Muay Thai Skipping & Jump Ropes

Muay Thai jump ropes are typically heavier and thicker than standard jump ropes, which is why they’re often referred to as “Heavy Ropes”. They often use thicker durable PVC plastic ropes and have plastic or wooden handles that are larger as well. The added weight provides additional resistance that helps build more upper body strength and muscular endurance when compared to the regular jump rope.

As Muay Thai heavy ropes & jump ropes are relatively simple accessories, most of the Thai brands will have similar levels of quality. The Fairtex Heavy Thai Skipping Rope uses the same traditional design from the Golden Era of Muay Thai but improved with better quality, it’s a must-have accessory for anyone's training kit.

“Ball-bearing” refers to the type of handle used in the rope. Ball-bearing ropes contain small, spherical bearings that sit between the rope attachment point and the handle. This bearing reduces friction and allows the rope to rotate smoothly even at high speeds, which is why you see a lot of “speed jump ropes” using these ball-bearing handles.

Traditional Muay Thai Heavy Ropes do not contain these ball-bearing handles, however, in recent years brands like Fairtex & Twins Special have produced ropes that feature these handles like Twins Special Bearing Handle Skipping Rope & Fairtex Ball Bearing Skipping Rope. These ropes are a hybrid of ball-bearing ropes and heavy muay thai ropes. Although they aren't as heavy, and the handles aren't as thick they offer a great balance between the two types of ropes and are becoming increasingly popular.

Jump ropes are a great way to improve cardiovascular fitness, stamina, coordination, footwork, shoulder conditioning and calf strength. You’ll find that most fighters in Thailand regularly use heavy jump ropes as part of their training routine, either for warm up or cutting weight.

We recommend using the Muay Thai jump rope as part of your regular Muay Thai training routine, especially as a warm up. The ideal time would be right after some dynamic stretching and before your main workout (padwork, drills, bagwork & etc)and be the best time to jump rope as it provides a great full body warm up.

Beginners may find it easier to start with a lighter PVC or speed rope to develop coordination and rhythm before progressing to a heavy rope. The key is to start slow and focus on technique and rhythm first, before progressing with increased speed and weight. If you have the coordination and footwork already, then feel free to use a heavy rope!

If you’re a beginner, start with shorter 2-3 minute rounds at an easy or moderate pace with ~30 seconds rest in between, and aim to build up a total of 10-15 minutes jump rope time including breaks. 

Once you’re more experienced, we recommend anywhere from 10-20 minutes of continuous jump rope. And if that’s too easy, jump at a higher pace to increase the difficulty and improve your endurance and conditioning further.

The best way to measure the ideal length is to stand on the center of the rope, and make the handles just reach your armpits. Use this as a starting point and try some test jumps, then adjust it accordingly based on your preferences

Most jump ropes by Thai brands will come in one length only and may not have an adjustable handle. For these ropes, they are generally longer and the simplest way to shorten them is to tie knots at the end of the rope near the handle.

Use a light to medium grip and keep your upper arms down by your side and your forearms in front of your hips. The movement should primarily come from your wrists and forearm with minimal upper arm movement.

Also, always jump rope before wrapping your hands! This is a common mistake we see with beginners. Trying to jump rope with handwraps on restricts your wrists from performing the movement needed to swing the rope and can put excessive strain on the forearm muscles when trying to force it.

Focus on staying on the balls of your feet, keeping your jumps small, and maintaining a steady rhythm. You want to keep the movement as efficient as possible to allow you to continue jump roping for a prolonged period of time. Make sure you engage your wrists and forearms more than your upper arms to spin the rope. Once you are comfortable, you can increase the difficulty by incorporating different footwork patterns like alternating feet variations and high knees.

Avoid jumping too high, using too much arm movement, hunching your shoulders, or looking down at your feet. When jump roping, it’s best to look forward, maintain a good posture and then focus on controlled, efficient movements. If you’re new to it, focus on prioritizing good form first before increasing speed or incorporating different foot movements.