Jump Rope Size Guide

It doesn’t matter what your jump rope skills are; you need to ensure that you get the correct jump rope size for your height. An incorrectly sized jump rope can affect the performance and, ultimately, your enjoyment from jumping rope.

If your jump rope is too long, then it’s going to slow you down, and you may end up tripping due to the jump rope dragging. On the other hand, if your jump rope is too short, it will make it a lot harder to learn, and you may end up whipping your ankles with the rope.

Below is a standard sizing guide that should do you well for most situations, though there are some circumstances where you might want a different length.

Jump Rope Sizing Chart

Should I Cut My Adjustable Jump Rope As Short As Possible?

With an adjustable jump rope, keep it on the longer side and test it out before you go too short. It’s easy to make it shorter but difficult to get any length back.

If possible, try to leave some length on the rope so you can adjust the length a little up and down as you feel like doing something different. Then, just tuck the extra length inside the handle.

What If My Height Falls Between Sizes?

General advice would be to size up, as it’s going to be a minor difference in your height but a significant difference between the two jump rope options, so if you’re teetering on the edge going all the way back down may make it difficult for you.

Can I Just Measure My Current Jump Rope?

You can measure your current rope if you enjoy that length, but it’s not guaranteed to be the best option for you.

Just stretch your rope out without stretching it too much and then measure and match it to the closest available option.

Does My Arm Length Matter?

Your arm length shouldn’t factor into you jumping rope. Your hands should be in a similar position no matter how long your arms are.

Keep your hands at hip height and around 8” to 12” from your body. Though the exact position and distance can depend on what you’re most comfortable with, you can still use this as a general guide.

Does Length Really Matter As a Beginner?

Having an appropriate length jump rope for your height is the most critical when you’re beginning. As mentioned above, if the rope is too short, it becomes challenging to jump rope and isn’t suited for beginners. The longer the rope, the slower and more likely the drag will cause issues.

Both too long and too short options will make it an unfun experience, and you may just give up before you can really get into this enjoyable and healthy activity.

Should My Jump Rope Be Touching The Ground?

Yes, if your jump rope is not touching the ground and you’re a beginner, then you are making life much tougher on yourself than it needs to be.

Jump ropes should hit the ground. How much they hit will depend on what style of jumping you’re doing and your comfort level.

Do Different Activities Require Different Lengths?

Yes, once you’re past the beginner stage and if you decide on a specific training type, you may need to adjust your rope. However, that isn’t a requirement if you’re happy with your original jump rope.

If you need to jump rope under multiple disciplines or sports, then it may be best to have dedicated jump ropes for each to get optimal performance. Jump ropes are cheap and small, so there’s no real reason not to double up to get the best of both worlds.

Jumping Rope As A Crossfitter

Crossfit jump rope generally requires as much speed as possible, so if your jump rope is on the longer side, you’ll want to consider getting a shorter version specifically for your Crossfit training.

Just be careful not to go too short too soon. Otherwise, you’ll struggle with it being so short before you’ve had a chance to get the basic skills down. You need to get used to the jump rope movements, including getting your feet jumping and rope swinging without tripping over.

You can then keep your longer version for general use or gift it to somebody you want to take up jump rope with you, so it’s an excellent excuse to give it to them if you need to buy a new one.

Jumping Rope As A Boxer

When your goals are speed and endurance or movements like the crossover or sideswipes, then you’ll want some extra slack in your jump rope so that you can perform tricks or swing the rope without shortening it so much that it whips your shins.

You can use the same rope for other endurance training, such as martial arts or general jumping, to build up your stamina.

Can I Do Anything To Make My Training Harder?

As your jump rope skills improve, you may be thinking that things are getting too easy for you, so how do you increase the difficulty of your training without going too extreme?

You can start to incorporate different rope lengths into your training, as each length requires a different skill set that you can master. If your current rope is fairly long, then consider getting a shorter one to improve your speed skills,

If your rope is a little short, then consider getting a longer one so you can improve your skills and endurance for longer jump rope sessions.

Depending on the current length of your rope, you can also lengthen and shorten it simply by moving your hands further away or closer to your body; the further out, the shorter it may feel, the closer in it is, the longer it’s going to feel.