Why these two?
Skipping alone is more effective than a jog when it comes to torching fat. The University of Jena, Germany, found that skipping requires 24% more power than running at the same speed. In short, you're burning more calories. Now add additional weight to that rope, requiring a higher power output, and you’re torching calories while building arm muscle at the same time. It’s almost like those gyroscopic powerballs that were in vogue a few years ago.
Burpees are a rightly feared total-body exercise that builds explosive power in our lower-body and works the heart. Whether you’re doing burpees with a press-up so that your chest touches the floor or not, it’s still an excruciatingly difficult exercise.
“On hard days, I’ll sometimes alternate between a minute of burpees and using a weighted jump rope,” says Joyner. Both exercises serve a double purpose, increasing your cardiovascular fitness while building both upper-body and lower-body power, making them fantastic for a deceptively simple all-purpose workout.
