Jumping Rope—It’s Not Just For Kids
Want to get a great workout in a short amount of time and burn up to 1,000 calories per hour? Pick up one of your oldest childhood “toys”… a jump rope!
Remember the endless hours you spent jumping rope with friends around your neighborhood or on the playground at school? Well, I recently picked up rope jumping again. I thought I would add something different to my workout routine…something fun. I was in for a surprise after my first day of jumping. I was shocked at just how difficult it was. Not that I couldn’t jump anymore, but the coordination required to swing the rope and jump at the perfect time proved to be more difficult than I remembered. I would (a) whip my shins or (b) land on the rope once every 30 seconds during my first few days of jumping. However, with a little practice I think I am bringing back my skill that has been suppressed since I was 10 years old.
Another shocker that came with my rope jumping—I was surprised to feel my heart rate increase, my breathing became heavier and little buds of sweat dripped down my face… after only a few minutes of jumping rope. Not only was it fun, but it was a great workout! TRY it!
Benefits That Come With Jumping Rope:
-Jumping rope will improve your agility, hand/eye/foot coordination, jumping, fluidity of movement and timing, hand and foot speed as well.
- Jumping rope skills transfer to most athletic endeavors.
-It’s small and light-weight. Perfect for traveling!
-A jump rope is possibly the most inexpensive exercise accessory out there.
-You can jump anywhere—work, home, school, etc.
-Rope jumping works every major muscle group in your body! It tones and strengthens upper and lower body muscles.
-Jumping rope is one of the best ways to blast away cellulite.
Things to Know When Jumping Rope:
-To size your rope so that it is fit for you, make sure the handles reach your armpits when standing on the rope.
-You will need at least a 4’ x 6’ area to jump. If it is difficult to find an open space in your home just take your workout outside.
-It is ideal to jump on a wood floor, impact mat, or piece of plywood.
-Check with your doctor if you have any doubts about your ability to withstand the impact and high aerobic intensity of jumping rope.
Jump Rope Exercise Routines:
Beginners Workout
To begin, warm-up then jump for 20-30 second intervals then rest for 1 minute in between each set. After you become comfortable this basic workout move on to something more technical.
Warm up—brisk walk for 2-3 minutes
Jump rope—20 to 30 seconds
Rest for 1 minute
Repeat nos. 1 to 3, five times.
Jumping Rope With Intervals:
Build up strength and dexterity by continuous jumping for 3 minutes, with a basic interval workout that alternates between fast jumping and slow jumping:
Jump rope fast for one minute.
Jump rope slowly for 20 to 60 seconds, you may increase the speed gradually.
Repeat 6 times.
Advanced Jump Rope Workout:
When you have developed focus and stamina, you can proceed to advanced rope routines. Jumpers skip for 15-20 minutes. You can opt to add more time when jumping becomes effortless. Here is an intense fat-melting workout:
Jump rope for 5 minutes
25 push ups
25 squats
25 crunches
Repeat 10 times
Improve Footwork:
The fat-burning effect of jumping rope comes from improved footwork. Once the hop, or running in place is spot on you can try these fat-buster routines:
Line hop – achieved by drawing a line on the ground with chalk and through the hopping motion, jump over the line facing forward or side to side.
Diamond: draw a diamond pattern using your feet when jumping rope. Can be done both clockwise and counterclockwise.
For an additional butt-kicking workout check out this article from Fitness Magazine.
Need a Jump Rope?
If you are like me, I hadn’t owned a jump rope since grade school. For a great deal you can get this 9’ EZ jumprope from ProForm®, which is currently on SALE. This rope has a weighted mid-section and swivel handles. Happy jumping!
Source: WebMD
Written by Amy Jensen
