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Skipping is a great way to keep in shape this holiday, you can do it anywhere and studies show that you can burn 2 100kj with just 30 minutes of skipping.
“It’s a full body workout that will tone your shoulders and arms and build strength endurance in your legs,” says Andy Pow, strength and conditioning coach at The Armoury Boxing Club.
“It will also develop your hand-eye coordination, timing, rhythm, speed, power, endurance and mobility.”
Kathy McQuaide-Little, marketing and media manager for the Sports Science Institute of SA says, “Skipping can be used as an aerobic workout in itself or as an effective form of interval training – alternate two minutes of jumping rope with sets of toning exercises, such as sit-ups, press-ups, lunges and squats. Skipping helps improve cardiovascular (heart) fitness, muscular endurance, and is a great kilojoule-burner.”
Try this 30-minute workout to get you pumped:
1. Shadow skip (no rope)
A) Stand upright and tuck your elbows in at your sides, bending your arms as if you were holding the skipping rope handles in your hands. Now hop from foot to foot as if you were jumping over the rope and rotate your wrists as if you were swinging the rope. Keep your upper body lifted.
B) Bring your non-weight-bearing foot out in front of you, lifting it up slightly to the ankle level of your standing foot. Continue to hop from foot to foot and keep going for two minutes.
* As you hop, land on the ball of your foot, then roll the rest of your foot down. Keep your landing light.
2. Two-footed skip
Holding the rope and jump with both feet in the air. While you’re hopping, flick the rope from your wrist, keeping your elbows tucked in. Land on the balls of your feet and try to get a rhythm going. Aim to keep going for one minute.
3. Boxer’s bounce
Now aim to do the shadow skip, this time with a rope. Hop from foot to foot while swinging the rope and jumping over it. Keep the lifted foot at ankle height in front of you. When you get the rhythm of this skip you will really enjoy it. Aim to keep going for two minutes.
Repeat all skips: 6 times
Total time: 30 minutes
Stretch after your skipping
Hamstring stretch:
Lie on your back. Hold rope in both hands, place it over the sole of right foot. Keep left leg straight and pull right leg towards you until you feel the stretch. Have a slight bend in the knee.
Calf stretch:
Lie on your back. Wrap rope around the ball of your foot and with your right leg straight in the air. Actively pull your toes towards you and relax into your stretch. Keep opposite leg on ground by pushing heel as far away from head as possible, contracting your bum muscles. This is a great stretch as you can get tight calf muscles from skipping.
(Media release, Shape, Decmenber 2010)
