Does anyone jump rope in here for cardio? I bought one the other day at Target, because I though it would be a fun change from the usual elliptical- but it's SO hard! I don't remember it being so hard when I was little! I just found this video which has some great tips- http://better.tv/bettertv/?cid=71344...rc=rafbettertv

But I'd love some more- anyone? Does it just take time for your body to get used to?

I wanted to do the jump rope but i found it really does your legs in and I have bad legs as it is I think you need to get to a certain point of fitness befre you are able to do it with out aches and pains after 10 jumps.
I would certainly like to know how you go on.
Cora

I got a jump rope for Xmas - I asked for one- and thought I could jump rope just like I did as a kid on days I can't get to gym and it's nice outside. WRONG!! But what I do is - 50 jumps my heart rate is at about 156 at that point and I do 3 sets. I rest in between sets until the heart drops to the low 120's or lower then do another 50. If I were doing this on a consistent basis I'm sure my jump numbers would gradually improve.

One thing I learned is not to jump on concrete..it's very hard on the joints. I jump in the driveway because it's small stones or on the grass. I can't do it in the house because of the ceiling fans and lack of space.

Good luck.

Ann Marie

I was doing it on cement, but I'll switch to the grass instead- I guess I'll just try doing intervals like the girl in the bettertv video suggested, and let you know if that helps. I wish I had friend to do it with, it would be even more fun that way. You know what this made me think of- did anyone have the skip-it when they were little? I used to love that think! That would be a great work out too!

I remember that!! Gosh, my old pink one is probably downstairs in our basement Me and my friends used to have so much fun with those

Jump roping is hard!
I find it best to do it in intervals - jump rope for 90 seconds, go run around the block, jump rope for 90 seconds, do 10 pushups, etc.

Skipping is good too! We do that at my bootcamp - we have to skip while doing hammer curls with our hand weights - it's killer!

I jump rope. When I first started I felt the same, I thought I would just ease right on into it like I did when I was younger, with the jump rope for heart marathons and things. Way wrong. It was hard on my knees and ankles and my heart rate shot through the roof. I felt like I'd just run a mile after like 15 jumps I can do it consistantly for 15-20 minutes now without dying. It's great. I think the more you do it the better it will be, you just have to stick with it. For a few months after that first try I didn't even pick up the rope, one day I decided to try again, and then told myself I had to just keep at it to get used to it. You'll do great.

I have had a jump rope for a couple years now that I bought specifically for working out and I have only used it a couple times for the same reasons as everybody on here. I am going to start doing what brn2bthn does! I can't wait I am going to start TODAY!!

i love the way you guys over the sea call it jump rope here in the uk its called skipping. and i used to do lots at a boxing club. and then at home. again like running and the such the more you do it the better your technique becomes and the more efficient you are meaning you can go longer. start off do 30's on then have a 1 min rest then 30's then 1 mins rest and so on do 10 of these. believe me you never would have thought that 30's could take so long and 1 min could go so fast. when this is easy build up the time on to 1 min and keep the rest low. by the time i quit after about a year i was on 3mins on 1 min off for 10 sets (rounds) its great cos i can watch TV while i do it. plus as a fat person i'm rather self concious about jogging in public or at the gym. but i can skip alone.

I bought a jump rope at the local Dollar Tree store and I thought I would go right into it like I did when I was younger. I was the jump rope queen on the playground in elementary school! Now? Uhh.. wrong! It hurt after a couple jumps. Talk about out of breath! I plan to get it out every now and then and slowly earn stamina to do more jumps!

Oh man I totally had a pink skit-it.

Jump roping is hard. When I was working as a personal trainer (only months ago), we would have people jump rope, but never for over 3 to 5 minutes at a time, some couldn't even do that. It's amazing how hard it is. I remember the days I'd jump rope all recess. Also we would have people jump on rubber matting so it is easier on the joints. I don't know that I would venture to do that just yet, I'm not as brave as you all!

I just bought a jumprope at Walmart. OH MY GOD! i agree with you the first thing i thought was, when I was little I LOVED to jump rope. and now I feel like i am taking way too much effort to jump rope. Its actually hard. I think because I have a lot more weight on than I did when I was little.

I do still like to jump rope but not as much as I did when I was little.

Yesssss!!! I'm sure if I attempted it now I would earn myself a trip to the emergency room....

To the OP- I think there is a jump rope thread in the exercise forum if you want to check that out. I might have to pick one up for fun. When I worked at an ice arena, our nationally competitive figure skaters would warm up by jump roping. They would do it for 2-3 minutes tops.

True, I had never realized how easy this was when I was a kid, but now as an adult, it's a type of exercise that very few people can actually do 'easily' if they're not trained in it. In any case, it's sure a great workout (and something you can do in the office's bathroom even without an actual rope when you need to shake yourself a little after two zombie-hours spent in front of a computer ).

We call it skipping in Canada too.