Not Just for Kids!

When was the last time you jumped rope? Elementary school? Junior High? Well, maybe it’s time to try it again … because skipping rope isn’t just for kids.  It’s an extremely efficient calorie consuming, fat burning aerobic exercise.  Jumping rope is one of the reasons why boxers are considered the fittest of all athletes. It increases cardio health, physical endurance, coordination and agility while toning your body. Jumping rope can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour. And you can take a jump rope with you and fit in a workout almost anytime or anywhere.

Roping Essentials

It takes very little to get started, other than a good rope and a decent pair of aerobic shoes or cross trainers that have reinforced toes and a lot of cushioning for the balls of the feet.

There are a lot more choices in jump ropes than there were when we were kids. Today’s jump ropes offer choices of materials, grip styles and lengths. Avoid weighted handles, which can become too cumbersome and choose a light-weight, adjustable rope with foam grips that don’t slip in sweaty palms. Because you will get sweaty!

To determine the proper length for you, stand with one foot on the center of the rope and bring both handles together in front of your chest. The handles should reach about chest high.

Basic Do’s and Don’ts

Before getting started, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Grip the handles lightly.
• Relax your shoulders and keep your elbows close to your body.
• Keep your knees slightly bent.
• Use your wrists to turn the rope, (not your whole arm) and try to keep a smooth arc in the rope.
• Think about your posture … keep your core muscles tight, back straight and head up.
• Keep your jump low to minimize the impact on your knees and ankles.

Make it fun

Once you get the basic jump down, add some variety to keep it fun. Add some kicky music to keep you energized. Get creative with your style … jump backwards, vary your foot work, lift your knees higher or scissor your legs. Rather than totally stopping when you’re tired, twirl the rope from side to side and keep your feet moving by walking in place or stepping side to side. Once you catch your breath, jump back in.

After time, you’ll notice you can jump for longer periods without tiring. And you’ll have more energy for other sports and activities … and just for life in general. And let’s not forget improved muscle tone and a leaner you as your body efficiently burns all those calories and fat!

Your Target Heart Rate

Everyone has a goal in mind when starting an exercise program, whether it’s to lose weight, burn fat, increase cardiovascular health and endurance, release stress, lower blood pressure or just plain feel good. But in order to reach those goals – in order for your workout to be effective – the most important factor to be aware of is your heart rate.

Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. But there are three types of heart rate that you need to look at when beginning an exercise program:

1. Resting heart rate (RHR): the beats per minute when you aren’t exerting yourself (which varies per person) but averages out to about 70 BPM (beats per minute) for men & 75 BPM for women
2. Maximum heart rate (MHR): the rate at which the heart beats at 100% exertion
3. Target heart rate (THR): the desired range of heart rate during exercise that enables your heart & lungs to receive the most benefit from a workout.

Pacing yourself during exercise provides the greatest results for your efforts. To burn fat and improve cardiovascular endurance, you have to maintain a sustained workout in the “zone” – that means working at your THR level for a minimum of 30 minutes.  Working below your THR won’t give you those fat burning and cardiovascular benefits and working above your THR will make it difficult to sustain your workout.

Heart Rate Chart

The following chart (from the American Heart Association) indicates the estimated THR for different ages. Find the age category closest to yours and then read across to find your target heart rate.

You can also calculate your target heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 to determine your maximum heart rate and then multiply that number by 70 percent.  For example, if you’re 50, your maximum heart rate would be 170 multiplied by 70 percent for a THR of 119 (220 – 50 = 170; 170 x .70 =119).

Heart Rate Zone

There are three ways to check your heart rate during a workout to make sure you’re working in your zone.

• Find your pulse (either on the side of the neck or on the wrist) and count the number of beats for 6 seconds and multiply by 10. You’ll need a clock or watch with a second hand for this.
• Take the talk test … if you can carry on a normal conversation, you aren’t working hard enough; if you can’t talk at all, you’re working too hard.
• Invest in a heart rate watch, a convenient gadget that straps onto your wrist (some require a chest belt, while others don’t). Press a button or the watch face to get a heart reading.  You can get really fancy ones that come with all kinds of things, like calories-burned calculators, pedometers, timers, stopwatches, and more.

If you’re just beginning your program, start out easy (maybe 50-60 percent of your MHR, to test the waters). If that feels good, move up to 70%. Once you’re comfortable with your program, you can push that number higher and may find that you can go as high as 85 percent of your MHR. But keep in mind that it isn’t necessary to work that hard to stay in shape. And, as always, check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.