Looking for a great cardio and conditioning exercise that can help you strengthen and tone both your upper and your lower body? We have an old school recess favourite- the jump rope. Fitness expert Zehra Allibhai show how to get you skipping into fitness.

What type of rope?

There are a few different types of rope to choose from when picking a skipping rope; plastic ropes, speed ropes etc. It’s recommended to start off with the basic plastic rope. It’s also better to have a rope with more weight to start so you can actually feel the feedback. In terms of size, make sure that you get a rope that has handles that go underneath the armpits.

We recommend the Jump rope from the Fit Nest

How should you hold the skipping rope?

You want to hold it like a handshake, not grip it too tight, hands should be by your hips, arms should be in.

What technique is best?

To start, the best way to practice is having the rope in one hand and shadow skipping, get used to jumping as the rope hits the ground, keep hands close in, don’t jump too high, keep your movements nice and tight! Remember to keep light on your feet and only land on the balls of your feet.

Image: Coachmag

If you are just starting out how long should you skip for?

Practice is key, you will trip, just keep going. Think of conserving energy, nice swift movements, keep your legs and arms in tight so you’re not using up too much energy.

Try this to start: 30 seconds on, rest and then build up to 45 seconds and rest in between.

Is a warm up necessary?

Stretching and doing a brief warm-up is super important as they prevent you from getting sore.