Many UK adults lead busy lives nowadays and getting fit can often fall to the wayside. Not all vocations offer flexibility around working hours and finding a time for exercise that suits your daily routine can be difficult. However, on the whole the UK does tend to be bucking this trend, with the prolific rise of budget gyms adding to the fact that Europe has the biggest fitness economy in the world. However, one in three UK adults are still not getting enough active hours in per week, so we’ve come up with a great, simple way to get fit that is also cost effective — join us as we explore the brilliant benefits of skipping!
A realistic exercise workout
For some people, the thought of an overcrowded gym or an over enthusiastic instructor is very unappealing — and not everyone has access to an affordable facility. With skipping, a rope is a low-cost purchase and it provides the same great benefits as using some gym equipment may or you include it as a component of your regular workout. The core aim of any form of exercise is simply to get your heart rate up and get your body moving, and with skipping you can do this from the comfort of your own home. It’s far more realistic to aim to exercise for 30 minutes a night with a skipping rope than to commit to a journey to and from the gym, so if you’re looking to cut out workout-associated excuses then simply pick up a rope and get going! Put a motivational playlist on or simply skip while you watch the nightly instalment of your favourite show — it could be as simple as that!
Develop concentration skills
Skipping can help to develop and heighten your sense of alertness — the movement requires a lot of concentration which can even help to develop spatial awareness. Jumping rope promotes activity on both the left and right side of the brain, and this promotes improved reading skills. We might be quick to classify skipping as a kid’s activity, but for the benefits associated with this sense of focus it is clear why the playground hobby is a favourite amongst youngsters — even on the rainiest of days, girls and boys waterproof jackets allow our little ones to have endless fun while skipping.
Improve coordination
Generally, coordination relates to how our arms and legs work to keep us in motion effectively. Skipping uses many of the body’s muscles at the same time, coordinating their actions and increasing hand-eye coordination. Balance is also improved through skipping, as the movement challenges increases your ability to manage your own body weight while jumping. Many boxers will pick up a skipping rope before taking to the ring, and this is linked to coordination as it can help to improve and align footwork making them faster.
A full body exercise
Regular skipping sessions will get your heart rate up and improve your blood pressure. With every jump, calories are burnt, and fat can be reduced — making skipping one of the simplest ways to get some aerobic exercise into your daily routine. Whether you are looking at doing longer sessions or creating an interval style program, a round of skipping can challenge your cardiovascular health. You can be at any fitness level to skip too, meaning that feeling a difference from regular skipping is possible for anyone — and of course, it’s a fat and calorie burning workout for people of all ages too.
There’s no denying that skipping is the most hassle free, affordable way to get fit, so put those excuses aside and get jumping!
Sources
BBCHeart Foundation
