Jump-Start Your Cardio

 

            Do you want to find a fun way to exercise and bring out the child in you?  How about an exercise that will burn 1000 calories in an hour?  This exercise not only burns fat it also strengths your heart, improves your coordination, increases your speed and quickness.  Best of all, it will only cost you 7 to 12 dollars to buy the equipment.  Before I sound like a late night infomercial, I will tell you what this fitness phenomenon is…jumping rope.

            I was re-introduced to jumping rope by my Krav Maga (Israeli close combat class) instructor.  My Instructor is a polite, soft- spoken man who knows a million ways to seriously wreck your day.  So, when my instructor advised me to take up jumping rope to improve my foot quickness and endurance; I figured it was coming from a good source.

             I became hooked, sometimes literally, and started implementing jump rope into my clients’ workouts.  Their results were great, and they still continue to jump rope.  Here is a breakdown of how to get started:

1)    Find your rope size by stepping with one of your feet on the center of the rope.  Grabbing the handles they should reach right above the chest or close to your armpits.  You just found your rope size.

2)    Lightly grip the handles.  Your shoulders should be relaxed with your elbows close to the body.

3)    Keep your knees slightly bent.

4)    Turn the rope with your wrist and form an arc with the rope over your head.

5)    Jump low to reduce impact on your ankles and knees.

6)    Keep your back straight and look forward during jumping.  You are now jumping rope!

As you get more familiar with jumping rope you can add different variations to your jumping such as alternating your feet.  Try this jump rope routine.  First try to jump for 3 minutes straight a day for one week (it is ok to get tangled and continue).  Work your way up to 12 three-minute segments, resting one minute in between by jogging in place or twirling the rope from side to side.  Bring out the kid in you and start jumping to your health!  Next month I will go over the amazing fitness benefits of hopscotch…just kidding.