Bring back memories of the jump rope albeit this time, use it for exercising. The jumping rope is a great way to exercise your arms and legs and surprisingly, abs as well. It burns almost 200 calories in 15 minutes - now this is what I call an amazing and a complete workout. Your muscles, the gastrocnemius, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, abdominals, forearms, and deltoids--get a workout. I remember a friend of mine who was using the jumping rope almost everyday and the results were great. However, before you begin your jumping rope routine, you need good aerobic or cross training shoes. Don't go overboard your budget with expensive shoes, any good ones will do. If you're a woman, invest in a good sports bra for appropriate cushioning.
Aim to skip three to four times a week. If you're a beginner, start with a 5 to 15 minute session and move up to 30 minutes. Warm up with a small jog or a walk before you begin jumping. You can also try the jog-skip-jog routine. When you start with jumping, you might notice that you get tired easily. Jumping works your muscles a lot so be prepared for cramps and body aches the first few days. Before you start, keep these points in mind:
Don't jump too high: Jumping the rope doesn't work your joints and it less strenuous than jogging. You don't need to jump high off the ground. According to most trainers, 10-12 inches off the ground should be perfect.
Land softly: Focus on landing softly on the balls of your feet. This will minimize impact to your knees.
Make small wrist circles: You can include a little forearm as well to turn the rope. Keep your elbows tucked near your torso and your shoulders down and relaxed.
Mix and match your jump styles: Try the hop, skip and jumping jack moves. You might also want to search the Internet for more resources on different jumping moves. It'll help keep you motivated.
Invest in a good jump rope: Go to your local gym and ask them what would be the ideal length of a jump rope for your height. If you're feeling rich, you can also try jump ropes with pedometers.
With all this information, you are all set for an exercise routine that'll have the flab saying good bye in no time.
