Skipping Rope Exercises

Many adults, with their tight schedule at work, daily house chores, and other responsibilities in life, have to sacrifice their personal health and well-being. Getting through the day becomes so necessary that once it ends, all we do is finish with dinner, watch a bit of television, and jump right into bed. The cycle of living an unhealthy lifestyle keeps continuing till we get a wake up call. However, for some, this wake up call comes a bit late.

You may be going through the same issues in life and constantly worrying about living a healthier lifestyle. To help you avoid the wrong decisions of being in an unhealthy routine, why not bring in some change. To begin with, relax a little and think about what you want out of your life. In order to be in a state of peace, altering the everyday habits is a must. Which means, you will have to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, exercise on a regular basis, and avoid the things that bring stress to your life. Have you considered performing skipping rope exercises for a change? Perhaps you are wondering that skipping rope or jump rope is a kids' activity. However, these exercises have been proven to be as effective as any other exercise.

Skipping Rope Workout

For beginners, purchase a beaded rope so that you can begin your workout. This type of rope is easily held in the palms of your hand (which means it won't slip away) and you can gain perfect control over your workout as it is light in weight. To perform the basic jump rope workout routine:

• Hold the handles of the rope in the palms of your hand and step on the rope itself. You will have to shorten the rope if the handles reach as high as your armpits. Make sure you have worn proper athletic shoes during the exercises.
• Let the rope lay on the floor and keep your feet slightly behind it. Now jump at least 2 inches off the floor as you swing the rope from below your feet and then over your head.
• When you come down to the floor, only the balls of your feet should touch it. Keep your elbows close to the sides as the rope is circling above you.
• Only your wrists and forearms should be moving, and not your shoulders. Find a comfortable pace for yourself and make sure you don't rush yourself. It is perfectly normal to go slow for your first try.
• You can jump once or twice every time the rope comes around. As the rope hits the floor, you will find that the entire exercise is going in a systematic rhythm. Keep on practicing till you get it right.
• At first, skip for about 3-5 minutes and then stop to rest for about a minute. You can increase the intensity of the workout as you gain enough control and balance.

Benefits of these Exercises

Many physical trainers, athletes, coaches, and doctors believe that the exercises are one of the most beneficial workouts anyone can engage in. It's unique and effective cardiovascular exercise that helps you tone and strengthen your entire body.

Benefit 1: The exercises can help you burn up to 1000 calories in an hour. Ten minutes of jump rope can help you burn the same amount of calories as running. As you utilize all your major muscle groups, there is an incredible amount of fat burned during that short period of time. For a beginner, start with 15-20 minutes and then increase the intensity.

Benefit 2: As mentioned earlier, jump rope exercises help tone your entire body. Working your lower body muscle groups such as calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus. As the hands keep turning the rope around your entire body, your upper body muscle groups such as chest, back, shoulders, forearms, biceps, and triceps get an excellent shape.

Benefit 3: They help you improve your overall balance, agility, and coordination. Many athletes and physical trainers engage in jump rope workouts to build their stamina and foot speed. The different kinds of foot movements used requires coordination and quick reflexes.

Benefit 4: Jump rope is easy, extremely portable, and highly inexpensive. You can basically workout in your house, backyard, office, gym, or park. No matter what your budget is, you can purchase a jump rope and begin your workout regime. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars for a gym membership, why not start doing the exercises at home.

Skipping rope exercises can help you change your lifestyle for the better. Because the workout provides many health improvements to the entire body, no wonder so many people, across the world, are gaining benefits from it.