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METROWORKOUT

Skip your way to good health

Photo: T. Saravanan

Productive Jumps that keep your body fit

Skipping is not unknown to me. I have been a faithful follower right from my schooldays,” when I tell this to basketball coach K. Prabhu, he is not amused at all.

As rope skipping is a good cardio vascular exercise that shapes the body and tones the muscles, he makes it clear that I better follow it.

“Rope skipping is an all terrain exercise but make sure that you do it on a flat surface with no pot holes. It can be practised indoors, outdoors anywhere, as you like and does not require regular visits to the sports ground,” he assures me.

“This exercise involves the whole body. It accelerates the metabolism rate and blood circulation thereby strengthening the vascular function. It also improves your muscle resilience and cardiopulmonary function, besides improving the bone density,” Mr. Prabhu tickles the curiosity quotient in me.

As skipping calls for coordination of feet, hands and brain, which helps in improving the body agility, determining the right length of rope and the right shoes are important.

“To choose a rope with the right length, the beginner should place his/her feet in the middle of the rope and lift both ends up to his/her armpits. If the length is wrong it may result in injury. Moreover, the shoes should be able to absorb the shock due to jumps,” he cautions.

Since skipping belongs to the explosive set of exercises, regular warm ups are a must before you take the rope.

“You have to walk, jog and do some stretching exercises before you take up this workout, as the body core temperature increases while doing it.”

“There are different types of skipping that include normal skipping, single leg skipping, double swing or triple swing in a single jump, hands cross over swing, front and backwards swing and side rotation,” Mr. Prabhu explains.

After customary warm up routines, I start my session with a count of 50.

With five minutes relaxation time, I again begin the next round of 50 swings. By the time I complete 150 counts, I feel my heart thudding heavily. For next 10 minutes I am in a stage of trance. Then I follow the routine as advised by the coach. By the time I finish the day’s proceedings, I am literally on my toes, feeling pretty lightweight. Mr. Prabhu caringly tells me not to overdo given my overweight, as I run the risk of hurting my knee.

An hour of skipping everyday helps you to burn more calories than expected accentuating weight reduction.

For more details dial 9894335554 for Mr. Prabhu, Sports Hostel, Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, Madurai.

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