So, it turns out, I didn’t have to go to the gym tonight for work. So instead, I had to figure out what I would actually do for a workout.
Tonight, after a debilitating dinner of ravioli and garlic bread made by Momma (the kind of meal that sits heavy for hours), I knew I had to do something. So I decided on busting out my jump rope.
Pink is one of my favorite colors and I figure if I am already purchasing something, I may as well buy something supporting a cause.
I bought it a few months back and I have been afraid of it ever since. To be fair, every prior attempt to use it was in the basement. And although I hold the rope shorter, it could still hit the ceiling (but I often just tripped on my own). Previously, in the basement, I kept my feet together and did single jumps. I would tire quickly and falter easily. I could only last 30-45 seconds with this quick pace and would often trip during that time, throwing me off. And working so hard, I would need more extensive rests.
Now, the thing to remember about jump roping is the method I used as a small child: skipping.
Tonight, I tried the single foot skipping method with a beat in between (so hop hop left, hop hop right). It wasn’t a full beat, but enough to slow the pace and maintain a reasonable rhythm. And doing the single leg skip made me less likely to trip. I still did, but less often for sure. This made it a much more manageable (and dare I say enjoyable) workout.
I went outside on our brick patio, looked around to make sure no one was around to see me and set a stop watch on my phone. When jumping rope, I like to track how long I can do it without being too exhausted or tripping and making sure I don’t rest too long. Another important tool for me? My heart rate monitor.
It is so important to be conscious of heart rate. I will probably write an entire post about that one day.
That is correct. I was outside for 12 minutes and burned 108 calories. And that is not counting any residual calories once I stopped tracking. I actually jumped rope for 11 minutes and 30 seconds. And when I say jumped rope, the longest stretch I had was for one minute. And then I rested for a proportionate amount of time. Basically like this:
If I jumped rope without tripping or stopping for 15 seconds, I would regroup/rest for 5 seconds.
If I jumped rope without tripping or stopping for 30 seconds, I would regroup/rest for 15-20 seconds.
If I jumped rope without tripping or stopping for 60 seconds, I would regroup/rest for at least 30 seconds.
That is basically my guideline. And I took a few extra rests in there. I don’t have high endurance (which is something I am going to be working on and tracking on here) so there were times I needed to pause and catch my breath.
When I was going, I wanted to reach 100 calories, not base it on time. With the heart rate monitor, it is easy to track time, calories and (obviously) heart rate.
So, I recommend jumping rope!
You just need to remember to take it easy, pace yourself and rest. Also, enjoy it! Make it fun like it used to be!
I may try jumping rope around and skipping through the backyard. But it is what they say, a good workout. Even with all my resting.
Striking a Balance 