If you’ve ever trained with a pro athlete, or more likely, if you’ve watched training montages of them, you’ll likely have noticed how the majority of them seem to incorporate skipping (jumping rope) into their training routines. Remember as a kid on the playground, how skipping was often a thing and how teachers encouraged it, despite the potential trip hazards? This was partly to keep you out of trouble at lunch time, but more importantly, it was because skipping is incredibly beneficial. Now that we’re all grown up, the benefits of skipping become more apparent than ever. Here’s a look at 4 awesome benefits of skipping for fitness.
Burns fat
Ever notice how boxers, MMA fighters, CrossFitters, and athletes in general that skip regularly are amongst some of the leanest, most defined individuals on the planet? Skipping is one of the most effective exercises when it comes to burning fat. It is great cardio, which means that it ramps up the metabolism and burns off a significant amount of calories as you perform it. The more calories that you burn off, the more fat you will burn and the leaner you will be. If you want a different form of cardio to help you get leaner, be sure to do more skipping.
Great for the heart
As mentioned, skipping is a fantastic form of cardio. This means that it is a great exercise for the heart. The word cardio is derived from the ancient Greek word ‘Kardia’ which meant heart, so that right there is a clue as to how beneficial for the heart cardio exercise is. Skipping is great for the heart as it helps to strengthen it, it boosts circulation, it reduces blood pressure, it reduces LDL cholesterol, and it helps to burn fat. The stronger the heart is, the healthier it becomes and the less-likely you will be to suffer from a heart attack, stroke, heart disease, or any other related health condition for that matter.
Improves coordination
If you’re lacking in coordination, skipping is one of the best exercises/activities that you can do. Skipping is ideal for coordination because you are using your entire body and you have to get the rhythm and timing just right. It will be tough at first, so start off slow, but once you get the hang of it, you can then speed things up, skip quicker, and really get working on your coordination.
Tones the muscles
When you skip, you use muscles in your core, you use muscles in your lower body, and you use muscles in your upper body. In fact, skipping is pretty much considered a full body workout. Because you are using these different muscles, each one is worked slightly differently, but each one still benefits. The more skipping you do, the more fat you will burn and the more ripped and defined your muscles will look. If you want a lean and toned physique, skipping is perfect.
