|
In case you missed the scoop, using a skipping rope is one of the most effective workouts you can do to help you remain in shape, lose weight and be healthy. It's simple, easy to learn, affordable, readily accessible, can be done almost anywhere and anytime and most of all is risk-free and reliable. And while you can do fancy techniques like double unders, turns and crossovers, basic speed rope workouts are as effective for delivering results as a lot more complex ones. Using a speed rope provides so many advantages it's difficult to detail them in one single, short, article but here are a few of the main ones to give you an idea as to just exactly how effective speed ropes can be! • Improved heart and lung condition • Improved heart and lung wellness • Enhanced endurance • Stronger leg muscles • Stronger shoulders and arms • Good for burning calories and consequently managing your weight • Improves your coordination and balance • Improves eye-hand-foot coordination • Increases bone mass and strength • Jump ropes are very portable, hardwearing and good value for money • You can skip anywhere and anytime As you can see, it's a long list! But, if you are new to skipping, what is the most effective speed rope workout to begin with? If you check around YouTube.com, you'll discover all kinds of videos of people performing the most incredible and complicated speed rope routines and while these are really cool to look at, they do not represent exactly what most people do with their speed ropes. Don't feel that you are missing out due to the fact that you can't do these tricks-- as stated before; basic skipping workouts are just as effective as the more showy moves. In order of difficulty, here are the five best speed rope workouts for newbies ... • Two-footed double jumps For this workout, you keep your feet with each other and allow yourself an extra "mini jump" between rope turns. This allows you to swing the rope a bit more slowly and gives you opportunity to master skipping at a moderate pace. In your mind count "one and two"-- the "and" being your mini jump between turns. As soon as you have mastered this basic workout, it's time to move on. • Two-footed jumps Spin the rope a little faster and you won't have time for your mini jump so now it's time to drop it and do one jump per turn. Again, keep your feet with each other and stay on the balls of your feet. Stay low to the ground and only just clear the rope. The jump should come from your ankles rather than your knees and don't forget to keep your shoulders down and arms relaxed. • Two-footed side to side jumps Rather than just bouncing up and down on your toes, start to shift your weight a little from side to side. You'll still land on both feet but your weight will land more on one foot. Push your hips from side to side as you shift your weight. • Boxers' skip Ready to skip like a boxer? From side to side jumps, lift your non-weight-bearing foot and tap your heel a little on the ground in front of you. In aerobics, this is called a heel dig. Do a single double-footed jump in between heel digs so your feet go left heel, both feet, right heel, both feet. When you feel confident, drop the double footed jump and go for alternating heels. • Knee ups Lastly, switch from heel digs to knee lifts. It's basically the same step but you are lifting your knee up so your heel is clear of the floor. Begin with reduced knee lifts and work toward pulling your thigh up to parallel to the floor. Use the same left, both, right rhythm you used before and afterwards slowly wean yourself off the double footed jump until you are able to do alternating high knee ups. These five workouts are the most effective speed rope workouts for novices and provide a good training effect despite their simpleness. If you only ever did these speed rope steps, you would still gain enormous benefits from your speed rope training. Keith Colladow is a personal trainer, health and fitness trainer and writes for numerous online publications on a variety of topics. Check this out for the speed ropes for boxers and these: Best Skipping Ropes Amazon Reviews.
Related Articles -
skipping ropes, skipping rope, best skipping rope, exercises,
|
