Jump ropes are one of the best bargains in fitness. Great ropes are available for $10 to $15.
Jump ropes are eminently portable and excuse proof. They are light, compact and ready to go with you anywhere.
Jumping rope promotes great posture. There is no way to jump rope while slumping or slouching.
Jumping rope is lower impact and easier on the joints than running, because you usually land on two feet instead of just one. Wear good shoes and don’t try it on concrete for best results.
Jump ropes are associated with bad ass boxers and other super fit types.
Jump roping allows for endless variations and moves, which always keeps things fun and interesting. Check out jumprope.com if you really want to be impressed.
Jumping rope is intense; you can cram a lot of sweat and effort into a little bit of time.
Jumping rope combats osteoporosis.
Jumping rope will improve your footwork, coordination and rhythm and keep you from being laughed at weddings.
Jumping rope increases cardiovascular fitness and lower body strength.
So grab a rope, find a giving surface and get bouncing!
**Clear it with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have a history of joint or cardiovascular problems.
The modern workout is often more tiring for our minds and souls, than for our bodies. We slog through the reps and sets, the sets and reps, the machines you pulley-pulley and the ones you pushy-pushy; each one different, but somehow also the same. After a while a workout can become the equivalent of filing or doing your taxes, something you treat like a chore to get on to the better parts of your day.
If the above is your current predicament, you love a challenge and enjoy sports movies with inspiring training montages set to power ballads then the Mountain Challenge was made for you.
Though the Challenge only includes three movements, it will dare you physically and mentally. It’s a workout and a goal all rolled into one. While in its clutches, if don’t wonder at least once if you will be able to finish, you’re probably not doing it right (or to the safe edge of your abilities).
You will complete a total of 10 sets, starting with 10 pull-ups and working your way down to the last set which will be only 1. With each set you will do one less pull-up, but the same amount of push-ups and hold the stretch each side for 30 seconds.
The bottom of the mountain looks like this:
10 Pull-ups (with assistance if needed, lat pull-downs can also be substituted)
10-15 push-ups (full or modified)
60 seconds of the lower body stretch that you know you need the most (probably hip or hamstring lengthening. This is your time to rest, so take it. By the end you’ll have given your most needy body parts the gift of an amazing 10 minute deep stretch).
This is an intermediate to advanced workout for those with no upper body injuries who have been training for at least three consecutive months. Start with some light cardio and dynamic upper body movements to get ready for action. Do it with a friend and good music and you’ll be more pumped than a bounce house at a birthday party.
Thanks to UCSF wonder-trainer Sarah Delaney, who contributed most of this workout. You can read more of her stuff at Sarah’s Health and Wellness Updates
It’s natural in these uncertain economic times to want to keep our budgets as lean and fit as possible. Unfortunately that sometimes means cutting back on many of the services that keep us happy, healthy and sane. Message, chiropractic care, personal training, spa days and gym memberships are often the first to hit the chopping block as we begin to liposuction our budget. Going without these proactive health services can be a real drag and also have a negative impact on our overall well being. Read on for tips on keeping the good health rolling.
Cut back, not off
Reduce your services from weekly to bi-weekly or monthly. You will maintain the relationship with your provider as well as the commitment to your health, while saving lots of dough.
Negotiate
Most everyone in the health and wellness industry is feeling the pinch and your practitioner may be willing to see you at a discounted rate. Sure, it can be uncomfortable to bring this sort of thing up, but its better then just disappearing without a trace. Ask if they have a sliding scale or tell them that while your financial situation has changed, you still really value them and would like to figure out a way to continue. More then likely they will be willing to work with you, so swallow your pride and ask.
Throw a sweat meet
Have an exercise equipment swap with friends or strangers who are vulnerable to late night fitness infomercials. Frank’s never used treadmill for Linda’s nearly brand new Solo-flex or Georgia’s trampoline for your punching bag. Trade for a little while or forever. Equipment that’s new to you will keep your workouts fresh without working out your wallet.
Tone up those angel’s wings
This is a particularly good idea if you are un or under employed. Many places including yoga and Pilates studios, private gyms and YMCA’s give complimentary classes or free memberships to good Samaritans who volunteer a few hours a week.
Three’s company
If you have been working one on one with a trainer, find a friend of similar fitness levels to join your workouts and you’ll save considerable bank. If personal training is still too much, group classes might be better for your budget. Just make sure you connect with the instructor and your workout mates. It’s possible to create similar bonds of accountability and motivation in this setting, though you will have to work a little harder to get feedback and attention.
Join a cheaper gym
Be careful with this one though because if your new gym is inconvenient/unfriendly/loud/oddly smelling etc. you won’t go and then you might as well just quit all together and buy a jump rope.
Stay tuned
For the poor man/woman’s massage day, a relaxing and rejuvenating experience that can be enjoyed on the cheap.
Go to any gym or place of exercise and you will see that most people are not following a written plan or documenting what they are doing. To make matters worse, Joe Dumbbell is probably doing a workout he has done six million times before or making it up as he goes along. This haphazard workout style ignores three of the pillars of fitness; progression, documentation and variety. With a few simple and easily implemented habits Joe D. can go from average to extraordinary.
In my own workouts I have also found that the freedom of no plan can turn into a curse. If I show up at the pool without something on paper I inevitably struggle mentally and do fewer yards then usual. The problem is that I am forcing myself to be both coach and swimmer at the same time and I usually end up not doing either job especially well.
It is the coach’s job to select an appropriate, challenging and progressive workout for his or her athletes’. It is the athletes’ job to execute that workout to the very best of their abilities, asking questions for clarity, but not questioning the coach’s plan. If you don’t bring a daily plan to the gym, pool or track then you will also have to bring your internal coach or trainer along. Your attention will be subdivided between coaching and playing and you will do neither activity at full strength.
You can certainly be your own coach and many great athletes are self-coached. Problems occur when you try to be both coach and athlete simultaneously. It is impossible to think critically when you are winded or to think of your next exercise while you are counting your own reps. Trying to accomplish both roles at the same time often results is a disorganized, less effective workout and a stressed and prematurely exhausted athlete. Get a plan, write it down and bring it along; you will free up loads of physical and physic energy for your workout.
Tips for the self-coached athlete:
Buy index cards and a plastic index card holder. Write the basics of your workout including date, time, sets and reps and keep the old ones in the case. If the index card system isn’t your cup of tea try a small note pad in your workout bag or a spread sheet on your computer. Keep trying until you find a system that works for you. This is also an invaluable tool if you decide to hire a coach or trainer.
Keep your old workouts saved and handy so that you can use them again when you don’t have time to create something new. No need to reinvent that wheel every time you get sweaty.
Review and make changes every 3-6 weeks. This will help you realize what is working and what is not. If you don’t enjoy planning your own workouts hire a trainer or coach to create something new for you on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.
To the casual observer it would seem that housekeeping and physical flexibility don’t have much to do with each other; with the possible exception of twisting yourself into knots trying to nab the dust bunnies behind your couch. In fact, stretching is one of the best ways to tidy up and set right a disorganized body. A well designed flexibility program lengthens the body, opens up the joints and returns us to a natural posture. A well stretched body is much like a freshly cleaned house just before the first party guests arrive, primed and ready for anything. Putting away your socks and taking the dirty dishes to the sink also keeps the body warm, which makes stretching more effective. When used in an interval fashion both of these modes compliment and intensify the effectiveness of the other.
I have recently developed a “stretch and straighten” routine that I do most mornings. The basic format includes two stretches, done back to back and then two items put away. I then repeat the same two stretches; attempting to go a bit deeper the second time around, and then return two more items to their proper places. I do 10 different moves, twice each for a total of 20 stretches and put away at least as many errant objects. I hold each stretch for 15 to 60 seconds.
After the workout my body feels limber and loose and my bedroom looks great, the floor as clear and uncluttered as my mind. This system works best for the type of person who enjoys multi-tasking and who doesn’t feel wrenched when switching between different activities.
Here are a few guidelines for creating your own “stretch and strengthen” routine:
Choose stretches that work more then one muscle group or target flexibility and balance at the same time. This will save you time and keep you challenged. It’s a good idea to take a few yoga classes and borrow some of their moves as most yoga stretches are multi-dimensional. It also helps to choose moves that flow from one to the other. This will make the routine more enjoyable and effective. An example from yoga that illustrates this is a downward dog into a cobra. Pick up a yoga or flexibility book to get lots of ideas and for quick reference.
Be flexible with yourself on the tiding part of the routine. If you accidentally get caught up in doing all the dishes and lose the flow of your stretching just turn off the sink and come back to it. The dishes will wait for you to complete your next two moves. Also, don’t try to do any major housecleaning while you are doing your routine. It’s more about eliminating clutter and creating order and less about sponges and giant bottles of 409.
Put the stretches that you really enjoy at the beginning and end of your routine. You will remember these most and they will keep you coming back. It is also important to choose moves that target the areas that you are tightest. For most people this is the long muscles of their legs (hips, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves) and spine.
My routine:
Warm-up:
Body Lengthening: reaching one arm at a time toward the ceiling.
Mountain Pose
Runner’s calf stretch (up against a wall)
Pick-up 2 items
Hanging shoulder stretch (arms on my dresser)
Forward bending
Pick-up 2 items
Arms overhead side bend
Half-nelson shoulder stretch
Pick-up 2 items
Standing hip stretch (with opposite twist) both sides
These two movements develop explosive pushing power and core strength. They also offer the society enhancing benefit of quickly defusing feelings of homicidal rage. I often day dream about enjoying this combo while engaging in more frustrating endeavors (usually involving a phone or computer).
What you need: a good sized medicine ball and something to bang it in to (a heavy punching bag, a solid wall or a partner who can catch).
Step 1: After a warm-up including loosening up your upper body, hit the ground for a challenging set of push-ups. Do enough to feel the tingle and get a little grunty, but not so many that you can’t get up.Step 2: Stand up and grab your medicine ball with one foot slightly in front of the other and knees soft. Think boxing stance. You are now ready to release the rage! To do a chest pass put one palm on each side of the ball and hold it against your chest at the nipple line. Arms should be bent and nearly parallel to the floor. To execute the pass extend your arms and thrust the ball forward in an explosive pushing motion. Focus on using your chest muscles, but make sure you keep your core/abdominals drawn in and tight and ground your legs into floor.Beginners: Do 10 modified push-ups (on your knees) followed by 15 chest passes. Rest one minute and repeat (for a total of two sets).Intermediates: Do 20 modified push-ups or 10 regular (on toes) followed by 20 – 25 chests passes. Do crunches for a minute and then repeat (for a total of two sets).Advanced: Do 20 – 25 push-ups followed by 30 passes (or 30 seconds of passing). Do crunches for a minute and repeat twice (for a total of three sets). Add a minute of jump roping between each set if you really want to sweat.Now get busy my little rage puppies and let me know what you think.
