When I skip at the gym, I always get people commenting about how lucky I am for liking skipping rope that much. I always tell them that I don’t like skipping rope … I do it because it challenges my body and it pushes me outside of my comfort level. If I keep doing exercises that are easy for my body, then I will plateau and I won’t see the benefits of so many hours of training.
I started skipping rope a few years ago after I had read a book (and I apologize for not remembering the author or the title of the book), but I remember that book explained all the benefits of skipping rope.
In the work of exercise, skipping rope is often dismissed as something boxers or kids do, but more people would benefit from skipping rope.
Here are 8 benefits of skipping rope
1) Skipping rope will build your lung capacity by improving your cardio-respiratory capacity
2) Skipping rope will strengthen your lower body and your upper body at the same time.
3) Skipping rope builds endurance
4) Skipping rope improves co-ordination and agility (this is SO essential as you age).
5) Because of the requirements skipping puts on your co-ordination level, it’s also an excellent workout for your brain … because your brain needs to be focused on keeping your entire body in sink.
6) Skipping is very inexpensive compared to many other exercises.
7) Skipping rope is excellent for lymphatic drainage.
#8) Skipping rope is an amazing stress-buster. I know that when I’ve had a challenging day, I will really take it out on my skipping rope and I cannot tell you how incredible I feel after 20 minutes.
Ten minutes (some experts say that it’s five minutes) of skipping rope vigorously will burn up to 110 kcal and it will really boost your metabolism!
Now, I would not recommend that anyone who’s not skipped rope in the past start with a 20-minute workout, but you might want to try holding a regular and active skipping pattern for 3-5 minutes. If you have access to a personal trainer, you should really try to get a quit how-to session with them to ensure that you don’t injure yourself.
Now, it’s true that skipping rope can become extremely boring and that’s why I like skipping rope at the gym more than I like it outside. When I skip rope at the gym I’m able to take advantage of the high energy and high octane music and that keeps me going for 15 or 20 minutes without really feeling it.
Photo by ShotsAtRAndom
