If you’re open-minded enough to be reading this, then chances are you’re willing to try jump-roping as part of your fitness routine.
Jumping rope was fun for most of us as kids and it can be a great part of your workout routine, too.
Here are some tips to get you up and jumping again:

STRETCH FIRST – If you opt to jump rope at the end of the workout then you should already be well-stretched. If jumping rope is all you plan on doing that day, or it will start your workout, then make sure to stretch well first.
Get a brisk walk in or light jog and then fully stretch out, paying special attention to your leg muscles.
Jumping jacks would be a good final tune-up to do before picking up the rope.

START WITH THE BASICS – Jumping rope sounds pretty easy and it is once you get the hang of it.
But if you haven’t done it for a while, it can take some getting used to.
It takes a good deal of coordination, agility and stamina to jump for very long at first.
Make sure you do the basics right:
* Hold the rope handles in each hand and let the rope touch the back of your heels on the ground.
* Try some practice jumps, swinging the rope for full revolutions.
Once you get the hang of it, try jumping rope for no more than five minutes a day. You don’t want to get too sore early on.
* After several weeks, if the jumping rope is going OK, then bump up your time to 10-minute sessions.
* It’s OK to mix in short rest moves, such as turning the rope to a side flip without jumping and then start jumping again.
Another tip is don’t jump too high – this is an endurance workout. Turn the rope with your wrists doing the work not your arms.
* Get some fast-paced music going. This will really help.

A FULL WORKOUT – After a few weeks of the longer sessions, you should be ready to really go after it for 15 minutes or more. You may even be mixing in occasional double jumps – rotating the rope twice before your feet hit the floor – between a leap.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

One of the first exercises most people learn as children is jumping rope.
Turns out, it’s an activity that can serve people well throughout most of their lives, too.
If you’re fit enough to jump up and down more than a few times, you should be OK to try jumping rope again.

Bruce Lee was once quoted saying that 10 minutes of jumping rope is as good for you as 30 minutes of running. I’m not sure if that’s been actually proven true, but in this fast-paced world most people would give jumping rope a try based on that advice alone.

Jumping rope will rev up your heart rate very quickly. In 10 or 15 minutes you can burn 200 calories or more depending on the speed you jump at and your body weight.

Some of you may have thought right away upon reading this that jumping rope would be too hard on your body.

However, many trainers I’ve talked to say running is actually considerably harder on the hips, knees and joints. When jumping rope the exertion is better cushioned because you land on the balls of your feet and the calves and shins act as shock absorbers. When jumping rope wear basketball shoes or supportive cross trainers if possible to provide better support than specialized running shoes.

However, before beginning a new jump rope program, consult a doctor or trainer if you’ve been inactive. As with any new training method, start slowly and gradually train harder.

So get out the jump rope, or go buy one and get going on your way to a great aerobic workout. And remember one more thing, jumping rope is a lot of fun!

On Tuesday, I’ll offer tips on setting up a jump rope program.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

In many parts of the country chances are you won’t be riding your bike much in the winter.
Hours of riding trails, or maybe even days at a time if you take long-distance trips, can seem like distant memories as snow and ice cover the roads.
Chances are you still try to stay in shape over the winter, but it can’t be nearly as much fun as riding the trails and roads if that’s your favorite sport.
However, there are some good ways to make the most of the biking “offseason.”
Here are six tips to get you through the long “layover” between bike trips:

Cross country ski – If you can’t beat winter, join it. Rent some cross country skis and give it a try. Take a lesson if possible. It takes some getting used to, but you’re not going nearly as fast as downhill skiing so falls shouldn’t hurt too much. This is a great way to breathe in fresh air, see beautiful scenery and get aerobic exercise similar to biking. Your legs will get a great workout too.

Go snowshoeing – Less common, but snowshoeing can be a lot of fun too. You’d have to live in an area with a lot of snow.

Focus on strength training in gym – Rebuild your body with weightlifting (focusing on legs), do plenty of ab work and mix in agility drills, too, like plyometrics.

Walk the dogs – Take your dog (or dogs) out for regular walks. Maybe even consider volunteering to walk dogs for the local shelter. This could be a physical and mental boost each time you do it and it’s great cross training.

Swim - Hit the muscles a different way by swimming instead of biking. A great cross training method for the winter.

Ride the exercise bike – Most avid cyclists I talk to don’t totally give up pedaling during the winter. Buy yourself an exercise bike, or get yours tuned up, and go to town indoors.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net