FITNESS

Instep Desk

Were you a jump rope junkie back in the day? Remember all the skipping races you did as a kid, all those rope games and jumping around for the sake of fun. Well, that fun toy can actually be an intense fitness tool if you know how to use it. And once you hone your skipping skills, it will be just as much fun as it used to be back in the school days.

Fitness experts often suggest including skipping in one’s daily fitness regime. If you look at it, it’s simple, easy and a whole lot of fun. Skipping is one of the cheapest, most effective, fat burning workouts you can do. Give it a try and you’ll feel like you’re in school again – in a good way!

Shed those extra pounds

Skipping rope is one of the best cardio and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workout. Skipping rope gives a full-body workout. It is known to burn around 1300 calories per hour. Now that’s really high, isn’t it? Therefore, it can basically be called an effective fat-burner. Skipping burns more calories in comparison to running. At the same time it does not require you to go outdoors. It can be done anywhere. In fact, the effort it takes to jump rope for 10 minutes is the equivalent of running a mile in eight minutes.

Tones muscles

Being a bodyweight exercise, skipping helps in muscle toning, improves footwork, balance, coordination and agility. Most of the runners and other athletes jump rope for training. Skipping rope is best for endurance training and conditioning. It is especially great for toning and developing thighs, shins and calf muscles. Simultaneously, it also works on abs, arms and improves the hip-flexor muscles.

Improves heart rate

Skipping is one of the best forms of cardio exercises, contributing to a healthy heart. Your cardiovascular framework includes your heart, along with the arteries and veins that help circulate blood and oxygen between the heart and other organs of the body. By enhancing the capacity of this framework, your heart will perform more efficiently.

Increases bone density

The medium impact of jumping rope increases bone density, but isn’t as hard on your joints as running because the impact of each jump is absorbed by both legs. It is a low impact exercise and therefore a better option. Latest studies show that simply jumping is one of the very best exercises for improving bone density.

Good for your brain

We know that exercise even as little as 20 minutes is good for the brain. But did you know that activities with both physical and mental demands (like jumping rope) have higher impacts on cognitive functioning than exercise tasks alone (like the treadmill or stationary bike). Turns out the very best workouts for brain health involve coordination, rhythm, and strategy.