Finding the right exercise for cardio and calorie burning is a difficult task. There is no one specific exercise that is not only time saving but also effective. Therefore, one has to spend hours in the gym doing specific exercises which are time consuming and also not as effective for cardio. Although running is a great exercise for cardio, a 10 minute run is hardly any better.

One specific exercise however which is great, effective, easy to do and very time saving is jumping rope. This is something that you can do for 10 minutes and you can actually feel the calories burn and heart rate go up during those 10 minutes. In today’s busy times, jumping rope is the ideal way to stay healthy and in shape without spending too much time on exercising. Another advantage of jumping rope is that it can be used as a warm up exercise for other exercises or activities, as it is a great way to stretch the muscles and gets the heart racing.

Pre-Requisites

The only thing you need for jumping rope is the rope. That is all you will need and you can use the same rope for many years. This also means that jump rope is a very cheap and easy way to start your way towards a healthy life. The rope is available not only available in stores which stock sports appliances, but is also available in most departmental stores, making it even easier to procure.

The Technique

The idea is simple enough. All you have to do is hold both ends of the rope tightly in each hand. Now keeping your hands slightly above the waistline move the rope down and as the rope reaches your feet, make a small jump to let it easily pass under your feet. Remember, your hands are not supposed to move up and down, all they have to do is maintain the circular motion of the rope.

Although this sounds very easy, the few initial days can be a bit challenging as coordinating your jump with the movement of the rope can require a bit of practice to perfect. So don’t worry if the rope entangles in your feet the first few times. It happens with everyone. The important thing is to not give up and continue practicing until you become perfect.

Tips And Precautions

First of all, make sure that the rope is of appropriate length. Shorter ropes cannot be used for obvious reasons, as they would require movement of the arms as well to get the rope under the feet. Longer ropes should also be avoided as they are harder to control and they’ll touch the ground and require more force to move.

Secondly, never jump using the heels. The heels should not even touch the ground while you are jumping rope. Only use the balls of your feet. Also do not jump too high as jumping on the balls of your feet means your calves are being used and if you jump too high you are bound to get exhausted soon and even stress your calf muscles.

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