Growing up, most of us were familiar with the intricacies of skipping rope. We would spend days skipping rope with friends or even do it on our own. We’re certain none of us had to contend with the nuances of keeping healthy mainly because irrespective of what we ate, skipping rope helped us stay in top shape. With age, we’ve somehow managed to successfully dissociate ourselves from the art of rope skipping.
Why do we describe skipping rope as an art? Well, it probably has a lot to do with the immeasurable health benefits this activity brings to us. Boxers are quite famed at skipping rope as part of their training regimen. Perhaps, the is much more to it about skipping rope than we know about.
Skipping rope aids in the development of the left and right hemispheres of the brain
For one, skipping rope is quite essential in ensuring good hand-eye coordination. For most boxers, the ability to connect punches at the right time with the right kind of momentum is very important. In between the punches, there’s usually a lot of dancing going on as they look to seize their moments.
Researchers were able to draw conclusive evidence showing the great co-relation between skipping rope and improved mind and body coordination. At a young age, our coordination is usually impeccable. However, with age, this situation deteriorates. Thus, it is quite essential to ensure that even as adults, we never lose psyche of skipping rope. That way, we can be able to time our steps, reflexes and general agility with great accuracy.
Having highlighted this, one would be forgiven for thinking this was the only benefit of skipping rope. We’ve compiled an analytical view of the numerous benefits skipping rope can have on our health. Read on!
Cardio
Skipping rope is one of the most efficient cardio exercises out there. A good cardio session done regularly can help bolster the heart condition of any individual. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, veins, and arteries that help ensure blood and oxygen properly circulate all through the body organs.
Once we make improvements in our cardiovascular conditions through exercise, our hearts are then able to perform much more efficiently. A good heart condition has other benefits too, for one it can help lower chances of shortness of breath and is important in building stamina.
Muscle Toning
A 10-minute daily program of rope jumping is as efficient as a 30-minute daily program of jogging
Skipping rope is an effective strategy to tone muscles in the lower and upper body. At first, one may experience a slight soreness of the legs. However, this is normal. The legs tend to become sore due to extended periods of inactivity followed up by a rigorous session.
If the soreness extends for a couple of days, recuperation is the best way forward before getting back on the rope skipping regimen.
Weight Loss
If one is looking to shed a considerable amount of pounds, then, skipping rope can become a great asset. A 30-minute rope workout can help burn as much as 300 calories in the body.
With this statistic in mind, if the intention is to lose one pound a week, then one should ensure that they consistently spend 30 minutes skipping rope and cut back about 400 calories from the eating regimen. At first, this may seem like a hard task but with time, the body will adjust and all things will fall into place for an effective weight loss scheme.
When compared to other exercises like jogging and running, skipping rope seems like a better alternative since one is not exposed to severe knee pains. This is because the individual who is skipping the rope tends to land on his/her toes.
Skin
Skipping rope can help flush out harmful toxins around the body through sweating. Regular exercise also helps in improving blood circulation around the body whilst providing nutrients to the skin.
We should all strive to create some time to workout at least once a day, even if it is a meager 15 minutes. Regular exercise serves to insulate the body from numerous dangers.
Full Body Workout
Skipping rope helps improve bone density. This helps in preventing Osteoporosis, a condition of fragile bones with an increased susceptibility to fracture
Just like swimming, skipping rope is a full body workout. This is because one utilizes all body parts during the session. The lower body creates the bounce, the shoulders and arms create the motion, and the abdominal region partakes in the midst of all this too.
Introducing a couple of variations can help bring more enjoyment into the skipping sessions. We can try jumping extra high, skipping with one leg, folding our arms as we skip, and passing the rope under our feet twice before we land. With time, one can ably master all these moves whilst having fun. It’s a beautiful way to work out!
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