We all lead very busy lives. That can make it difficult or almost impossible to make time for going to the gym. Between traveling to and from work, plus the time spent at work and then fixing and eating an evening meal you may not have the energy to get back into your car and drive to a gym to work out; followed by having to drive back home.
Fortunately, it is possible to get a great cardio work-out right in your own home. You won’t even have to face the weather to get to the gym. Remember jump ropes from when you were a child? Well, they were a great toy then and they are even better piece of exercise equipment now. And the much better news is that they are extremely inexpensive!
Start By Getting A Quality Jump Rope
Since jump ropes are very reasonably priced, choose the best one that you can find. You don’t want the jump rope that you played with as a child. Find one that was specifically designed for adults to use when working-out.
The handles need to be made of polyethylene so that they are shatterproof. That way they can take the use and abuse that you will give them. Make sure that the handles are solid, not hollow. Also, the rope needs to be able to spin easily for smooth performance and speed when you are working-out.
The rope should actually be solid vinyl cord – not rope at all – and be phthalate free. You will probably need to change the length of the rope, so make sure that it is easy to adjust. This kind of rope can take striking the floor continuously without wearing out. Another benefit of this solid vinyl cord is that it has minimal wind resistance which helps it to keep a perfect arc overhead when you are using it at high speed. To adjust the length you can tie a knot at a longer or a shorter distance from the handle.
Getting The Right Length For Your Jump Rope
To figure out what the proper length for your rope is you should stand on the center of the rope. The handle tips should reach to your armpits. It is possible that you may still want to shorten the length of the rope. This can depend on how you hold the handles as you jump. If the rope is at the correct length, it will brush the floor directly under your feet every time that you jump. If the rope is hitting the floor in front of you then it is too long. If the rope doesn’t hit the floor at all it is too short.
Jumping Rope Is A High-Calorie Burn Cardio Exercise
Jumping rope as part of your work-out routine burns 10 calories a minute. That is lot of calories for such a simple exercise. Besides the calorie burn, jumping rope also benefits your ankles, your legs, your butt and your arms by strengthening them.
So, you are getting multiple benefits from simply jumping rope. You are getting great cardio, burning lots of calories and toning many parts of your body all with one type of work-out. You will have a hard time finding many other work-outs that can do that. Additionally, this is exercise equipment that is portable. You can take it with you anywhere. It can go with you on vacation, to the park or even to work.
Don’t have time or money for the gym? Jumping rope will provide a good work-out that addresses most of your work-out needs. Add some planks or sit-ups or squats to provide the core body exercises you need and you have covered your work-out routine needs. And like the jump rope, they can all be done virtually anywhere, any time without traveling to or joining a gym.
