Skipping

I was recently reintroduced to skipping. Though I had done some skipping as one of many pastimes as a kid I have never before tried to do it as a form of strength and endurance training. Happily I’ve quickly taken to it and recently have been routinely skipping before lunch daily. (it’s a lot better than skipping lunch and still helps me lose weight)

Surprisingly, unlike most other cardiovascular exercise regimens, skipping as a form of training is anaerobic but only requires a rope to perform.
Two things to note: firstly; though it is done mostly in short intense sessions with breaks in between it does not burn many calories directly. Secondly; though the equipment required (rope)is very portable a fair bit of clear space is needed for it and therefore it cannot be done indoors in most places.

I’ve made some simple changes to my routine (and wardrobe) which has made it very easy for me to skip. I still wear my all black to office which has been modified to be tracks replacing jeans and a sleeveless exercise vest beneath my office polo tee (an extra vest in my bag, a towel and my good rope)

I did have a bit of a hard time trying to find a place to skip because I felt rather conscious of skipping in the open in the middle of an office complex (I’m too lazy to walk too far away from office to skip in a near perfect oxymoron). Finally found a place in a shaded disused sidewalk where only a very few people come make funny faces at me. I skip for about a rigorous half an hour which is enough to give me a great workout and a good guiltless appetite for lunch.

It’s very good for core strengthening and is used by a lot of wrestlers and boxers. The main benefit for people like me trying to lose weight is that it increases the metabolic rate and you burn more calories overall during the day.

The Basics -How To Skip

1. Stand tall but relaxed – breathing naturally
2. Elbows remain at waist level with arms extended sideways at about a 90 degree angle
3. Use a circular wrist motion to turn the rope
4. Hold the rope loosely, using thumb and index finder for control
5. Jump on the balls of the feet landing softly (make sure not to straighten your knees fully to avoid impact)
6. Jump just high enough for the rope to pass under the feet