Jump Rope Fitness

So maybe you haven't thought about jumping rope since the 4th grade.

Now is the time to take a trip down memory lane!

Jump rope is an intense sprint workout and is a highly efficient and time effective workout!  It's a great thing to do in a time crunch or when you are wanting to offer some high intensity intervals to your workouts.  It's a great cardio tool to combine with weight training! Plus, Jump ropes are cheap, super portable, and fun!

Getting Started:

• The first task in jumping rope is getting comfortable and coordinated with it. Initially it may take two small double foot jumps with each turn of the rope, working your way up to a single double foot jump each turn.
• Keep your hands right at your hip line while you jump, and try not to swing your arms. Also, push off the balls of your feet so you don't overuse your calves.
• When you jump, keep the jumps small and look to straighten your legs as you lift, and as you land, bend the knees softly.  This keeps the jump nice and efficient.
• Try to have fun with it and not to get frustrated.  It gets easier with practice.  Just take a few minutes every couple of days or once a week and practice a little bit.  Once you are able to continue jumping for 30 seconds without tripping on the rope, then consider trying a workout.

 Simple Jump Rope Workout:

• Stage 1: jump rope 30 seconds, recover (march or jog) 30 seconds...do this for 5 minutes total
• Stage 2: jump rope 30 seconds, recover 30 seconds...for 10 minutes total
• Stage 3: jump rope 1 minute, recover 30 seconds...for 5 minutes total
• Stage 4: jump rope 1 minute, recover 30 seconds...for 10 minutes total

Continue working to jump more and recover less for 10 minutes until you reach the ultimate goal of jumping rope for 10 minutes straight without stopping!