Tired of going for numerous walks whilst in lockdown? Wanting something different to do in your exercise regimen whilst we are waiting to be able to get back to our normal lives? Want to increase you athletic performance? Want to feel like a kid again?
No doubt a lot of us will have a skipping rope lying around the house, on the top shelf of the garage somewhere or in the back of the storage cupboard we all have. Dig around in that cupboard or on the top shelf in the garage, tell your son to stop tying his younger siblings up with it and head outside to get a short sharp cardio boost.
Whilst we may think that skipping is child’s play, for us adults, it can form the basis of a great cardio workout but there are also many other benefits of skipping that you may not have thought about. This blog will examine what the benefits of skipping will do for us.
Skipping is the best cardio when it comes to increasing your heart rate. High intensity skipping workouts have shown to make your heart stronger and reduce the risk of heart diseases and strokes.
When talking about the benefits of skipping, one must be aware that any skipping session takes a great deal of balance and coordination. Performing this exercise daily can help you improve your have better balance and coordination not only for your day-to-day activities but also your chosen sport.
Due to having better balance and coordination, skipping also benefits your concentration. Skipping has a unique ability to develop the left and right hemispheres of the brain. It will help with your ability to be more alert, boost your memory and ultimately your concentration.
Skipping is an effective way to build your overall endurance and strengthen the muscles that you use while running without your joints bearing as much impact. It might feel exhausting, but it conditions your body to strive for more and eventually get rid of fatigue.
Skipping at a moderate intensity can reduce anxiety and depression. Exercising increases blood circulation in your body and brain. Skipping can improve your mental health by releasing endorphins, a hormone that is known to ease depressive moods.
Skipping is a weight-bearing exercise so it can help improve bone density, thus helping you avoid bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
If you want to burn many calories in a short time, then you should use a skipping rope as it has a lot of benefits for the whole body. Skipping for one hour will burn up to 1,600 calories. Depending upon your speed and intensity, 10 minutes of skipping can burn off as many calories as a 30 minute run!
The effects of skipping are almost similar to running, though this exercise might be a little more effective than running because when you jump there is a movement around your face which also helps in keeping that double chin in check. Skipping on a daily basis can benefit your whole body’s composition.
No workout can get rid of belly fat if the person’s diet is not well-maintained. However, skipping has been linked to faster fat loss results. You can see differences particularly around your trunk muscles and around your abs. By targeting this area, you can sculpt your body with a good skipping rope exercise routine as it helps pull your core tight.
A 2020 research article showed that with 5 minutes of skipping 2-4x/week for 10 weeks significantly improved amateur runners speed and plyometric ability. An additional benefit of skipping is increasing the ability of your tendons to absorb shock/load therefore reducing your risk of an injury.
You can see that as well as adding some variety to your exercise programme, skipping brings a wide range of fitness benefits. However, aside from fitness and weight management benefits, skipping is also good fun – which is a key factor for any exercise, because then you’ll be motivated to continue with it. So, if you’ve never thought of skipping, perhaps now is the time to ‘borrow’ your children’s skipping rope and bring a whole new dimension to your training.
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