Picture little girls in braids jumping rope on the sidewalk with friends. Doubledutch, crisscrosses, little rhymes. Giggling and laughter, a summer afternoon enjoyed by all. I wish I could jump rope like a little girl. Instead I jump rope like an old man. Poorly.
My training routine for the marathon calls for Sunday cross training. Generally this means biking, skating, swimming or skiing. I don’t really do any of those things so I needed something else. I knew jumping rope was a good cardiovascular workout and I knew that the gear was pretty cheap. Plus, I’ll admit, I’d always liked the idea of jumping rope. The rhythm, the whack-whack-whack sound, the speed of the rope, the element of danger all appealed to me.
About three minutes of jumping and I was ready to pass out. My heart was trying to escape out of my body any way it could and I was sweating like I had just run several miles at sprint pace. I’d also smacked my arms and legs numerous times with the rope. During the first training I only managed to go about thirty revolutions without messing up and stepping on the rope or hurting myself. I’m glad I was in my backyard, in the dark so no one could see me.
From reading online it sounds like I’ll need a few weeks of practice. I should be able to pick up my speed and jump without any injuries to myself pretty soon. I’ll benefit from increased cardiovascular capabilities plus the impact is supposed to be half that of running. I can do it almost any time, almost anywhere. I doubt I’ll ever be able to keep up with the neighborhood girls (or Rocky), but I’m hoping to not embarrass myself soon.
The rope Amber picked out for me was just about perfect. It only cost $10 and meets most of the criteria that jump rope enthusiasts recommend. It has foam handles for comfort. It has a ball bearing swivel which helps you move the rope more quickly and prevent tangling and is made with a plastic rope which lasts longer than nylon or natural cord. The only thing it doesn’t do is allow for easy length adjustment. I’m going to have to hack it a bit to shorten the rope the eight or so inches I need to be perfect for my height, but I’ve already got that planned out. To find the right length rope you step on the middle of the rope with one foot and then pull the handles up to your chest. The end of the handle should hit you in the armpit. If not, you need a longer or shorter rope.
A couple of good places to start for jump rope info:
http://www.jumpropeinstitute.com/a-z_on_jump_rope.htm
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as un athletic as i am, with very little sense of balance ( skiing, wing surfing, ice scateing)
i can jump rope fast and rythmic as I engulf
a pkg of oreo’s…it’s all in the ankles,,,
Believe it or not I have occasionally jumped rope, and plan to do more! But it’s ugly, and it hurts me, and I’m pretty sure Mother Earth isn’t too pleased, either.
But I can eat Oreo’s doing just about anything!
D