A simple jump rope is one of the best fitness tools around.
A Powerful Workout
A lot of adults think of one of two things when it comes to the old jump rope: They picture either a group of preteen girls standing around with a giant jump rope held between two of them while a third jumps in the middle, or they picture Rocky Balboa speed-jumping his way to a rematch with Apollo Creed for the boxing championship.
Let another picture come into the frame: A picture of you jumping rope in your own garage or living room or outside on the driveway. Jumping rope is one of the best exercises you can do--not only for cardiovascular fitness and muscle development but also for its calorie-burning effects. The amount of calories burned will vary by individual because the size and weight of the individual will come into play. A 15-minute session with the jump rope at a moderate pace can burn up to 200 calories for most people, about the same as running a mile. And it can be done with much less stress on your knees and other joints.
Cheap and Convenient
You can get a jump rope at a low price. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a jump rope that costs more than $20, and even then you would be talking about a deluxe version that would be unnecessary for a beginner (or even an expert). They can be found in stores for as little as $5. If you're one of those people who have put off buying a treadmill or getting a gym membership because of the price, jumping rope is an exercise that will eliminate that excuse.
Jump ropes are a lot more convenient than treadmills and other exercise equipment. You can't take a treadmill with you when you travel, but a jump rope takes up virtually no room in your suitcase--or in your home, for that matter.
Building Fitness
If you haven't jumped rope for some time, you may have forgotten how physically challenging it is. While a complete beginner can usually walk on a treadmill for 20 minutes without feeling as though he might go into cardiac arrest, the same cannot be said for the jump rope. If you're rather out of shape, you might be lucky to go for one minute without crashing.
The jump rope takes time to master, from both a coordination and stamina standpoint. Start off easy, jumping for 30 seconds to one minute, then allow yourself an equal rest period. Follow this pattern until you've exercised for about 10 minutes. As the days go on and your stamina increases, you can shorten the rest periods and lengthen the jumping periods.
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