So, you’ve finally decided to take on this task? That’s really cool, trust me.
Now, everything you need to know from its benefits to the techniques and styles, everything will be rolled out to you.
Again, by deciding to jump the ropes, you have signed up for a great deal of excitement. Whether you intend to do this as a hobby or for exercise, just like any other kind of workout, the benefits are just all-encompassing.
Let’s take a quick roll
Do you know that jumping on the ropes works on your cardio? Yeah, it increases your heartbeat thereby improving your heart health and positively impacting its ability to pump blood properly.
What about mental coordination? As you jump, your brain begins to handle the task of coordinating your whole body. This is superb for mental development.
You also burn a whole lot of calories while you go up and down on the ropes.
Your bone also gets strengthened and you get improve stamina too
These are the just tip of the iceberg as far as the benefits are concerned, the list is inexhaustible. Now let’s also take a look at why choosing the rope is the best choice of exercise for you.
It’s not restricted by time and space: you can decide to practice anywhere and at any time provided you have your skipping rope with you.
It discourages mediocrity: jumping on the rope is not for lazy people. It’s for the brave as it challenges to drive your body to go beyond its limit.
It corrects you on the spot: you don’t need a trainer before your mistakes can be spotted as the rope itself can do the whipping. So more action and less talk
It is affordable: unlike most exercises that require expensive gadgets and equipment, all you need is just your ropes and your kit.
It is versatile: with the ropes, you can explore different techniques and styles to achieve your fitness goals in the long run.
Having talked about why it is the jump rope is the best choice of exercise for you, let’s now see the instruments you need to get started.
You don’t need anything sophisticated, in fact, all you need is your training kit, your sneakers, and your jump rope. For the quality of the jump rope to buy, as a beginner, you should avoid light plastic rope. Although they are cheap, quite handy, and also easy to maneuver when you start skipping, they are too light. As a result of this, you can’t feel them until they cause trip-ups for you. Trip-ups can be so frustrating and demoralizing.
It is then advisable to go for weighty ropes too as you can feel them as you skip. You are mentally able to tell where the rope is and at what point. This awareness is crucial to attaining the mastery of the rope in no time. Also, ensure that the jump rope you select is properly sized for you. That is make sure it’s your length so that you’d be comfortable when swinging not that you’d be hitting your legs.
Having checked out the ropes, let dive right into the techniques
As a beginner, you just have to take things slow and steady. Never approach the rope with the mindset that you know how to go about it. Give it time and it will flow
How you hold your rope matters too. You have to consider two factors as you learn to strike a balance. These are; symmetry and movement
For proper symmetry, ensure that your two hands are at the same distance away from the center of your body where your hands are positioned.
For movement, ensure that it’s your wrist that does the movement. Restrict any form of movement in the elbow or shoulder region. Let your wrists do the swing.
The next thing to consider is bounding consistently: this is the heart of jumping ropes. Once you get this technique, you’re on your way to becoming a pro. The distance between yourself and the floor is your bound. Ensure you are bound is not more than one or two inches from the ground for consistency.
While you skip the ropes, also ensure that your toes are pointed towards the floor
Bend your knee slightly and as you go up ensure you land on your feet at every bound. This will help to minimize the risk of an injury.
Start with the simple jump rope drill.
