausting workout increases your heart and breathing rate significantly, burning those calories and building lean muscle, much quicker than in comparison to other exercises.
As you skip, you are constantly recruiting different muscle groups to move consistently for a set period of time.
According to the Jump Rope Institute, skipping for 10 minutes is the same as running eight miles, playing 6 sets of tennis and 18 holes of golf!
2. Jump Rope Is a Whole Body Workout Helping You Lose Weight on Night Shift
Jump rope is excellent for toning and strengthening the thighs, shins and calf muscles. As you jump, you’re simultaneously causing a real burn in your arms and shoulders as you twist the rope overhead.
The abdominal muscles in your core also work overtime, stabilizing your body and aiding in a straight posture.
So yeah, basically everything burns – you’ll hate me at the time, then eventually love me for suggesting this workout!
3. Jump Rope Is Great for Your Heart and Lung Health
Skipping, particularly if used in high-intensity interval sets, undoubtedly gives your heart and lungs a real workout and is even linked to improvements in blood pressure.
Your muscles demand a constant flow of oxygen to enable consistent, purposeful movement as you jump.
To keep up with this oxygen demand, you will feel your heart start to pound in your chest, whilst experiencing difficulty catching your breath, even after just 20 seconds of jumping rope!
Skipping is truly invaluable for improving cardiovascular health.
As night shift workers, we often don’t get enough “huff and puff” due to our tricky schedules and limited sun exposure.
So we wanted to introduce you to two posts we wrote about the risks of night shift and how you can avoid them. I recommend checking out below:
- Avoid getting sick: How to Work Night Shift, Stay Healthy and Not Get Sick
- Night shift truths: Is Night Shift Bad for You? 11 Truths Uncovered
4. Jump Rope Improves Bone Density
Jump rope is a moderate weight-bearing exercise, which basically means your body moves against gravity, unlike swimming, cycling or rowing.
The beauty of these weight-bearing exercises is that they improve bone mass and density, preventing issues like osteoporosis.
Jumping rope also strengthens the joints, tendons and ligaments in and around the knee, feet and ankles, preventing injury. Just make sure your shoes have quality padding on the balls of the foot.
Furthermore, some suggest being barefoot to further strengthen these key joints – just be careful if the surface is rough.
5. Jump Rope Improves Your Cognition and Intelligence – Even on Night Shift!
Pardon? Jump rope makes me smarter? Yes!
Jumping rope forces your brain to make new motor patterns and memories, improving the communication between the left and right parts of the brain. (1, 2)
This enhances spatial awareness, improves reading skills, increases memory and makes you more mentally alert.
Why not try doing the double swing or cross-over to keep your brain really guessing? It’s great for your mind and looks pretty impressive too!
[VIDEO] – I often distract myself when I jump by watching “The Jump Rope Dudes” on YouTube. They are professional and very educational on how to jump effectively. This 10-minute workout is a perfect place to start if you’re new to the jump rope game.
6. Jump Rope Boosts Athleticism
Did you know Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt smuggled a jump rope into the stadium during the 2012 Olympics?
Skipping is linked to improving endurance performance, as well as strength, coordination, balance and flexibility.
It’s an unbelievable workout not just for the professional sprinters and boxers like Floyd Mayweather, but also people like us, just trying to stay fit and healthy.
Related posts:
- Freezer meals: 6 Healthy, Freezable Shift Work Meal Ideas for Beginners
- Meals: 6 Quick and Healthy Night Shift Breakfast Meal Ideas
- Night shift health: How To Best Prepare for the Night Shift and Stay Healthy
7. Jump Rope Can Be Done Anywhere – Even During Your Night Shift!
Skipping can be done in the comfort of your own home, the gym, in the garage or outside the park. The choice is yours depending on the weather.
The portable size of the rope makes it super easy to simply throw it in your bag and jump rope anywhere, even on vacation!
Remember you don’t need an hour, 10 – 15 minutes will suffice, so you can go back to that poolside mojito quickly!
Read: How to Stay Fit While Working Nights: 12 Sneaky Tips
[VIDEO] – Best Time To Exercise When Working Night Shift
8. Jump Rope Is Affordable for Night Shift Workers
Once you’ve bought your rope and a good pair of shorts with a drawstring, so you don’t scare the neighbors; skipping is virtually a zero-cost workout.
Ladies, prevent unnecessary tearing and sagging of your breast tissue by investing in a high-quality sports bra.
I alternate between these two when planning to jump rope and highly recommend them because there is minimal bounce and they are surprisingly comfortable.
1. Lorna Jane Womens High-Intensity Sports Bra
2. Berlei Women’s Extreme Impact Sports Bra
We also give you another option in our shift work tools page here which I encourage checking out to look after your girls.
Night Shift Jump Rope Recommendations
A quick word about ropes.
The cheaper options can become hard and break over time but are a great option if you’re just starting out. Those with bearings tend to last a little longer than ropes that simply have the end knotted in the handle.
We have tried and tested these ropes through our sporting careers, specifically basketball and boxing, and that’s why we recommend them to you.
Top of the Range:
Crossrope Jump Rope (Get Lean Set) – Speed Rope + Strength Rope – see here via Amazon
Mid-Range Jump Rope:
Bear KompleX Aluminum Speed Jump Rope – see here via Amazon
Excessive Sweaty Hands Jump Rope:
Limm Comfort Jump Rope – Easily Adjustable – See it via Amazon
Budget-Friendly:
SDEGOL Skipping Rope with Ball Bearings– see via Amazon
Weighted Rope:
Redify Weighted Jump Rope for Workout Fitness(1LB) – See via Amazon
Best Ropeless Skipping Rope
Weighted Ropeless Jump Rope – Crossfit Speed Rope – See via Amazon
Sounds interesting right? Protect your floors and legs when you mess up with this beauty!
Next…
- Fasting: Should I Eat on Night Shift? Why Intermittent Fasting Works
- Keto: Graveyard Weight Loss: Shift Workers Guide to the Keto Diet
- Fat: Does Shift Work Make You Fat? 14 Tips to Avoid Weight Gain
- Night shift: 7 Essential Night Shift Tips: Making the Impossible a Reality
Summary: 8 Reasons Jump Rope Helps Night Shift Workers Lose Weight
Skipping is an invaluable full-body workout, which tightens those loose, wiggly bits particularly around your tummy, thighs and upper arms. Watch those extra, unnecessary pounds and sweat fall off you in no time.
Can you think of another exercise workout, which increases your heart rate almost instantly, is portable, cheap to set up and will help you tone and lose weight?
We can’t either!
Skipping is overwhelmingly good for your health and fitness and what we love most is you get maximum bang for your buck. It’s a whole-body workout if you’re on limited time like the shift workers among us.
Cheers,
Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, meaning we receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, but this is at no additional cost to you. Please read our disclosure and privacy statement for more info.
Thanks.Was super helpful ????
Hi Deladem! Thanks for the feedback. We are so glad it was helpful.