Jump Rope pain

[aron]

Hey everybody, I'm new to posting on this forum but I've been reading for a while. It's a great forum and everybody hear seems to know what they're talking about. I'm 17, from the US, and new to boxing.

So I have a question. I started boxing training a couple months ago, and I usually jump rope for 20 minutes before my workout. Lately though, my ankles and left shin have started to hurt. Usually when I start to alternate jumping on each foot. Maybe it's shin splints? I don't know, has anybody felt that before? Should I stop jumping for a while? Thanks.

[Chris Nagel]

How's your technique? Normally your jump should be about just half an inch, just enough to clear the rope.

If you jump higher for longer periods of time without your body being conditioned to that point, pain in your shins should be expected. It could be just your body's way of telling you to slow down.

Anyways some advice: you outta spend a few minutes to stretch your calf muscles, and when you start jumproping you should spend the first few minutes getting into the groove before you go all out. And since you're starting out it's best that you use a good pair of tennis shoes and find a surface that has some give to it (example: dirt floors, rubber mats) try to avoid the hard concrete floors if you can.

So right now just take it easy at first since evens after a couple months your body is still getting used to it. When you get better you should keep track of the number of skips you do in your 20 minutes and establish a baseline so that you can increase your pace. Later on you can incorporate a box jump and already you should try the crossover move. Muhammed Ali used to move around in a pirimeter of square when he skipped rope and alternated between both feet, so to get the best out of it you should move around.

[aron]

Thank you for your input, Chris, I'll try stretching better from now on. I already do standing toe touches, I'll look around for some calf stretches, too.
What is a box jump or a crossover?

[Chris Nagel]

Just google the crossover move if you need pictures. While you are skipping after a turn you just cross your elbows which will cause the rope to crossover, you just jump through the loop. It takes a few minutes to learn but once you got it down it'll be fun and to the guys around you'll look like the ish.

The box jump is seperate from skipping, you can google that too or better yet what I was thinking of before is doing a double jump here and there, which is where you jump two turns of the rope.

[aron]

Ok, cool, I'll try that. Thanks again, Chris.

[Chris Nagel]

Let me know how it goes.

[FeuerFrei]

If your shins keep hurting you, two things that I have found that help a lot are to fill some dixie cups 2/3 full with water and put them in your freezer. After your workout, grab two out of the freezer, peel back the paper, have a seat on the floor and run the ice up and down your shins till the ice all melts. Also I've pretty much cleared up the problem by doing toe curls. My favorite way to do them is to set a leg curl machine to the lightest weight, sit upright on the leg curl machine bench facing the curling pads, stick your toes under them and flex your feet up to a perpendicular to the floor position, curling up the pads using your feet. Let it down very slowly and let the weight stretch your shin muscles. 3 sets of 10 to 12 works well.

[aron]

Thanks Feuer, I'll try the ice thing it my shins start hurting bad again.
I've been skipping the last few days and have been stretching a lot more before I do it. I feel less pain, but my shins still hurt a little bit. I'm trying to make it a lot less impact though, and that seems to work. I think my rope might have been too short, so I had to jump higher to get over it. I lengthened it a bit, too.

[Chris Nagel]

Same thing happened to me, once you have your jumping down to just enough to clear the rope and have a good pair of shoes you won't have to worry about it.

Good general advice from Frei. This can apply for running, skipping or lower leg work for the most part. If your shins hurt you should take it easy on your workout, or take a break and pick it up when they're feeling better. If they're killing you should ice them, if it's not so bad take a short break and stretch your calves.

[AirJordanIV]

Just like me. In my first few months of boxing, skipping was a b***h for me. Shin splints killed me and I felt like there was no solution. As a result, I hated skipping. The only thing that helped me was to embrace the jump rope and make it one of your favorite excercises. Keep stretching, wear new balance or avia shoes and run on a clay track, buy boxing shoes to train in, and ice them shins down. Believe me will get used to it. If you can get throught your early stages, eventually you will skip for hours w/ no pain.

[Chris Nagel]

In contrast to boxing shoes a pair of running shoes offers good shock protection. But after several months of practice it doesn't really matter as much.

[aron]

AirJ, how long did it take before your shins stopped hurting? Thanks for the advice, by the way.

[AirJordanIV]

yo aron, it took me about 3 to 4 months. I wasn't very active before I started training in boxing. As a result, frequent running and skipping or a pick up game of hoops was something that my underdeveloped shins were not prepared for. I'm close to 30 and you're 17 so it shouldn't take as long as I did to get accustomed to the roping. Sorry bro, I know the pain of shin splints can be unbearable, but once you're over the hump it won't be an issue. Hopefully you'll update us with good news within a few weeks.