Skipping also known as jump rope is something that you probably haven’t done since your childhood. It’s associated with feeling good as having a skip in your step usually means things are going well for you in that moment.
Skipping rope is a fun game when you’re a kid too and you may even have mastered the elusive double Dutch move. You may not skip very much these days but it could be a great way to boost your exercise routine and is also more effective than running when it comes to weight lose and here’s why.
Skipping for an hour can burn up to 720 calories, which is the equivalent of up to a 6 mile run. If you increase the skipping intensity you will be able to burn up to 1000 calories an hour. This calorie burn can be difficult to achieve just by running alone.
Incorporating exercise into your healthy lifestyle can be a challenge sometimes, but finding an activity that you generally enjoy can make it all the more easier to get motivated to move.
Swimming, biking and running are all common ways people enjoy to workout, but is there something that could burn more calories and put less stress on your knees? Turns out there is and it’s skipping!
Running is one of the most common ways in which people choose to get healthy but the most common complaint amongst the running community is the impact it can have on your body, specifically on your knees.
Recent studies conducted compared participants running on a treadmill and skipping. They looked at how many calories were burned, but also the stress each activity placed on the kneecap or patella.
They noted this as the peak force and it turns out that this peak force was 30% higher when running than skipping. This same study found that skipping burned more calories in the same amount of time.
While running and skipping rope are both great ways to burn fat by burning off those unwanted calories, more and more people are looking at jump rope as their exercise of choice. However there are certain things you should consider.
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Whilst many studies show that jumping rope can burn more calories than running it depends on how fast of a runner you are versus jumping rope at a slow pace. For example if you jump rope at a fast pace you’ll burn more fat in that instance than if you’re a slow runner, or only run for a short distance. The same goes if you run at a fast pace and jump rope at a slower pace.
The reason jump rope is becoming a popular choice isn’t only due to the fact that you can possibly burn more calories in the same amount of time, but that you’ll also workout many muscle groups with low-impact.
Livestrong states that when you workout with the jump rope your joints won’t get as stressed as they can while running. Your upper body will get a workout, including your wrists elbows and shoulders. Not only that but your calves do the bulk of the work and your ankles will receive a little attention too.
You can choose how fast or intense you skip while also having the option of using a weighted rope to get even more out of your workout.
Keep in mind when it comes to exercise and losing weight, you’ll want to incorporate a healthy diet as well as plenty of activity. Like most types of exercise cross-training is an important element. When you only workout with one type of activity like jumping rope, eventually you’re likely to experience a plateau or limited results.
Just like a healthy diet it’s important to have a level of variety. The same principles can be applied when it comes to your workout routine as well, combining a healthy diet and a few types of workout routines is a great way to get on track to losing a few extra pounds.
McKenzie Herzog, of the Injury Prevention Research Center at the University of North Carolina says that while skipping can increase the amount of calories burned in a single workout people should listen to their bodies, and make sure to take proper rest days.
They should also develop a pattern of different exercises or cross-training to get the best results. You should also make sure you’re using the right equipment, and be sure to wear the proper shoes.
Another issue that plagues our society today is the amount of sitting we do in a day. It can be hard to find time to work out or get your steps in for the day. However thirty minutes of activity like jumping rope can actually counteract the negative effects of sitting.
Not only can jump in rope combat our bad sitting habits, according to Harvard Medical School it can improve your heart health. This is especially true in higher intensity workouts like interval training.
Jumping rope can fit into your high-intensity workout routine nicely and you can choose the level of intensity with your speed and weight of the rope. Interval training is meant to push you to your limit for just a brief time.
Jumping rope can also be beneficial if you’re trying to get rid of stubborn belly fat. Keep in mind diet when it comes to losing weight of any kind goes hand-in-hand with exercise. However jumping rope because of its high intensity can be great for losing weight faster around your midsection.
Jumping rope requires you to tighten your core and workout your ab muscles, basically targeting your stomach and working those trunk muscles extra hard.
skipping can help improve your balance too. You can probably remember some of the moves the kids on the playground could pull off with a jump rope, that takes a certain amount of coordination and balance.
Since you’ll be jumping from one foot to the other consistently and will continue to practice if you make skipping a regular part of your workout, you’ll improve your balance significantly.
Skipping rope might take you back to your childhood and you can make it fun by skipping outside in your favorite park or on a track. We wouldn’t recommend skipping on a treadmill as you would run but you can basically skip anywhere which is great if you have a busy schedule and need to fit in your exercise at random times throughout the day.
Skipping is good for you and it can really be fun so why not make your next workout a little more fun and get skipping.
