Oh, and did we mention that studies say that after six weeks of daily 10-minute jump-rope exercises, participants demonstrated the same levels of improvement to their cardiovascular health as individuals who jogged for 30 minutes a day? And that's not even the best bit: Jumping rope at a moderate pace roughly equivocates to running an eight-minute-mile. Nice.
"Skipping is not only a great way to up your heart rate and warm the whole body up - it’s also a fantastic exercise to pop into any workout for an extra cardio burst, and can be a perfect addition to any HIIT routine," explains F45 Athletics Team Manager, Lauren Vickers. "At F45 we incorporate skipping into our cardio and hybrid sessions, getting members to skip in short and sharp bursts."
"It's a full body workout and is a great way to burn calories and build cardio endurance. While skipping, your core, legs, shoulders and arms are all activated, meaning you’re burning fat while toning your muscles."
To get started, try this F45-inspired hybrid workout that includes some quick bursts of skipping to raise your heart rate and a collection of weighted exercises.
"It can be done in a variety of spaces (home, garage, driveway, park) and the equipment is cheap and portable," adds Vickers. "It’s easy to adjust the tempo to suit most fitness levels, and it can be a great indicator of improvements in cardiovascular fitness. A ratio we love to use at F45 is 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off."
All you’ll need is a skipping rope, exercise mat, towel, water bottle and a pair of dumbbells.
Workout:
40 seconds on / 20 seconds off
2 sets each station, 2 laps each pod
Pod A
Single Leg Deadlift
Squat to Overhead Press
Skipping
Pod B
Push up + renegade row
Lateral lunge low to high
Skipping
Pod C
Bent Over Flys
Snatch
Skipping
