Who didn't enjoy skipping as a child?! Many of us can remember bringing our ropes into the playground or spending time in the back garden jumping over a rope in the summer. But why did we stop this childhood activity?
Heres' 3 reasons why it could be a useful addition to your grown-up training routine...
1. Skipping is actually a low level plyometric activity
Plyometrics is defined as an eccentric contraction, followed by a brief amortisation phase and a subsequent concentric muscle contraction. This loading and unloading of muscle tissue gives a high metabolic cost, meaning any plyometric exercise uses a fair amount of energy - and gets your heart rate up!
2. Skipping helps your overall athleticism
- by improving jumping ability and springiness of muscle tissue.
3. Skipping burns cals
As a stand alone exercise, skipping can be classed as a good calorie burner and can be modified in many different ways to target aerobic capacity, power or anaerobic capacities.
So how do you get started? First of all you need a decent rope.
This jump rope by Velites is the fastest and most responsive skipping rope for functional training, boxing and fitness. Your double unders mastered! Velites ropes are made to move and to last. Each one is tested for speed and smoothness.
Skipping Warm Ups + HIIT Workout plan
- As with any new form of training, start off small. Get used to the jumping action in bouts of 30 second intervals and build from there.
- Skipping makes an ideal warm up, so why not begin with a skipping warm up before every training session of 4 x 30 second bouts.
- If you want to use your skipping as more of an aerobic challenge, try continuous skipping for 10 minutes.
- Mix up your types of jumps, including double foot, single foot and even cross over skips - just make sure you keep it moving throughout!
- For a High intensity interval workout (HIIT) try starting with 30 seconds maximal speed skipping, followed by a 1 minute rest. This gives a work:rest ratio of 1:2, which you can then decrease to 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off as you get more competent.
- Keep the work periods maximal pace and skip as fast as you can. To develop that jumping power, try maximal height skips or double skips, where the rope will go under twice whilst you are in the air. This forces you to do your maximum height jump to give that rope time to move under you! Aim for around 4 double skips before taking a couple of minutes break and repeat.
So there you have a few skipping workouts to try out! Grab your rope and enjoy reliving that feeling of bringing back your youth!
