Blast Your Workout: Jump Roping

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

08 Sep 2006 04:00 PM

Do you remember jumping rope when you were a kid? You could jump rope by yourself or with others. There were plenty of rhymes and rope jumping songs you could sing or chant to keep you motivated on course for getting the most number of jumps in your jump roping routine. One of my favorites is one my daughter likes to chant now:

Cinderella went upstairs to kiss her fella, she made a mistake and kissed a snake, how many doctors did it take: 1, 2, 3, 4 ...

The point was to jump with each syllable in the words and then to continue counting for as high as you can go. Jump roping is one of the most comprehensive forms of cardiovascular and physical exercise. You can do it anywhere; you can do it by yourself or with others. The only equipment you need is a jump rope and that's hardly the most expensive by comparison to most other forms of cardio equipment.

You can jump rope with your kids or by yourself. You can incorporate it into any physical workout program that you like. Say spend 30 minutes walking and 10 minutes jump roping. 10 minutes may not sound like a lot, but let's remember - it takes a lot to jump rope so don't get too ambitious when you start out.

In the meanwhile, here are some hot facts about jump roping and how it can help you blast your workout into the stratosphere:

• Jump roping obliterates calories, burning up to 1,000 calories per hour, that's almost 200 calories for every ten minutes spent jump roping
• Excellent training to improve your reflexes and coordination
• Jump roping emphasizes your balance and hand eye coordination as well as strengthening muscles in your arms, legs, buttocks and back
• Jump roping is an ideal way to warm up for your workout
• Jump roping is cheap
• Jump roping takes you back to your childhood because it is fun

It's important to remember though, that jump roping can be hard on the joints particularly your knees. So if you have bad knees or concerns about the physical rigors of jump roping, be sure to consult your physician and always wear good shoes with shock absorbers to help when you are jumping rope.

Do you jump rope?

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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