The warm up is basic in Physical Education. We do it everyday, so it is the first thing you must learn.

WHAT IS A WARM-UP?

A warm up is a series of exercises you do before physical activity, to prepare your body for it.

For example, before playing an intense sport you can run slowly to warm your muscles and your heart.

Warm ups must prepare the muscles for the activity.

There are very different warm ups, (high intensity, low intensity, for basketball, for tennis...)

So, the warm-up volleyball players do is different from the one footballers do.

Warm ups are specific to the sport or activity you practice.

Benefits of the warm up:

If you do a good warm up, you get:

1) Protection against injuries
2) Better performance

And also:                    

 PARTS OF A WARM-UP:

1. Movements of your joints.

This is the first part, and it must have a low intensity. We move our arms in circles forwards and backwards, we draw circles with our hips...

2. A small run.

This is to warm up your heart and lungs, and also the muscles.

3. Exercises similar to the sport you are going to play and/or a game.

In this part, you warm up the muscles you use in the sport or activity.

This part must be progressive in intensity. It must start slow and increase the intensity.

It must end at a intensity similar to the sport you are going to practise.

4. Stretching of the main muscles.
This makes the muscles more flexible, prevents injuries and also helps the muscles to develop more power.

You can watch a warm-up in the folowing video. It is divided in different parts but that does not mean it is not correct:

 Vocabulary in this lesson:

What is Rope Skipping?
It is a game where one or more participants jump over a rope. There are also people who jump two ropes turning at the same time: this is called “Double Dutch”, and it is much more difficult.

Is it a sport?
Yes. It is also practiced at a competitive level, and it has its own federations. (ERSO: European Rope Skipping Organisation; IRSF: International RS Federation).

In rope skipping competitions, athletes compete in individual and team events using single ropes or double-Dutch.

Here you have a video showing you some of the possibilities of rope skipping:

In our classes we jump in three different ways:

Individually: One person swings his/her rope and jumps over it
In pairs: One person swings the rope and jumps over it, and a partner enters the rope and jumps with him/her.
In a long rope: Two people swing a long rope and the rest of the class enters the large rope individually or in groups.

Before we start

1. Wear proper shoes. Running or cross training shoes are the best. Tie your laces!

2. As before any exercise, do a proper warm up. Stretch your legs carefully.

3. Do a proper cool down at the end of your "workout". Repeat the same stretches you did at the beginning. 

How to jump safely

1. You must try not to do high jumps. If you jump high, you get tired quickly. The ideal height for the jumps is three fingers above the floor.

2. Watch for posture: Knees and ankles should be bent. Torso straight, and arms relaxed. Turn the rope using the wrists and forearms. Jump on your whole feet, so you don´t  get tired too soon.
 
3. Take it easy: Don't try too much too soon. If you jump for one minute, rest for three. Add minutes up slowly.

Have you read this page already? Then look at this video from www.ehow.com:

"Jumping rope is cool because it's a easy piece of equipment to have and you can use it anywhere.

Of course, I'm showing you how to do this outdoors so find a clear space. Find a rope that when you step on it you can at least have the handle come up to your armpits or a little lower. That way you won´t have too much rope, or too little rope, to work with.

Before you even start using the rope I want you to practice a bounce. This is the double bounce. With that bounce, focus on your breathing. In the nose and out of the mouth. It's so to hold your breath. But you don't want to do that 'cause you just might pass out...and that's not good.

So after you've got your breathing and you´re bouncing, I want you to add the rope. This is the first level- with the double bounce. Now if the rope is just not being friendly, you can do this without a rope (called virtual jump roping.) But since you have the equipment, like that, you can just start up again and then speed it up with single hops.

Alright, still keep the shoulders relaxed. The hands stay right at your sides. You don't want to take big arm swings...and still breathing. Now if you want to take it back to level one you can add that double bounce again.

Alright. You´re getting a little fatigued? Start it up again. And then you want more of a challenge? Add one foot. So that's now level three. Then switch to the other foot. And then you can switch it back to set level two...and then back to the double bounce (or back to the single.)That's your jump rope!"

INDIVIDUAL:

Basic jump with rebound:
You do a small rebound after jumping, while you swing the rope. This jump is very comfortable and you can also use it to rest between different skills.

Basic jump without rebound:
It is a little faster than the rebound one, so you get tired quick.

Alternate foot jump (speed step):
Jump first on one foot, and when you swing the rope again, jump on the other foot.

Direction change:
You start jumping forwards. Then, instead of swinging the rope under your feet, swing it to one of your sides.

Turn with the rope to that side and raise your arms and rope.

When the rope is above your head, swing it backwards and you are jumping backwards: you have completed a direction change!

Criss-cross:
While jumping, you cross your arms in front of you, and jump with the rope crossed.

Double under:
You need to jump up a bit higher than usual while swinging the rope twice under your feet. It is possible to have the rope swing three times under the feet (triple under). In competitive jump rope, triples, quadruples ("quads"), and quintuples ("quins") are not uncommon.

Here you have some videos from our students showing you some of the jumps:

IN PAIRS:

Enter your parner´s rope from the front:
You must be opposite your partner and to one side, so you can enter diagonally with only one step. When? When the rope hits the floor. To exit, move away diagonally when the rope touches the floor.

Catching your parner:
You start jumping, and your partner, a little apart from you, starts jumping at your same pace. You must jump towards him/her and “catch” him/her, getting him/her inside your rope.

LONG ROPE:

 
Basic jump:
Enter the rope when it hits the floor and starts going away from you. You must jump in the center of the rope and exit diagonally at the other end.

Turning inside:
Turn around as you jump. It´s very easy!

How many?
How many students can jump at the same time in one rope?

Here you have some videos showing all the possibilities of rope jumping: