Looking for great exercise equipment but not willing to break the bank? The good news is that some of the best fitness equipment is inexpensive and long lasting. I like to keep things simple and buy only things I know will last and be versatile. When it comes to fitness tried and tested old school methods often beat the latest fads in new clothes.
One old school fitness method I have yet to see return in the weighted jump rope. It does not come any more simple and low cost this and anyone who has spent ten minutes with a 10 lbs jump rope will tell you that it doesn’t get much more challenging that this either.
A jump rope can packed and taken on business trips, finding a place to use it can be a little more challenging unless you are willing to jump in the parking lot and attract some stares. Nonetheless, this is inconsequential if you are a health nut and truly dedicated to staying in shape, where there is a will there is a way.
There are a couple of different approaches to to jump rope training, especially with a heavy rope. The first is just the straight forward timed jumping with breaks, say 2 minutes with a 2 minute break. You can also count the jumps, say 100 jumps with a 2 minute break. You can use varying intensity and you can try double jumping. If you really want to get fancy you can start doing some of the backwards swings side to side swings or any other variation that you like. Be imaginative, be creative, and find a way to keep your mind occupied.
This exercise approach is effective for a number of reasons most notably that it is a full body activity, throw in a 10 lbs rope and it becomes a resistance training exercise and requires great amounts of core strength and stability. Add to this the cardiovascular benefit of jumping up and down repeatedly and you have a very difficult and effective option for your home or travel gym.
A couple words of warning. Watch your hands when doing weighted jump ropes and make sure you have good shoes. This exercise is very hard on the body because it demands performance from all area, start slow with normal jump rope and work up from there. This can be a fabulous addictive piece of exercise equipment because it is so challenging, versatile, and effective.