Walk into any commercial gym or CrossFit Box (that’s the technical term for a CrossFit gym) with a decent amount of open space, and you’ll likely find people using a skipping rope as part of their training routines. We all know that boxers and MMA fighters like to skip to help them get fit and to keep their feet fast, but nowadays, rope skipping is becoming popular amongst everyday gym-goers as well. Skipping is very much the “IN” exercise to do at the moment, and it also makes for a pretty great Instagram video as well. But why the sudden increase in popularity for rope skipping, and is it really as good for you as fitness experts claim? Why not judge for yourself?
I recommend to anyone that wants to lose weight and expose those six pack abs should do some form of skipping exercise at least twice a week. Fellow part-time membership sales assistant Andrew from my gym demonstrates the different intensity levels when rope skipping below. Take note of his form and speed as both are important factors when performing this exercise and in order to get the maximum health benefits including increased heartrate and calories burnt.
Here are some other benefits and insights of rope skipping:
It’s fun
One of the best things about including rope skipping as part of your workout is the fact that it’s so much fun. Skipping is a fantastic form of cardio, which as you know, can get boring. Would you rather spend an hour plodding along on a treadmill or spend 20 minutes doing a high intensity rope skipping workout that’s fun, and actually burn off more calories? The answer to that is surely pretty obvious. If you’re finding your workouts boring, rope skipping is ideal – In fact, I usually get my clients doing some skipping towards the end of session as a way to sort of relax or wind down after a pretty intense workout. Skipping is just a simple and fun exercise where you can go at your own pace.
Lose weight
Let’s not beat about the bush here, many of us go to the gym and exercise in order to lose weight, or to prevent ourselves from gaining weight. Being overweight is bad for your health, physically and mentally, and it, well, it sucks. Rope skipping is one of the best forms of cardio you could wish for when it comes to losing weight. Depending on the speed and intensity in which you are skipping, you could easily burn off upwards of 400 calories in as little as 30-minutes when rope skipping. One of my previous clients had amazing success with using skipping as a primary exercise in his routine. He lost a massive amount of weight and he’s a completely different person now.
Increase your quickness
Another great reason to take up skipping as part of your workout routine is the fact that skipping is a great exercise for increasing speed and quickness. Read more about this here which discusses skipping’s benefits for football players (not only speed but posture and balance as well). Because of the movements involved in skipping, many of the muscle fibres that you work are your fast-twitch muscle fibres. These are the muscle fibres responsible for generating explosive speed and power. If you’re looking to increase your speed and run faster, skipping is the perfect activity. You’ll also become faster on your feet in the process.
Can be done anywhere
Want to get fit, lose weight, and improve your health but can’t afford an expensive gym membership? No problem, all you need to do is invest in a decent quality skipping rope. One of the most appealing aspects of rope skipping is the fact that it can be done virtually anywhere, at any time. Want to get a quick workout in? Just find a large open space in the house, or in the garden, break out the skipping rope, and get yourself an awesome session in. I sometimes do a quick skipping session while working in the office – it’s a good way to break up some tasks and helps clear the mind and even help solve any problems you’ve got on your mind.
Do you rope skip? How long are you able to last when performing different intensity levels and how often do you perform this exercise? Drop us a comment or send me a message via my contact card below. I’d love to hear peoples thoughts and performance on rope skipping.
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