Tone your legs, burn kilojoules, up your fitness and improve your coordination with one simple tool you can use in your garden. Here, how to get the most out of your skipping workout.
Why is a skipping workout so cool?
Like riding a bike, swimming and running, skipping is one of those fun childhood activities that becomes a slog with age. And that’s a pity because, should your fitness goals sit firmly in the camp of cardiovascular improvement and max kilojoule burn, skipping is a form of exercise that comes highly recommended. And unlike those other three (equally healthy) pursuits, you can do it at home and on the cheap – you can pick up an entry-level rope at a very reasonable price.
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Hop to it – use these form tips from trainer Christa DiPaolo to rope in the gains.
READ MORE: “I Started Skipping A Few Minutes Every Day – This Is How It Transformed My Legs”
1. Perfect the jump
Keep your jumps low to the ground, your knees soft and stay light on your feet to minimise impact. Think, float like a butterfly, not an elephant.
2. Check your arms
Your arms should be at a 45-degree angle to your body, elbows pulled in close to your ribs. The further your hands are from your body, the shorter the rope.
READ MORE: How To Choose The Right Skipping Rope
3. Rotate your wrists
Rotate from your wrists rather than your shoulders – unless you’re using a heavier rope, in which case, rotate from your forearms.
4. Keep it in the core
Skipping is an ab exercise as much as anything else, so keep your core engaged throughout. Heavier ropes will force you to do so.
