Do you know what MMA Fighters, Bodybuilders, Ballerinas, and little kids have in common? They all skip rope! Alright, you may say that for young children it is a common play time, but how do some of the toughest sports athletes skip rope as well? It is all because this simple, yet powerful exercise has an outstandingly positive effect on the human body; and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Read on!
Major Physical Health Benefits
A cardiovascular exercise is the one that helps the circulatory system to improve the delivery blood to all parts of the body; thus, carrying more oxygen and nutrients. Skipping rope alone, can help you boost your immune system, balance your metabolism, and improve your overall health in a short period of time. While there are even more physical benefits you can experience by jumping rope, this simple activity can help your mind as well.
Bodybuilders who wish to train their calf muscles often turn to skipping rope. Not only because it exercises this muscle group well, but also because it improves all the tendons and ligaments located there. Furthermore, out of most calf exercises, jumping rope is known to put the least amount of strain on your leg joints, which is very important if you’re doing prolonged training sessions.
Psychological Advantages
As the body improves, so does the mind. A balanced cardiovascular system improves brain functions dramatically! Those who practice jump rope, state that they can think faster, experience improvement in self-confidence, and instinctively react better. Jumping rope isn’t only about the movement of the body; it is also about the state of alertness you experience when you are following the rope’s movement – it is exactly this aspect that has an incredibly positive effect on a person’s focus and cognitive functions.
What is fascinatingly interesting about how the brain improves, is nothing short of impressive. Most of us know that our “mood” is affected by the release of special hormones; it is through rope skipping, the brain optimizes the release of the “golden trio” – Endorphin, Dopamine, and Serotonin. Those are also known as the “feel-good” hormones, and their natural and stabilized production is known to decrease depressive moods, while increasing mental energy and endurance.
Losing Weight with Rope Skipping
Although this information should be attributed to the physical benefits, it was important for us to give it a separate spot. The reason why rope skipping is so efficient in losing weight, is because the exercise applies beneficial strain on every muscle of the body once it is in the air. Because it works, athletes often use jump rope to control their body weight, especially when they are training for a sports event that requires them to be in a specific weight category.
Let’s look at some wonderful statistics! The recommended daily intake of calories for an average person, is considered to be around 2000 calories. People who would like to lose a few extra pounds, need to balance that with a healthy diet, and some form of exercise. Rope skipping is perfect for that – you don’t need to be a professional rope skipper in order to burn as many as 1600 calories in only an hour!
Special Ropes for Advanced Training
The most common type for a training jump rope, is one made of a PVC cable and two plastic handles with a swivel on the end of each one. Depending on the type of exercise a person is looking for, the cable may be heavier, made from different materials, and variable in size. This principle applies to the handles as well. Ropes for speed-skipping can be lighter and shorter, while those meant for strength building, can be much heavier.
You Don’t have to be a Professional To do It
The wonderful thing about the jump rope sport is that it requires almost no preparation, it can be done in relatively limited space, and you don’t need to have any athletic background in order to start doing it. Even in the first few tries, people that have not jumped rope before, have testified to experiencing positive health effects. What are you waiting for? Get any rope you can find around, and start jumping – it might even change your life!