A brief introduction to skip rope

The global lockdown has forced health buffs to settle at home to complete their daily workouts. While walking and running as exercise are permitted, some still don’t want to risk catching the virus, thus deciding to stay home for their regular exercise. Repeating workouts at home can be boring for many. Skipping rope is an effective antidote to boredom.

Jump ropes are not reserved for the playground, says Southern California-based personal trainer Ayden Hector. A fun game for kids, skipping rope is a full-body workout that leaves one with an empty tank after a few minutes. Before deciding to nail complicated jumps, it is important for one to get reacquainted with the feeling of swinging and jumping over a rope. Many YouTube channels dedicated to the sport-slash-killer-workout demonstrate different techniques for various fitness levels, making their videos great references for those getting started.

The killer cardio workout enhances an individual’s metabolism and improves their coordination. Most athletes consider jumping rope as a complete warm-up and a great cross-training exercise. Skipping rope is the perfect workout for those who have little time to dedicate for exercising. In less than 15 minutes, one can be sweating buckets and burning hundreds of calories.

According to Ayden Hector, footwork is a key element of any sport, which makes learning skip rope almost a necessity for high-performance athletes. It builds muscles such as the glutes, hamstrings, and calves. The swinging makes the shoulders and arms stronger and leaner. For longer skip rope sessions, practice jumping on turf, on a yoga mat, or other soft surfaces. Its high-impact nature can hurt the knees, especially when form is off.