Also for women. A self-experiment.
The Republic’s golf and tennis coaches seem to have done a great job. Suddenly, all of our athletic friends were excited about jumping rope.
We have tried it
Before taking the first leap, we wanted to know whether the arguments we heard among our friends actually matched the relevant studies and expert opinions.
Strengthened by convincing arguments from the research, we picked up the skipping rope and are now just as enthusiastic.
The 5 most attractive reasons to start jumping rope
1 Simple and inexpensive
Hardly any other sport is as favorable. The investment in a rope is enough – sneakers are usually already available. No expensive equipment, no trainer lessons, no need for a new sports outfit.
Most of us learned to jump rope as a child in gym class. After a few (admittedly rather frustrating) practice jumps, you’re ready to go.
2 Anytime
A skipping rope can be used immediately and almost anywhere and can be easily taken along.
During the lockdown, a friend of ours used his lunch break at the home office to stay fit in the courtyard with the help of a jump rope.
3 Intensive Cardiotraining
Even if you think you are fit thanks to other sports, when you start jumping rope you realize how fast and intense the movement with the rope is.
4 Ideal complement to other sports
Variety is manna for the muscles and the brain.
The body gets used to the favorite sport relatively quickly. When you start jumping rope, you suddenly feel muscles you didn’t even know you could exercise.
5 Coordination
Jumping rope requires lightning-fast coordination of legs, arms and brain. Only in perfect teamwork the jump over the rope succeeds.
This was one of the main reasons why golf and tennis coaches recommended rope skipping to our friends.
However, training coordination is also enormously important for all non-golfers and non-tennis players.
Prof. Dr. Sven Veulpel has been working for many years on ageing research and the scientific findings on what is helpful to stay healthy for a long time. Exercise is an important component of staying biologically young. But it is also important to continuously vary the types of movement.
Prof. Veulpel practices what he teaches and is himself the best example of his advice.
There are many things you can do yourself right away to keep moving mentally and physically: For example, walking backwards for a change, taking a different route, climbing the stairs sideways or eating more fresh herbs, such as basil, and allowing yourself sufficient rest breaks.
He may forgive us for highlighting this particular one from his extensive recommendations.
His credo that a positive attitude to life and enjoyment are important corresponds, so to speak, to the core values of GloriousMe.
The self-experiment and what we learned from it
Which rope?
Since we love aesthetically beautiful sports equipment, we started with a retro hemp rope that looks beautiful with its turned cherry wood handles.
We switched relatively quickly to a rope made of plastic with relatively slim, short handles.
The hemp rope is still draped in plain sight, reminding us to take a quick break from jumping. The plastic rope is easier to handle, especially when jumping rope in the rain.
Professionals, for whom rapid speed is important, usually work with a steel cable and ropes of different strengths.
Which substrate?
Ideal is a floor that gives a little, as found in gyms and some well-equipped playgrounds. However, almost any floor can be used for a short session in well-sprung sneakers.
Our favorite is grass (when it’s not too wet), a firm sandy path and asphalt.
Professionals like the Jump Rope Dudes like to put their jumping mat on the top deck of parking garages with a view over the city. We are not planning to do that.
Rope length
If you stand with one leg on the rope, the rope should reach about chest height.
Rhythm
Our desired target is the elegant, fast swing Muhammad Ali in his active boxing days as Cassius Clay. This requires a lot of practice.
The most fun is to run with the jump rope. Jumping with both legs at the same time already works quite well. The cross jumps or even the double swipe are more ambitious – we are still practicing.
Training intervals
Two to three times a week is a good workload for beginners. As a beginner you count the jumps and are happy about every increase.
The first stage goal: to jump one minute continuously. Sounds easy, but it is quite ambitious.
Conclusion of the self-experiment
Hardly any sporting activity can be started so quickly and inexpensively. The plastic rope is lightweight and easy to take to the park.
The first jumping attempts were sobering. You can immediately see why jumping rope is an excellent way to train coordination. For us, the most convincing argument.
With a little continuity, you make progress relatively quickly, which motivates further.
We have integrated rope skipping into our daily routine as a supplement and active break. After an early morning yoga session, a few jumps with the rope. After an intense work session at the home office, a few rope jumps instead of a cup of coffee.
We remain
P.S.: If you still doubt that jumping rope is a man’s sport, take a look at the Jump Rope Dudes media data. Her YouTube video channel has surpassed the 1 million viewer mark. 82 percent of the viewers are men.
P.P.S.: If the Jump Rope Dudes are a little too Californian for you, let the 4-time Austrian National Champion in Rope Skipping, Laura Göttfert, inspire you.
The very likeable young athlete shows some tips for beginners on YouTube and gives an appetizer of what performances are possible at international competition level.
