It may seem that everywhere you look someone is telling you:
- How important exercise is,
- That you should be a role model for your children,
- Exercise should be fun!
But what if you aren’t into the typical sports?
Consider jumping rope! Jumping rope is an aerobic exercise that burns lots of calories. Some jump rope experts say that ten minutes of jumping rope is like running an eight-minute mile. And jumping rope doesn’t just work you aerobically. Jumping rope develops agility, coordination, balance, muscle fitness, and since it’s high impact, jumping rope is good for bone health too.
- Jumping rope is inexpensive: all you need is a jump rope.
- Jumping rope is convenient: no need to go to a gym or a special athletic court.
- Jumping rope feels like play as much as it feels like exercise.
- Jumping rope has many different skill levels: you don’t have to be an expert in coordination to start doing it or get benefit from it, but you can increase difficulty whenever you want.
Start small:
Don’t expect for you or your child to be able to jump rope for hours on end. Start with 5-10 minutes.
Buy the right length rope:
You and your child will need different length ropes. Holding one end of rope in each hand, step on the middle of the rope. The end sections should reach the middle of your (or your child’s) chest.
Jump outside:
Jumping in your house isn’t a good idea, as you can easily knock things over. Why turn a fun activity into a stress-fest? Take your jumping outdoors, where there is lots of room and nothing that an errant rope will smack into.
Learn at least one rhyme:
Jumping is all about rhythm. Jumping to music or a rhyme is a great way to improve your skills and get more enjoyment from the activity. For ideas, go to: http://www.gameskidsplay.net/jump_rope_ryhmes/