Jump On It....

In my last posting, I suggested we all quit procrastinating and change things up. An easy change is the addition of a jump rope to your routine:
Back in the day; many, many, many years ago, I could happily hop my way through recess, jumping and twirling with the best of them. The pressures of elementary school were quickly forgotten during the 20 minute break. Jumping rope seemed effortless and fun back then but as I get older, I see that it isn’t kid stuff anymore. Jumping rope is an incredible cardiovascular conditioning tool that can burn fat, tone muscles, and even improve athletic performance.
Because your heart rate elevates rapidly, even just a few minutes of jumping can take your breath away. It’s different from a treadmill or bike because the act of jumping recruits muscle fibers from your entire body. Instead of simulating an activity on a machine, it orchestrates endurance and coordination in a real activity, using your own body weight to train.
Jumping also works your entire body, utilizing the large leg muscles (glutes, quads, hamstrings, & calves) and torso on both the “takeoff’ and “landing” phases. Along with these muscles, you train your upper body (back, shoulders, biceps, & triceps) by the constant movement as you turn the rope. You also use your lower back and abdominals to stabilize your movement, and jumping can help improve your timing, dexterity, and balance. If your not convinced yet, consider the following:
It’s inexpensive. Most ropes cost less than $10, while higher-quality ropes are around $20-$25. Even on Craigslist, you’d have trouble finding a treadmill at that price.
You can do it practically anywhere. A jumping surface like hardwood, rubberized flooring, or very thin carpet is preferred, but any hard surface works fine. Outside, inside, at the gym, your hotel room; they all work well.
It burns tons of calories in a short time. About 10 minutes of jumping rope (at 120 turns per minute) has the same benefit as jogging for 30 minutes. Those are great numbers when you’re pressed for time.
It’s compact. You can take it with you to the gym, pack it in your suitcase and store it in a drawer.
You’ll see improvements. Jumping rope helps build agility, speed, balance, and coordination, while improving your overall fitness level. The significant number of calories burned quickly contributes to a noticeable loss of body fat.
It improves your mental focus. Instead of mindlessly walking on the treadmill, you have to create an intense focus and not miss a beat while jumping. It forces you to really concentrate on your rhythm and types of movement.
Start by making sure your rope is the right length. When you stand at the center, the handles should reach to your armpits. Then, warm up for at least 5 minutes before jumping. (light jogging, walking).
Hold the rope handles with a firm grip, with elbows close to your sides.
Make small circles with your wrists while turning the rope.
Keep your shoulders and torso relaxed, head lifted, and gaze ahead for balance.
At the most, jump only high enough to clear the rope, with light ankle-knee motion, and always land softly on the balls of your feet.
Never sacrifice good jumping form for speed.
Make sure you stretch after jumping, especially your calves.
From a beginner’s basic bounce, you can add different types of footwork to your jumping. Start with about 5 minutes of jumping intervals and work your way up to longer periods of continuous jumps.
At this point, I’m lucky if I can get through the initial 5 minutes (this doesn’t include the time I spend tripping over the rope and hitting myself in the face with the handles), but I see the additional calorie burn on my heart rate monitor and I can feel my glutes and calves working. I don’t think I’m quite ready for the Boxer’s Shuffle, Side Straddles or Side to Side Skier’s jumps, but I’m getting close to matching my former playground conditioning