Are there any benefits to adding skipping to your exercise program?

Froot

Hi all,

I am wondering if there are any benefits to adding a skipping routine to your daily regime of exercise.

I am aware that it is a form of cardio exercise but besides making your wrists more flexible I cannot really think of anything else.

Also if anyone here does skipping can you tell me why and is it functional?

davyjose

Absolutely. Skipping is awesome for endurance, it's impossible to cut corners when you skip - if you lose form you trip. It also improves coordination and balance in ways that other Cardio exercises just don't do. If you're sceptical about skipping, then i suggest you take a look at the training regime of every boxing champion ever - or else rent Rocky III

iregk

as davy says skipping is a brilliant exercise. It adds to the strenght of your ankles, calves and helps provide greater push off. Also the main advantage of skipping is balance. Its remarkable how it improves your balance.

Froot

Yes I am a huge Rocky fan :P

How is it for fat burning?

because_I_can

its nothing beside running, but it is good

gucci

you also need to find a big building with loadsa steps if you wanna follow rockys training regime!
on the skipping though, excellent exercise for co-ordination and reaction, and if you dont think its a proper work out then feel your calfs when you after about 15mins after you start off skipping execrises!!

davyjose

gucci wrote:

you also need to find a big building with loadsa steps if you wanna follow rockys training regime!

Ah, that's Rocky I

Gillie

And II!

Johnny Storm

And the new one, Rocky Balboa

iascanmore

because_I_can wrote:

its nothing beside running, but it is good

I don't think so... check out Ross Boxing http://www.warriorforce.com/jumprope.wmv

Also a lot of good info on why skipping is and can be a serious training tool.

Froot

Thanks guys, very helpful.

I bought a skipping rope today, Nike I'm afraid to say but its adjustable etc and looks like it wears hard.

I never realised how hard it is either. I was effectively trying to run over it :P

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The main reason I was inquiring is that I had my body stats checked in the Gym yesterday just to see what stage I was at (months of inactivity but proper eating).

I'm 6'2", 96.6kg, 17% bf. This is going from 155+ kg's and most likely well over 20-25% bf 2 years ago.

I'm happy with the weight but it looks like im lighter than ever and fatter than ever :P

I was looking for possible alternatives to cycling and running etc because I find myself feeling bad about doing that sort of cardio, I just dont particularly like it. Obviously something I have to change so I said I would see if another form of cardio is beneficial.

D-Generate

Skipping is super-fantastic as those Germans might say, well perhaps they would.
Its damn cheap as all it costs is about 12 euro for a rope and you can do it anywhere at any time and indoors if the weather is bad.
You control the tempo and you can make it a good bit of fun trying out new techniques and upping your coordinational skills.

This morning I did 5 x 3 minute rounds of skipping. The first round I did 10 seconds of just light skipping and then 10 seconds of fast with my knees lifted well in to the air. Second round i did moving about while skipping, moving forwards, backwards, side to side. The moving about is quite difficult but makes you very balanced. Third round was like the first. Fourth was like the second and the fifth round i just went as hard as I could for the full 3 minutes.

Start off with jumping on two feet until you can do that in rhythym. Then progress on to double jumps on one foot and then double jumps on the other foot. From there you can then go on to alternating feet which is the probably the toughest as it allows you change the tempo incredibley. If you really feel like punishing yourself then try double unders, thats where you jump in the air high enough so that the rope passes twice underneath.

I use a rope from http://www.jump-rope.com/ which i picked up in a Mahers Sports in Cork for about €11. I prefer it to the traditional rope going in to the handles design and find i have more control over it. I suggest getting the blue rope as it allows a good bit of speed but has a nice weighted feel.

If you can already skip and feel like getting exhausted then get a speed rope. They are lighter and harder to use for beginners but the lightness of them insures that you have to skip quickly so that the rope doesn't catch on your feet or tangle.

Froot

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageNIKE-NROPE.html

Thats the rope I bought. €14.50.

davyjose

Froot wrote:

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageNIKE-NROPE.html

Thats the rope I bought. €14.50.

I would advise a leather rope (although i'm not an expert), they tend not to kink as badly as the plasticky ones, and have more of the desired U shape, apparently.

HammerHeadGym

skipping rules.
I'm a thai boxer so we do lots of skipping. Very good for cardio, balance, timing co-ordination and (most importantly) looking like a really tough boxer when the chicks come around.

You can get a deadly rope in mullens for about fifteen bucks. (twelve if you can convince him your a martial arts teacher).

davyjose

HammerHeadGym wrote:

skipping rules.
(twelve if you can convince him your a martial arts teacher).

I think the beergut and man-boobs might just let the cat out of the bag

HammerHeadGym

davyjose wrote:

I think the beergut and man-boobs might just let the cat out of the bag

Just tell him you're a traditional martial arts teacher. Arf