Jumping Rope calorie burn by intensity
Estimates use the formula kcal = MET × weight (kg) × hours, with MET values from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Figures are gross burn — they include the calories you would have burned at rest.
| Intensity | MET | kcal / 30 min* | kcal / 60 min* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slow (<100 skips/min) | 8.8 | 308 | 616 |
| Moderate (100–120 skips/min) | 11.8 | 413 | 826 |
| Fast (>120 skips/min) | 12.3 | 430 | 861 |
*For a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Use the calculator above for your own weight.
Burn by body weight
At a typical intensity for jumping rope (11.8 METs), here's how the burn scales with body weight:
| Body weight | 15 min | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 162 | 324 | 649 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 206 | 413 | 826 |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 251 | 502 | 1003 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 295 | 590 | 1180 |
Getting more from jumping rope
- Interval format works best: 60 seconds skipping, 30 seconds rest, repeated 10–20 times.
- A slightly heavier rope (≈250 g) smooths the rhythm for beginners and adds arm work.
- Jump just 2–4 cm off the ground — high jumps waste energy and punish calves.
Want the bigger picture? Your workout is one slice of total daily burn — estimate the whole thing with the TDEE calculator, or compare against 25+ other activities in the calories burned calculator.
More activities
- 🚶 Walking
- 🏃 Running
- 🐢 Jogging
- 🚴 Cycling
- 🏊 Swimming
- 🏋️ Weightlifting
- 🥾 Hiking
- 🧘 Yoga
- 🤸 Pilates
- 🚣 Rowing
- ⚙️ Elliptical
- 🪜 Stair Climbing
- 💃 Dancing
- 🏀 Basketball
- ⚽ Soccer (Football)
- 🎾 Tennis
- ⛳ Golf
- 🔥 HIIT Workouts
- 🥊 Boxing
- 🛶 Kayaking
- 🌱 Gardening
- 🧹 Housework & Cleaning
- 🧍 Standing
- 😴 Sleeping
- 🏸 Badminton
Sources
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011. [link]
Frequently asked questions
Is 10 minutes of jump rope enough?
Ten genuine minutes of skipping burns about what 15–20 minutes of jogging does — a legitimate short workout, especially as intervals.
Does jump rope burn more calories than running?
At matched effort, slightly more per minute. In practice running is easier to sustain for long durations, so totals often favour running.