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Six reasons you need to do a skipping workout

Fitness
 Skipping is fun and comes loaded with health benefits (Photo by Dom J from Pexels)

One of the best things you can do for your health is workout. 

This is even more important as you age. To get your heart pumping and slow down your aging muscles, your focus should be on strength training and cardio.

And if you haven’t started, there is never a perfect time to do so like now.

If, like me, you thought you hated working out and dreaded every minute of it, this is because you haven’t found the right fit.

Allow me to introduce you to a world of skipping which is not only actually fun, but comes loaded with health benefits. You do not have to rub shoulders with anyone at the gym and you can do this anywhere. All you have to do is carry your skipping rope with you.

Here are a few reasons why you need to get into this program. 

Tones muscles

If you want a proper lower and upper toned body skipping rope is the way to go while shedding fat in every part of your body. To work your biceps, thighs, biceps etc you can do high intensity skipping and you will start building lean muscle.

Expect some soreness in your legs if you have been inactive for some time. After some days of religious skipping, your muscles will get used to it and the pain will go.

 You can burn up to 1,200 calories in one hour (Photo: Shutterstock)

Weight loss

One of the reasons this is a favorite workout for many is because it can burn up to 1,200 calories in one hour. According to trainers, it burns more calories than swimming and jogging. The reason behind this is because this is a thermogenic exercise. It creates heat in the body.

And if you notice, when you’re skipping your heart rate rises. This increases the amount of calories burnt to keep up with the energy being used. 

Therefore, if weight loss is your goal you should aspire to do a 30-minute routine daily.

It improves the health of your heart

Skipping is great for your cardiovascular and heart health as it gets your heart pumping. As you jump, your heart muscles work harder to pump blood across the body making it perform more efficiently. 

According to a study  published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology in 2018 found that a 12-week jump rope regimen reduced cardiovascular disease risk factors in teen girls who had prehypertension or borderline high blood pressure.

Before you know it, you will also discover that you are no longer running short of breath as it helps build your stamina.

 A good workout will provide nutrients to the skin (Photo: Shutterstock)

Improves coordination

Turns out this simple workout requires top notch coordination especially if you throw in some complex moves. Skipping helps build motor coordination, endurance and balance as several body parts need to communicate with each other to perform that movement.

Whether or not your mind is paying attention, your brain is fully aware of what your feet and hands are doing.

Better skin

A good workout will flush out the toxins from your body and provide nutrients to the skin. This is practically what a 30-minute skipping rope exercise can do. The increase in blood circulation and heavy sweating will leave your skin glowing.

Stronger bonds

Studies have shown that those people who jumped rope had a higher bone density than those who did not. Bone density measures the strength of your bones.

As your bone mass decreases after hitting 35, jumping stimulates mineral density. Due to the impact of skipping, your body responds by remodeling the bones to become more dense and stronger.

But should you have issues with fractures, weak bones or a family history of osteoporosis, consult your physician first before starting this workout.

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