I'm going to take up skipping.

[CoolHands]

I have to face facts - despite best intentions I never, ever do any exercise. And, I cant be bothered. So with that in mind I've decided that skipping is probably the least-amount-of-time activity that will keep me healthy. Ie a few minutes skipping is scientifically proven to equal half hour jogging or whatever. Probably.

Anyway I shall start with 1 min skipping per day and go up from there, as I recall skipping is incredibly knackering. I'm 5'8 and 71kgs & not fat, (in ideal world I'd be around 65kgs I think) but just aware of my health. I will update this thread periodically.

I will start tomorrow - I think my daughters got a disney princess skipping rope somewhere...

[Dave^]

CoolHands said:

I think my daughters got a disney princess skipping rope somewhere...

I was going to ask if you meant "Boxer" type skipping, or Louie Spence type skipping...

[CoolHands]

I did 30 seconds today So it would appear my new plan will be do 30 seconds a day for a week, (sounds pathetic I know) then see if I can up it to 45 seconds and go from there.

[rufusgti]

It's really hard work when you start. But as you learn to skip it gets easyer. If you watch a skipper their feet leve the ground by just a few cm. You're probably leaping 6 inches and knackering your breathing. I once read it's the quickest way of shedding weight. No idea if thats true although I suspect it is if boxers do it to lose a few pounds before a fight.

[Rgee]

Start with one of those plastic speed ropes that you can get from Decathlon for about £3. Once you get the hang of it and can keep it up non stop for a few minutes then get one of those heavier plastic ones (think they are advertised as Muay Thai ones) these will give your arms a good work out too.

[stew-S160]

Skipping is one of the best forms of cardio exercise going. Burns the hell out of shoulders too which is nice.

Longest I've ever gone in one session was just over an hour. Obviously caught my feet a few times but didn't stop. I was a bit sweaty.

[numtumfutunch]

Good call!

When I was a teenager my cool uncle who boxed gave me a skipping rope which was a lot of fun

Many, many years later I still have good cardio fitness but havent skipped for ages, I may well take a peep in the girl drawer (next to the man drawer) for a Disney Princess rope in the morning too

Its good fun, a seriously tough workout and doing 5 minutes of double jumps is pretty satisfying too

[CoolHands]

I've ordered a cheap speed rope as mentioned above thanks (from ebay) to get here in a few days then I'll use that. I'm feeling quite enthused I'll feel like Rocky in my head.

[zeduffman]

You've already inspired me. Bit of Googling has suggested skipping is a pretty good exercise and I do naff all atm so it's worth a go. I just bought this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skipping-Rope-Mastering-In...

[CoolHands]

zeduffman said:

You've already inspired me. Bit of Googling has suggested skipping is a pretty good exercise and I do naff all atm so it's worth a go. I just bought this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skipping-Rope-Mastering-In...

damn that looks cool I want one! I did about 50 seconds this evening.

[dave_s13]

Try 30 consecutive double unders, my PB.

If you do something like:-

30 double unders
10 burpees
10 press ups

As many reps as poss in 12min... You will feel it.

[Hoofy]

It's certainly efficient and not easy if you're doing double unders. Problem is that like anything that you're doing because it's efficient but not very enjoyable, you'll end up stopping sooner or later. At least a skipping rope takes up less storage space than a treadmill!

Better off finding something you enjoy that burns calories. Did 2 hours of tennis yesterday. I would have continued except the other players got tired. Was great weather and very enjoyable to play.

[simoid]

dave_s13 said:

Try 30 consecutive double unders, my PB.

If you do something like:-

30 double unders
10 burpees
10 press ups

As many reps as poss in 12min... You will feel it.

The glory of PH - OP suggests he'll try 30 seconds to start with and is challenged to go 24x that

[ascayman]

Always skip as part of my warm up, 3 sets of 3min skips, 40 press ups and 50 sit ups, then you are good to go!

[dave_s13]

Try to master double unders,I reckon they are maybe 4x the effort of a single skip and are brilliant for throwing in to a circuit of some description. They really, really get you blowing out your arris.

Some of the best skippers are boxers, or may Thai fighters, my grounding in how to skip efficiently comes from muay Thai, back in the day. Took up Crossfit and then found I could double under without too much bother. Double Unders are a core Crossfit skill btw.

Anyway, yes, maybe we are putting the cart before the horse here. If you can nail an efficient skip technique then your 80% there.

[CoolHands]

I'm up to 60 seconds!

[LordGrover]

Great idea. I had similar thoughts months ago and bought one of these: leather skipping rope.
Still in the bag unused.

You've inspired me to give it a try.

[The Beaver King]

My ex girlfriend used to compete in skipping around the world (yes, I am being serious....)

Quite a popular sport in Europe and is very impressive at the top level.

She was on TV quite a few times with her team (Blue Peter, Russell Howard, Reading Festival etc). Google 'JRUK' or 'Jump Rope UK'.

They do lots of different events, but speed was the one that always impressed me.

The rope is a 1mm wire and they can do up to 100 jumps in 30 secs (counting one foot only). fking mad and the ex used to come home with cuts up her leg from a miss....

[Justices]

Buddy. Lee. Youtube.

Get up every morning and make sure you get at least 5 mins of solid skipping in. Rotate from the wrists rather than the shoulders and you'll be on your way to skipping in the thousands without tripping on the rope.

[CoolHands]

Justices said:

Buddy. Lee. Youtube.

I now want to be Buddy Lee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ukPd7ay3k