The Routine 

Do the exercises in the order they're listed. Don't worry if you can't get the coordination of a move right away—practice makes perfect. Start with two minutes of each jump-rope move (marked with an asterisk) and gradually build up to four minutes. Do one set each of all strength moves, 8 to 15 reps per set. To increase the intensity, you can do two sets of each with as little rest as possible between sets. Then do one set of each cooldown stretch. To start, the entire routine will take about 20 minutes and burn a whopping 250 calories. 

Warm-Up 

Double-Dutch Arms*: Stand tall with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, your arms held up in front of you at shoulder level and your elbows slightly bent. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor without letting your knees move in front of your toes. Stay in the squat (there's no jumping in this move) as you alternate swinging your arms in a wide, brisk, circular motion in front of you. Power the move from your shoulder and back muscles. Skip tip: Sway from side to side at the waist as you circle your arms. 

 First Gear 

Basic Two Foot*: Hold an end of the rope in each hand and stand with your feet together in front of the rope line. Bend your elbows and hold your arms out to your sides at about hip level. (This is the setup for all jumping moves.) Spin the rope, and as it approaches your toes, skip over it. Stay low—only jump an inch or so off the floor—and when you land, allow your knees to bend slightly to help absorb the impact. Skip tip: Aim to jump once per turn, rather than doing the "double bounce."