Friday Fitness: JumpFit

Most would agree that jumping rope is for play, not for exercise. After all, many of us jumped rope as a kid on the playground. Therefore my question is - why can’t exercise be play? Not only can it be play – it should be!

For years, athletes have been utilizing jump ropes to improve their conditioning. Next week our athletes here at H3 will have the opportunity to participant in our very own jump rope conditioning class a.k.a. “JumpFit”. This class will essentially be an interval/circuit class. The 45 block will be spent alternating between two minute jump intervals and two minute strength intervals, similar to the popular ULTRA circuit.

The class will be a great option for in-house guests, giving them a chance to participate in a new high energy class.  For those who can’t be here to join in the jump rope fun, I encourage you to try it at home.  A great way to add variety to your home and gym workouts, the jump rope is the perfect solution.  With that being said, this post gobble gobble Friday’s Fitness Challenge is for you to grab a rope, and join us in jumping ourselves fit!

Why you should jump rope:

• It’s inexpensive. Most ropes cost less than $10. Higher-quality ropes are around $20 and top-of-the-line models are near $25.


• You can do it practically anywhere. A jumping surface like hardwood, rubberized flooring, or very thin carpet is preferred, but any hard surface works fine. Outside, inside, at the gym—anything goes.


• It burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time. It is estimated that 10 minutes of jumping rope (at 120 turns per minute) has the same benefit as jogging for 30 minutes. Those are great numbers for people short on time.


• It’s compact. A jump rope makes a great addition (or start) to your home gym. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a piece of equipment that takes up a lot of space. A jump rope can rest nicely in a drawer, on a shelve, etc.


• You’ll notice improvements. Jumping rope helps build agility, speed, balance, and coordination, while improving your overall fitness level.


• You can do it with your family. Because jumping rope is a fun activity that almost anyone can do, it’s also an easy way to get your whole family exercising with you. Try making a game out of it. How many jumps can you do in a minute? How many jumps can you do without stopping or messing up? What kind of cool tricks can you do while keeping the rope turning?

What you should know before you begin:

Before you start, let’s make sure you have the right size jump rope. When you step in the center of the rope, the handles should just reach your armpits. Check the chart below for the correct length rope according to your height.

Your Height      Rope Length

Under 5’                      7’

5’ to 5’5”                     8’

5’6” to 6’                     9’

Over 6’                        10’

 

Reference: www.sparkpeople.com