Give Yourself Some Rope

Remember when you used to jump rope for fun (or when your P.E. teacher made you try to get to 100 jumps)? Well it’s not just great playground pastime, it’s also high-powered cardiovascular exercise. The American College of Sports and Medicine says, 10 minutes of rope skipping equals a one mile run. Done on a shock-absorbent surface wearing athletic sneakers, it’s a safe and healthy alternative to jogging. The calves also act as absorbers controlling each landing, something they cannot do during running. Start adding it to your workouts once or twice a week, 10-20 minutes at time, and build to three to five times a week. You might notice performance jumps get higher and stamina increasing – all from a little rope.

– Jen Thompson