Skipping for fitness

[Celticgirl]

I recently added skipping to my workout regime and have to say that I am getting my butt kicked! (Sometimes literally, ouch!)  Seriously, what an incredible cardio workout skipping is!!  I can't believe it took me this long to 'discover' it and add it to my weekly schedule (especially since I can do it indoors and at home all winter long!).  After about 4 weeks of skipping workouts (2-3X per week, alternating with run days), I feel like my running has gotten considerably better - i.e. I can go faster and for longer periods without getting as winded.  This should help me with my VO2 max for the Expres test (hopefully) which is coming up soon!

I am interested in sharing notes with others who skip for fitness.  Of course, I do the Google thing to get some ideas, but it is also good to get suggestions from other sources.

So far, I have a few basic moves that I do and then I just do some straight skipping (fast speed) in between.  The moves I have started with are double unders, crossovers, on one foot for twos, threes, fours, etc, side to side (like downhill skiing), skipping forward and in reverse, knee lifts, jumping jacks (difficult), skipping on one foot going left, other foot going right, and doing the top left-top right-bottom left-bottom right combo.  I also try skipping 'backwards' (rope going backwards) which is a maneouvre that often ends up in me tripping and swearing a lot.  :-\  LOL 

I also hope to be able to do longer workouts over time, but am not sure how long it might take to work up to my goal of 30 mins.  I started with 15 min workouts and am now doing 20 min of skipping per workout, but I generally feel like I'm going to hurl afterwards, so 30 min skipping workouts seems like a lofty goal at the moment!  Most days I find it hard to get past the 10-min mark.  :blotto:

Any skippers out there???

 

[MJP]

I use skipping fairly liberally throughout my work-outs.  Certainly not everyday, but on a fairly regular basis.  It is almost never by itself but in conjunction with other exercises.  It is ok cardio but I find I am just sucking wind because I hold my breath through long sets of double unders hoping I don't mess up.  If it works for ya keep doing it.

 

[medicineman]

When I skip, I do it in sets of 5-10 minutes then go do calisthenics and come back and repeat as a form of circuit training.  It's alot easier on your calves, achilles and plantar fascia then going for 20 odd straight unless you've really worked into it.

MM

 

[Tom_Swift]

Try this burpee filled workouts will be sure to push you.

50 Double Unders
10 Burpees
40 Double Unders
10 Burpees
30 Double Unders
10 Burpees
20 Double Unders
10 Burpees
10 Double Unders

That shouldn't take more than 10 minutes provided you are familiar with double unders and can string 10-15 together.

5 Rounds of:

40 Double Unders
30 Box Jumps (24")
20 Kb Swings 1.5 Pood

Skipping is great to building core strength and for metabolic conditioning. The two above are a couple favourites that mix skipping into it all, the first I'll do when I'm in a hurry and want to get some workout in over nothing.

You could also do Tabata exercise and do it with double unders 20 seconds on 10 seconds off for 6-8 rounds for max reps each 20 second round.

Buddy Lee however is a skipping god http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKIRfOktoZg

 

[Celticgirl]

Well, Tom_Swift, I am currently able to do four double unders before 'doubling under' myself (i.e. tripping).  ;D  Still working on form, you might say.  Looks like a good, albeit terribly painful, workout you have there.  Someday, I may work up to that, but for now, I think I'll stick to doing what doesn't make me hurl in the garage (hubby frowns on it, lol).  I appreciate the input, though!

Doing 20 min straight is definitely hard on my legs, especially my calves, and I've determined that I need to do more of a warm-up before getting into full-out skip mode.  Within 2 mins, I am generally feeling a lot of calf tightness and even a bit of pain.  Maybe some light jogging for 2-3 mins before I begin?  I may try that tomorrow and see if it works the kinks out.  I know that static stretching is a no-no pre-workout, so jogging may be a more 'dynamic' way to warm the calf muscles.

 

[Chex31]

Try this burpee filled workouts will be sure to push you.

50 Double Unders
10 Burpees
40 Double Unders
10 Burpees
30 Double Unders
10 Burpees
20 Double Unders
10 Burpees
10 Double Unders

That shouldn't take more than 10 minutes provided you are familiar with double unders and can string 10-15 together.

5 Rounds of:

40 Double Unders
30 Box Jumps (24")
20 Kb Swings 1.5 Pood

Skipping is great to building core strength and for metabolic conditioning. The two above are a couple favourites that mix skipping into it all, the first I'll do when I'm in a hurry and want to get some workout in over nothing.

You could also do Tabata exercise and do it with double unders 20 seconds on 10 seconds off for 6-8 rounds for max reps each 20 second round.

Buddy Lee however is a skipping god http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKIRfOktoZg

I'm gonna give that go later today, thanks

 

[Celticgirl]

Just a little update:  I achieved a personal best on my Expres Test - stage 8 on the shuttle - and I attribute that at least in part to adding skipping to my workout regimen.  Not bad for a 40 y/o female, eh?  ;D  Next goal - stage 9...think I'm going to need to start doing triathlons or something to get to that fitness level, though!!   

 

[MJP]

Just a little update:  I achieved a personal best on my Expres Test - stage 8 on the shuttle - and I attribute that at least in part to adding skipping to my workout regimen.  Not bad for a 40 y/o female, eh?  ;D  Next goal - stage 9...think I'm going to need to start doing triathlons or something to get to that fitness level, though!! 

Good job.

Two words.  Interval training.  You would be surprised at how much your overall cardiovascular endurance increases with adding a little bit interval training into your fitness plan.