10 Reasons Why Skipping is the Best Sport in the W

Skipping or Jump Rope as it is called in some parts of the world is, in my opinion, simply the single most beneficial and all encompassing sport or form of exercise! It can be performed practically anywhere and practised alone or as a group activity. It can also be incorporated into everyone's lifestyle as a discipline in its own right or incorporated into training to bring performance benefits to any other sport. It can be used as a gentle warm up or low level activity or performed as a high intensity exercise. Oh, and it is simply great fun! Benefits of Skipping - the Top 10
1) The Physical Benefits - It Works! Skipping burns up to 900 calories per hour, making it extremely efficient when used as a workout. It tones and develops muscles, obviously in the lower body but also in the upper body as well. It will help improve cardio-respiratory (heart and lungs) fitness (or stamina), flexibility, co-ordination, balance, rhythm and symmetry!
2) Preventing Osteoporosis - a condition increasingly effecting men and women. Jumping increases bone density in adolescents and prevents bone mass deterioration in adults, thus helping to prevent osteoporosis. The Osteoporosis Society in the UK recommends 2 to 5 minutes of activities like rope jumping every day to help prevent osteoporosis. See skip-hop website for more information regarding rope jumping and osteoporosis.
3) The Mental Benefits - A high level of coordination and cross-lateral ambi-dexterity is developed when jumping rope regularly - both sides of the brain, both sides of the body. Also with all the fantastic tricks available, there is always something new to learn,Dsquared Belts, stimulating your brain to ever higher degrees! See skip-hop website regarding the health benefits this activity brings for the brain.
4) Easy to Learn - People of all fitness levels and athletic abilities can start in a very short time. Learning the basic techniques can be taken at your own pace in a relaxed and comfortable environment. But the learning curve is exponential and you will soon be finding your rhythm and performing the basic moves like a professional. Time to take on more challenges!
5) Inexpensive - Jump ropes are very inexpensive. The skip-hop speed rope is all you will ever need and at £4.99 for adults and £3.99 for children it will not break the bank! If you want a more intense workout, the skip-hop workout rope is available at £9.99.
6) Portable - When it comes to carrying equipment, nothing could be simpler than a skipping rope. All you need is a small amount of space and off you go. A rope can be carried in a suitcase, briefcase, backpack, handbag or glove box and taken everywhere with you providing the most effective portable exercise in existence. Jump rope is the perfect exercise for travellers!
7) Adaptable - Due to all the amazing benefits of jumping rope, you can use it in your training for many other sports. Flexibility, reaction times, bursts of speed, jump height, coordination and stamina are just some of the proven improvements that this activity has brought to many professional athletes across a huge range of sports.
8) Fun - it is great fun and can easily become an addiction! Once you grasp the basic techniques, the natural rhythm and stylish, economic movements of jump rope give a great feeling. Bringing out a child-like delight in everyone, leaving a smile on your face even though you are getting the benefits of a fantastic form of exercise. Combine this with the exciting skipping tricks that can be learnt and the wonderful group activities like long rope games and double dutch ... well, I think I have covered the fun aspect.
9) Versatile - Great for all ages and abilities - Jump rope can be performed by people of different ages and abilities, providing an opportunity to build both self-esteem and fitness levels. Not only can different age and ability groups experience the pleasure that can be derived on an individual level but it can also be enjoyed as a group activity with contributers of differing abilities and fitness levels. Pace and complexity can be adjusted to suit.
10) Sociable - Introduce skipping to your school or club and compete using the skip-hop virtual competition. Join a local rope jumping club or form your own. Take part at your local gym in jump rope workouts. Become part of a global community of skippers, competing, learning and exchanging information together. Take a look at some of the skip-hop skipping videos from all over the world for some inspiration. Lastly - sign up to our newsletter and join the skip-hop online community.
5th Step Put the list in an order of priority. Which area of your life needs action most urgently? When would you like to have this achieved by? Set dates for the other areas, being realistic - but being true to you.6th Step What is the first step to achieving your goals? Who can help you? What resources do you need? Where can you get these? What additional learning do you need? Where can you find out about this? When are you going to begin? How important is this goal?7th Step Why are you doing this? What is motivating you? If you do not have a big enough reason 'why,' you will find yourself falling off the wagon. Like many new year resolutions people make, it will be overlooked and your life will be left to chance once more. How do you want to feel when you look back in 10 years and remember the dreams you once had, that you didn't 'bother' to achieve?
Decide how important this is to you, your family. Choose to make it a priority in your life. Many of my clients come to me because they have goals, but they know unless they are accountable or spend time each month focusing on their goals with me, their coach - they will give up on them. And they are serious about changing their lives, using goal setting strategies to get what they want.8th Step Who will you share your goal with? Be careful here. I have found that if we are too free with our excitement about how we're designing our lives - others do not always support us and try to prick our bubble. Sometimes, friends and family like life to be the way it is and that's that. They do not want anything to change. It can be that they do not want to see us start something and then fail.