These are strange days indeed (and you don't need me to tell you that)… At the time of writing we are still allowed out of the home area to exercise once a day, although I appreciate many will not have that luxury for various reasons. I'm sure by now you've all seen or heard of the daily PE lessons Joe Wicks has been torturing, I mean working!, us with (joking aside, if you haven't tried them, they're excellent, but beware the DOMS!), or perhaps you've been doing yoga or pilates either following a video on YouTube, or via Zoom with your regular instructor. Whether you have or haven't, here's something you can try which you might not have thought of.
Skipping.
Did you have a skipping rope as a child? Have you picked one up as an adult? Have you discovered how good a work out skipping is?!
I don't remember what prompted it, but a couple of years ago I bought myself a skipping rope (this one here if you're interested!*... https://amzn.to/2RrbU7w) and recently I've dug it out of the darkest depths of the back of the cupboard.
Gratifyingly, I could skip for more than 2 minutes without keeling over - a vast improvement of when I bought it!
But enough waffle. Why do I think you should be skipping...
Did you know, skipping for 10 minutes is as effective as a 40 minute run? It's also great for a whole host of other things including:
- Caridovascular workout
- Leg strength
- Stamina
- Coordination
- Bone strength (I can really feel it on the site of my bone break from 6 months ago)
- Balance
- Agility
- Full body workout
- Flexibility
- Endurance
Have I tempted you yet...?
So what do you need to know to start?
Get your rope right.
To make sure your rope is the right length, stand in the middle and pull it taut. The handles should be in line with the middle of your chest.
Warm-up.
The same as you would for running or any other exercise, make sure you're properly warmed up. If not, you risk injury.
Don't jump too high - or too often.
If you skipped as a child do you remember doing an extra jump between rope rotations? To have the correct technique you need to lose that jump. On the same vein, don't jump too high. A few centimetres is sufficient. Jump and land on the balls of your feet. Do make sure you give enough clearance for the rope though. Take it from someone who has missed a few times, when the rope hits your toes, you'll know about it! Which leads me on to shoes.
Wear shoes!
Ideally you want to wear a cushioned shoe but also one that will give you some support. If you have the option of skipping on a slight softer surface, great. Use it (but beware, grass is very hard to skip on!).
Look forwards.
Pick a point in front of you and look at it. Try not to look down, and keep your back nice and straight - no hunching over.
Cool down.
When you've had enough, remember to cool down, as you would with any other exercise!
I've posted a video over on my Instagram page (@hannahwarnerunningcoach) if you fancy having a watch and see me get tangled up!
Shout below and let me know if you do take it up! Good Luck!
*this is an affiliate think and will earn me a commission if you purchase through it. It's genuinely the rope I have though.