I jump rope once or twice a week, 25 minutes routinely, it's good exercise.
I notice that rope speed is highest, with hands and arms held nearly motionless, just wrist action. Whereas moving the hands in larger circles, results in lower rope speed.
Why is that? Is it basic schoolboy physics, or complex biomechanics?
-- Rich
The arm system has rotational momentum, and is bound to end up still attached to your shoulder, hopefully.
Yes to both. The less mass involved in the rotation, the higher the speed for the same energy expended. Neglecting the huge inefficencies in accelerating the arm, and counter-rotating along the long bone axis.
David A. Smith
Moving a greater distance takes more time than moving a lesser distance. When you move your have in larger circles, it has more distance to cover, and that takes more time per revolution of the rope; which equates to fewer revolutions per unit time.
But why does the rope, for the same amplitude / distance, move faster (as i= n more hops per minute required) if the arms are "not involved"?
David A. Smith
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