Tuesday, February 23, 2010

jump rope

Jumping rope is a great cardiovascular exercise. It's one of the foundations of a boxer's conditioning program. Boxers skip rope as part of their conditioning routine.

And the good thing is, you can literally do this exercise anywhere. All you need is a skipping/jump rope with a pair of cross-trainers. I've read that its not so good to jump on concrete or other hard surfaces. So if you do not have access to a springy wooden floor, try carpeted floor or place a thin exercise mat on whatever surface you do have a jump on that.

Jumping rope will work every muscle in the body so if you're looking for an easy way for a complete body workout, then jumping rope is a good alternative.

Fat Burning Hormones (HGH).
HGH is a natural hormone that your body releases to burn body fat. A high level of HGH in your body is the quickest route to burning body fat! And the best way to increase HGH is to alternate high intensity cardio for 30-60 seconds followed by 30 seconds of rest. This is called High Intensity Interval Training.

Try this 15 minute Jump Rope Workout
  • Jump Rope for 3 minutes (at a normal pace) to warm up
  • Rest for 30 seconds
  • Jump rope as quickly as possible for 60 seconds
  • Rest for 30 seconds
  • Jump Rope as quickly as possible for 60 seconds
  • Rest for 30 seconds
Repeat this alternating pattern for 15-20 minutes

Guides on skipping/jumping rope:
  • Keep elbows in. Turn the rope with the wrist, not the whole arm.
  • Jump only high enough to clear the rope.
  • Land on the balls of the feet and bring the heels down for shock absorption and to rebound for the next jump.
  • Start out by alternating jumping for one minute and resting for one minute.
  • Then build up to 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes.
  • Build up gradually, listen to your body. Do not force yourself.
  • Always wear a good quality pair of cross-training shoes to absorb the impact.
Another advantage of skipping rope is that you can take one anywhere. If you're traveling and the place you're staying doesn't have a gym, you can bring your own. Try to vary your speed. As your cardiovascular health improves, you'll be able to jump faster for longer periods.

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