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Get ready to jump with this hardcore cardio blast.
If you find yourself traveling a lot but you're unable to take along
much more fitness equipment than your good intentions, here's the ideal
solution: a jump rope. Using this one piece of gear is a fantastic way
to burn calories and lose weight, and you can jump rope at your own
level of intensity for any length of time.
In fact, in only 15 to 20 minutes you can elevate your heart rate, work up a major sweat and get an overall energy boost.
From
Muhammed Ali to Rocky Balboa, any boxer will tell you that skipping
rope isn't something just for little girls on the playground. Few other
exercises build timing and rhythm the way jumping rope does. It's a
complete cross-training workout that combines elements of
cardiovascular and endurance training with muscle strengthening. While
you probably know how great jumping rope is for shaping the calves,
glutes and quads, what you may not realize is that the constant turning
motion of the rope will also tone your upper body.
Getting Started
If it's been a while since you last picked up a jump rope, there are a
few things to keep in mind. First, coordination doesn't always come
easy, so be patient. Second, when selecting a jump rope, the proper
length is important: Stand with both feet on the center of your rope.
If the tips of the handles reach chest level, this is an appropriate
length. Finally, jumping rope barefoot is not recommended; proper shock
absorption is necessary to reduce the risk of injury to your feet and
ankles, so wear an athletic shoe with lots of cushioning.
Since
jumping rope is so aerobically demanding, the best way to build stamina
is to use interval training, which alternates periods of work and
recovery. For example, jump rope for three minutes followed by marching
in place. Repeat this four or five times and before you know it, you'll
have completed your workout.
The Moves
All jumps start with the rope behind you, next to your heels. The speed
of the rope comes from your arms rather than your feet; your feet
follow whatever pace your arms set. Be sure to not flex at the wrist
while turning the rope. Try to keep the wrist as a natural extension of
the forearm. Here are four easy moves to help you get started:
Two-Foot Landing
This is just as it sounds. You'll push off your toes and land on both
feet, bending slightly at your knees and pushing off of your toes again
for the next jump.
Heel Dig
Jump on one foot while you place the opposite heel on the floor in
front of you. As you bring the rope around, switch feet; continue to
alternate as you jump.
Cross-Country Ski
The pattern is identical to the placement of your feet in actual
cross-country skiing (one forward, one back), except you need to jump a
little higher to clear the jump rope. In the landing position of the
jump, you will open your legs in a stride position and then switch legs
as the rope comes over your head for the next landing.
Jumping Jack
This is just like the jumping jacks you remember from fifth grade gym
class, but the key is to coordinate the jump with the turning of the
rope. Turn once with feet together, once with feet apart-and be careful
not to bring feet out too far to the side or you risk catching the rope
on them.
Bonne Marano is a Certified Fitness
Instructor and Personal trainer with nearly two decades of experience
currently teaching at Equinox gym on Long Island, NY. Bonne is the
owner of Fit To
Be Tied, a fitness consulting company, and author of The
Complete Bride’s Workout Guide (New Page Books). Check out her
website at www.fittobetiedonline.com, if
you're a bride-to-be.
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