YTFilter Jumping Rope
November 2, 2007 7:49 AM   Subscribe

Jumping Rope: A (not so) simple how-to from suburbia, kids doing it to Madonna, double dutch, an Xbox ad, then after a long introduction, jumping for Jesus and, of course, dogs on Japanese tv.
posted by dog food sugar (14 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
People jumping rope: really neat.
Dogs jumping rope: impressive.
Dog with ears and tail dyed pink: um.
posted by bassjump at 8:08 AM on November 2, 2007


Easier on the knees and feet than running,if you do it on decent surface (avoid concrete), and gets you in shape (cardo) a lot faster than miles of running. Not easy to do for any length of time till you work up to it. Great because: can be done indoors (weather bad); can be done with little expense; can take rope when on the road.
Boxers often time it: jump the number of minutes boxing; rest for same time not boxing between rounds. Builds endurance for fighting. Also useful for upper body because of arm motion.

Needed: check sites for types of ropes available and getting proper size.
posted by Postroad at 8:15 AM on November 2, 2007


somehow, I find this video more "compelling" for wanting to jump


posted by Postroad at 8:44 AM on November 2, 2007


I particularly enjoyed the dog jumping video with "Deceptataffy" from the next post playing in the background.
posted by katillathehun at 9:02 AM on November 2, 2007


I skip and jump rope at least three to four times per week. I enjoy it much more than regular road work.

I teach a conditioning course for kick boxers and interested beginners. Skipping rope is a staple. People new to skipping rope tend get frustrated by the coordination needed—this is worsened by early fatigue in the shoulders generally due to a lack of relaxation and letting the rope move itself. Also, and it's always amusing to watch, people really JUMP. They gas out after barely a minute. Even runners. All you really need to do is barely lift your lead foot and do the tiniest hop with the rear foot. Timing, timing, timing. And why boxer do it.

For beginners you really do have to start slow and get the timing. DON'T look down at your feet. Blur your vision. Keep your shoulders low let your wrists turn the rope. Lift one foot then the other hops just slightly. I remember when I started back in the day it took about two months of steady practice before I really grabbed the timing correctly. You need to listen for the "tick" of the rope as it bounces. If it makes scraping sound you are holding the rope to far away.

Another thing that helps is a proper rope of the correct length. For beginners I recommend the cheap ropes with the segmented plastic. Though a bit heavier you can really feel and hear it hit the ground and you you don't have to move so fast to get the rope to turn like the leather or cord variety.

A good routine is: 2-5 minutes jump rope. Drop the rope.
Immediately do: 10-30 push-ups, 20-50 crunches, 10-50 free squats (and 10-20 pull-ups if you got a bar). Shadow box slow for one or two minutes to recover. And then do another 2-5 minutes jump rope X 3. Easy doesn't require much of anything.
posted by tkchrist at 9:25 AM on November 2, 2007 [12 favorites]


tkchrist

If I could do that I would already be in shape.
posted by notreally at 9:58 AM on November 2, 2007


There's a guy who seems to travel the country giving seminars on jumping rope: Buddy Lee. Also here.
posted by creasy boy at 10:02 AM on November 2, 2007


If I could do that I would already be in shape.

You would be surprised. Most people can much more than they think. The body adapts very quickly. The mind? Heh. That's what the iPod is for, right?

Start with just 1 minute then. And five push ups and 10 crunches X 3. And do that two or three times per week. I guarantee you it will feel good after a week or two.

1 minute of slow, steady, and relaxed rope skipping (the relaxed part takes practice) actually feels pretty good and still challenging. With in a couple of weeks you be up to 2-3 minutes no problem.
posted by tkchrist at 10:45 AM on November 2, 2007


Oh. And stretch your hamstrings, calves, and especially the arches of your feet after every routine otherwise you can get plantar fasciitis.
posted by tkchrist at 10:47 AM on November 2, 2007


1. The Double Dutch Classic is awesome, except for the horribly boring "compulsory" section.
2. I HEREBY predict that double dutch will spawn the new "Stomp the Drumline Yard".
posted by unknowncommand at 11:49 AM on November 2, 2007


What excellent timing! I've just seen a terrific documentary about competitive jumping (Jump!) at the Chicago Int'l Film Festival & gotten totally stoked to learn the basics. Just bought a rope ($6.50, I went all-out), now I got the instructional video for free. Such a deal!
posted by facetious at 6:17 PM on November 2, 2007


Doubly excellent timing! I just came across a copy of my dad's 1975 book, Jump Rope! on Ebay. Aww, fond memories. When I was little, people were still doing double dutch, outside on the sidewalk, in NYC. Bless.
posted by DarlingBri at 8:50 PM on November 2, 2007


Good find dog food sugar.

I wish I could jump rope. My first two loops go well then I start jumping higher and higher and in 3-4 more jumps, I lose balance. I think the first "How to jump rope" video had some pretty good tips for advanced users but not really for people who can't get the easy stuff done. I guess it's just tons of practice.
posted by chime at 10:15 PM on November 3, 2007


wow. i used to jump rope for hours when i was a kid. i distinctly remember wearing holes in the bottoms of a new pair of tennis shoes and being afraid to tell my mom because she'd have to buy me yet another new pair of shoes. i wore those shoes for a week or two before she found out. i haven't blown out a pair of shoes doing *anything* for a long, long time. thanks for the tips on getting started, tkchrist. this could be the best thing i've done for myself since forever. i'm just going to make sure i wear old shoes.
posted by msconduct at 6:22 AM on November 4, 2007


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