3º ESO. Rope Skipping 2: Before we start

Ratio: 5 / 5

A) Before we start:

1. Make sure you have a good surface to jump on (preferably wood with some spring to it; eg. best surface - wood, spring cushioned gym floor). Jumping too frequently on tile or cement can result in muscular pain and can damage your joints.

2. Make sure you have proper shoes on. Running or cross training shoes are the best as they provide the most support for jumping. Sandals, bare feet, or even mountain shoes can hurt you more than help you. Shoes that you would use for playing basketball, squash, running outside...are the type that would best work for jump rope as well.

3. As before any exercise, do a proper warm up to get your body ready. You must pay special attention to stretch your calves (lower leg), quadriceps (front of upper leg), hamstrings (back of upper leg) and deltoids and trapezius (shoulder area).

4. Make sure you do a proper cool down at the end of your "workout". Repeat the same stretches you did at the beginning with taking deep breaths, holding your stretches for a minimum of an eight count for each stretch.

B) How to jump safely:

1. You must try not to do high jumps. The higher you jump, the quicker you get tired. A height of three fingers above the floor is the ideal height.

2. Watch for posture:
Knees and ankles should be bent and the torso straight when jumping.
Arms should be by the skipper's side, with the rope turning from the wrists and forearms.
Jump on your whole feet. Placing only your forefoot on the ground makes your calves work too hard and it can result in a cramp.

3. Don't try too much too soon. Start with a 1:2 skipping:rest ratio, so if you skip for one minute, you rest for two. Add minutes up slowly.

Have you read this page already? Then look at this video from Lauren Jumps on jump rope basics: