Go back to your skipping rope

Why is skipping so good?

I went out and bought a brand new leather boxing skipping rope on the weekend and I have been torturing myself with rope jumping ever since. This simple form of exercise is so effective I might never go for a run again (kidding)!

For a long time I had been using a primary school grade plastic skipping rope that would always be tangled and would morph into whatever shape I left it lying in. It would whip me in the back of the neck and tangle up under my feet - it drove me nuts!

So, I went to Amart, I big sports store in Australia, and bought a new leather rope for under $20. As soon as I took it out of the pack it went into a normal shape and as such didn’t hit me or tangle me at all. I have found that my skipping has gotten faster and my workouts harder since using this new rope. I also find I am working out longer because I don’t spit the dummy and walk away in complete frustration because the rope has whipped me so many times I can no longer feel my feet.

Skipping is great because it brings your whole body into the exercise and thus burns more fat. Your shoulders start to hurt from spinning the rope, your forearms have to hold on, your abs have to steady your body and your calfs and upper legs have to do the jumping. It is a total body workout that you get standing on one spot!

However, skipping is not only good for increasing your heart rate as a cardio exercise, I also find it helps the strength, endurance and growth of my muscles. This means that you get a aerobic and an anerobic exercise in one. Perfect!

My favorite skipping rope

This is the skipping rope I bought on the weekend and have had much success with. It is cheap and well made. The handles make a little bit of noise when you spin them but you hardly notice it when you are skipping. Most of you will have your iPods in your ears anyway!

The handles have bearings in them which make the rope spin easier and it also means the rope doesn’t get tangled. The leather is heavy and thus spins faster than a regular rope.

It is 9 foot long which is about perfect for anyone under 6 foot tall. If you are above 6 foot then you need to find a longer rope. The general rule of thumb is that if you stand on the rope and the handles come up to your underarms then it is the perfect length.