Take off your fitness tracker and remove your headphones. In a world where our workouts are dominated by data and electronics, it’s ironic that the latest trend is for the simplest retro gadgets that promise maximum results.
For its annual survey of worldwide fitness, the American College of Sports Medicine consulted more than 4,000 fitness professionals around the world and asked them to look beyond gym hype and predict the lasting fitness trends of this year. The findings, published in the Health & Fitness Journal, suggest that this will be the year we ditch excessive workout technology. And the exercise accessory of the year is likely to be the skipping rope.
You’ll be in good company, too. Kate Hudson and Justin Bieber are among the celebrities to have posted images of themselves “jump-roping” on social media and Kim Kardashian was pictured skipping as part of her workout regime last year. The actor Jake Gyllenhaal also uses it to stay in shape. The trainer Lara Milward, who trains Natalie Imbruglia, says that she uses skipping with all of her clients. “It’s very good for cardiovascular training and makes a nice change from running,” she says. “It will increase leg strength, and your upper body is also working.” Ropes now range from a simple cord with handles which costs a few quid, to hi-tech versions. The Tangram Smart Rope (£69.99, very.co.uk) syncs with an app on your iPhone or Apple watch, sharing calories burnt and workout times.
Skipping ropes are also popping up in gym classes: at some Virgin Active gyms you can try the half-hour “boxer-fit” skipping class, which promises a cardio blast that will also tone your hips, thighs, bottom and arms “with each turn of the rope”. Michelle Morrey, the fitness manager of the high-end west London gym, Equinox, says that its 30-minute jump-rope classes, using weighted “fury ropes”, have proven popular since their launch in October. “Weighted ropes add load to the entire body, targeting more muscle groups with every rotation and helping to burn even more calories”, Morrey says.
Aha, the calories. Delve into the figures and it’s easy to see what the fuss is about. Skip at a moderate pace for 30 minutes and you can burn between 300 and 444 calories. You needn’t even do that much for a dramatic return. A study published online in 2013 in the journal Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport compared the effects of half an hour of daily jogging with ten minutes of skipping a day. After six weeks participants in the study who skipped demonstrated the same levels of improvement to their cardiovascular health as those who jogged, suggesting that skipping was equally effective but far more time-efficient.
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Skipping is kinder to the joints than running, physiotherapists say, because people land on the balls of their feet rather than the heels, which lessens the impact. The National Osteoporosis Society also recommends it as a bone-strengthening activity.
Devotees of CrossFit, the uber-intense, circuit-style workout, use a rope to perform “double-unders”, an extreme take on regular skipping in which the aim is to jump extra high so that you can swing the rope twice under your feet. Torturously difficult, as you would expect. However, it has developed cult status among the hardcore gym fraternity, many posting and boasting on social media of their ability to do more than 500 double-unders in one session.
Milward suggests starting with much simpler moves. Master landing with both feet at once, then try alternating your feet as you land. “You can buy a weighted rope to work harder or mix bursts of skipping with burpees or press-ups, to progress your training,” she says. Aim to do ten minutes of continuous skipping. “You will soon see huge changes to your fitness.”
Jump yourself fit: expert tips
1 Choose the right rope
It should turn smoothly and fast, with handles that won’t slip when sweaty. Check the length — if they’re too long they’ll slow you down, if too short, you will stumble. Stand on the middle of the rope and raise the handles. They should reach your armpits.
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2 Try weighted ropes
A weighted rope can help to burn more calories, but remember that it’s the arms that tire first when skipping, not the legs. When your arms flag, you start to miss-jump.
3 Perfect the bounce step
This is the most basic skip technique and requires you to clear the rope with both feet together. Jump just high enough to clear the rope (no more than 2cm from the floor) by pushing from the balls of your feet while slightly bending your knees and flexing your ankles. Land lightly on the balls of your feet.
4 Try the alternate step
Once you’ve perfected the bounce step, try alternate jumping with one foot at a time, as if you were running on the spot. Jump by lifting your knees forward and raising your non-jumping foot a little higher than the other foot from the floor. Swing the rope around and jump over it with one foot. As it comes round the second time, jump over it with your other foot. Continue alternating your feet (lifting your knees) at a slow pace until you establish a rhythm.
5 Get creative
Add criss-cross arms or try backward skipping, mixing it up to vary your workout.