Skipping: benefits, basic techniques & workouts

Skipping is one of the best pound for pound cardiovascular training options but unfortunately it is often overlooked. It is well suited for warm ups, cool downs and intervals between weight training exercises. Some of you reading this may not have skipped since school (or ever) and jumping may feel foreign initially. Like all exercise techniques it will take time and practice to develop proper form but it's well worth persevering with for the following reasons:

Benefits

• Weight loss - skipping can burn over 150cal (600kj) in 15 minutes at a moderate skipping speed of around 60-80 skips per minute This is comparable to running at approximately 10km/hr for an equal period of time
• Improved cardiovascular fitness
• Improved agility, foot speed and coordination
• Improved balance and proprioception
• Increased bone density
• Improved flexibility
• Improved explosive muscular power
• Improved muscular endurance in the upper and lower body
• Variety and challenge to help motivation
• Less impact on the hips, knees and ankles in comparison to running

Skipping is a great alternative to other cardiovascular training options for the following reasons:

• Can be easily done at home
• Can be done on the spot requiring minimum space
• Easy to store
• Affordable
• Easily incorporated into strength training programs
• Intense providing high energy expenditure for a short period of time

Basic Techniques




There are many different skipping variations, some of which require a high level of skill and practice but serve no added fitness benefit. We will focus on 2 basic variations that are easy to learn and well suited for fitness training (basic jump and alternate foot jump) and 1 advanced technique which is great for an extra challenge and developing greater explosiveness and coordination (double under).

1. Basic jump: Start with the rope behind your feet and bring it forward over your head. Have your feet slightly apart and jump so both feet leave the ground at the same time to allow the rope to pass under.
2. Alternate foot jump:  Start with the rope behind your feet and bring it forward over your head. Feet alternate as the rope passes under by raising the knee of the non- jumping leg in front without kicking the feet back while the jumping leg clears the rope (like jogging on the spot) .
3. Double under: This is performed the same as the basic jump with feet slightly apart and leaving the ground at the same time. Bring the rope around faster and jump higher as the rope passes under the feet twice per jump.

Using correct skipping technique is very important for minimising the risk of injury and for performing the movement efficiently with fewer errors. Your patience will definitely be tested when you begin to skip for the first time with each error becoming more and more frustrating (I have been known for sending the skipping rope flying across the room). Follow these basics to get you started on the right foot:

• Make sure your rope is the right length. When you stand on the middle of the rope with one foot, the handles should reach approximately your armpit height.
• Keep your elbows close to your torso with the handles slightly in front of the body at hip height. Do not allow the handles to drift too far from the sides of the torso.
• Use a balance of movement at the elbows and wrists to create a relaxed, efficient cranking motion known as a 'smooth stroke'.
• Keep the shoulders down and relaxed not shrugged.
• Keep the handles at hip height when jumping - avoid the temptation to raise the handles when you jump.
• Keep your knees slightly bent at all times so they act to absorb the impact of the landing.
• Tap the ground lightly with the ball of the foot or the heel when pushing off - do not land heavy.
• Jump only as high as required to let the rope pass under the feet (unless otherwise instructed). Jumping higher than necessary is very inefficient.
• Avoid taking an extra little jump with each revolution of the rope if possible - this is known as the 'bunny hop'. This problem is easily fixed by turning the rope over faster.

Workouts
It requires well developed cardiovascular fitness to skip continuously for long periods of time. For this reason skipping lends itself well to warm ups and cool downs (as previously mentioned), short intense cardiovascular workouts and interval training broken up with rest periods or other exercises. For the individual with very well developed cardiovascular endurance skipping may be appropriate for workouts of longer durations.

The 5 basic skipping workouts below appear in no specific order but some are harder then others. Time your workouts and progress by improving the time it takes to complete. Begin with the minimum recommended number of rounds and with a workout that uses skipping variations appropriate for your current level of skill. As your fitness and skill improves progress to the more advanced workouts and increase to the maximum number of recommended rounds. You can combine these with our basic body weight workouts as a warm up, cool down or to break up rounds for an added challenge. These basic body weight workouts are introduced here: Body weight training: benefits, basic techniques & workouts.

Workout 1:
100 basic jumps - rest for the shortest time required before starting the next round
(3-10 rounds)

Workout 2:
3 minutes alternate foot jump unbroken (3 minutes straight without an error, restart the timer if you make an error) - rest for the shortest time required before starting the next round
(1-3 rounds)

Workout 3:
1 minute basic jump or alternate foot jump - rest for the shortest time required before starting the next round
(increase working time by 1min each round)
(3-5 rounds)

Workout 4:
10 double unders, don't count skips that aren't double unders - rest for the shortest time required before starting the next round (increase by 10 double unders each round)
(1-10 rounds)

Workout 5:
100 double unders in as short time as possible (rest as required)
(1-5 rounds)