Following last week's feature on hitting a plateau on your fitness, this week we are going to touch on how to increase your fitness levels or even get you started on a little exercise to help you on your way to some weight loss.
Think you need a roomful of fancy equipment to get you to your next level or even get you started in fitness. Think again. This piece of equipment weighs mere ounces and take up less space than an extension lead. A skipping rope provides one of the most effective workouts you will experience. Anyone can use a skipping rope regardless of whether you are new to fitness or an old hand. It is a great cardiovascular exercise and promotes co-ordination and strength as well as muscular endurance. It is also a serious calorie burner and, depending on your skill level, your workout intensity and body weight you'll burn a fat busting 10 to 15 calories per minute. If you use the proper technique, you are also unlikely to get injured. It is about half the impact of jogging as you stay close to the ground.
Skipping can be used on its own as an exercise, it is ideal for beginners and add a few toning exercises to finish of your session. This could be done 3-4 times per week. For the more experienced exerciser it can be used as interval training during a weights programme or added to a step class or even used as your pre-training exercise. For those of you who want to add that little something to your walking programmes, it is also ideal. The neighbours will think you have lost the plot completely, but it can be done. At various points durning your walk or run, stop and skip for a few minutes.
You must get your techique right and the length of the rope right. You need to skip with a rope that is the proper length. To determine this, loop and hold down the centre of the rope beneath your left foot and hold the handles in your left hand. When you completely straighten the rope line upward, the handles should be level with the top of your armpit.
When jumping hold your body straight, and jump upward no more than an inch off the ground. Bend your knees just slightly upon impact. Spin the rope by flicking your wrists rather than trying to circle your shoulders. Upper-body movements should be subtle and controlled. Look straight ahead, not down at the floor. Point your toes toward the floor and keep your heels lifted so you can always land on the balls of your feet. Avoid the two-hop hiccup where the two feet lift at one time. Start slowly, building up skipping speed only after getting into a good rhythm. Relax your shoulders and keep your elbows close to your sides to avoid haveing to jump higher.
