Jumping Rope: A Triathlete's Off-Season Secret Weapon

This exercise may be the secret weapon many triathletes are looking for to add to their arsenal during the off season.

Let me tell you why:

• POSTURE: In order to jump rope efficiently and for long periods of time, it is important that one maintain an ideal posture throughout the exercise. As such, improving ones posture will effectively facilitate a neutral spine position in each of the Cervical (neck), Thoracic (mid/upper back), and Lumbar (low back) regions, thereby promoting proper function of each of the active, passive, and neural components of spinal stability. Perfect posture promotes movement efficiency and therefore, training to maintain ones posture may translate into increased efficiency during running.
• BILATERAL SHOULDER EXTERNAL ROTATION: In general, the glenohumeral joint is isometrically held in a bilateral external rotation position throughout the jump rope exercise. Reinold et al. recently demonstrated that the concentric bilateral external rotation exercise facilitated scapular control without the need for arm elevation, while simultaneously utilizing a good lower trapezius to upper trapezius activation ratio. While isometric contractions certainly differ from concentric contractions, one may hypothesize that isometrically maintaining the shoulder girdle complex in this position may facilitate optimal patterning of the thoraco-scapulo-humeral joints...especially  since isometric contraction of the glenohumeral external rotators play an important role in force coupling with the powerful pectoralis major during the early pull phase of swimming (this force coupling helps keep the head of the humerus centered within the glenoid fossa: aka dynamic stability). Similarly, bilateral external rotation may  also play a rehabilitative role in those athletes presenting with signs of Type 1 "SICK" scapulae (inferior prominence of the medial border) for the same reasons noted above.
• ECCENTRIC HIP ABDUCTION: During the stance phase of running, the hip plays a contributing role in absorbing ground reaction forces sustained by the body upon impact. This is so via eccentric contraction and control of the abductors of the hip (i.e. Gluteus Medius). Each "foot contact" of single and alternating leg rope jumping is not dissimilar to the stance phase of running as the hip abductors are called into action with every repetition. As such, incorporating rope jumping in the off season may result in preventing dynamic valgus (aka "buckling in") of the knee, thereby minimizing energy leakage while running. The end result: A more efficient, powerful running gait.

• Low Intensity Stretch Shortening: Plyometric exercise has been scientifically demonstrated to be effective in improving performance and economy in certain distance runners. Since, jumping rope can be viewed as a lower intensity form of plyometric exercise, improving the stretch shortening capabilities of the deep flexors of the foot and ankle may translate into similar effects. At the very least, since mid- and forefoot runners tend to have a single and greater peak force upon impact (as opposed to the double peak seen in rearfoot strikers), performing low intensity stretch shortening exercise may strengthen the ability of the lower leg musculature to act as shock absorbers, subsequently minimizing chances of dynamic instability (i.e. overpronation) and/or tendinopathy (i.e. of the achilles).

Unless I am mistaken, the efficacy of jumping rope for triathlon performance has yet to undergo scientific investigation. Therefore, definitive conclusions from the above statements must certainly not be made. However, as with many currently performed exercises, the theoretical rationale for rope jumping as an off season exercise in triathletes may seem plausible and thus, may enable this exercise to be performed without much scrutiny.