Leap for health: Expert tips on jump rope routine

Among the many trends that went viral in the lockdown our personal favourite was young people taking charge of their health As gyms shuttered across the city social media was flooded with fun videos of fitness enthusiasts wielding the skipping rope and showing off their skills From speed sprints to stunts like side swings crossovers shuffles body wraps handstands and even the iconic bum skips the activity certainly seems to top the list of lockdown fitness routinesKnown in his circles as Mr Jumper Kalyanbased Aman Varma a professional jump rope athlete has been competing in the sport for the last nine years He is a seventime national champion and Limca Book of Records 2019 holderVarma caught midaction performing the bum skipsWe caught up with the 23yearold who is now pursuing his second year in Bachelors of Physical Education from the University of Mumbai to share a few routines that you can restart your fitness journey with at homeWhy jump ropeThe sport has numerous health benefits suggests Varma ldquoUnlike walking and running it is a complete body workout that improves cardiovascular activity and helps build muscular endurance Even those with knee injuries who have difficulty engaging in routines that require running can take up jump rope to burn calories A single session can help burn 7001200 calories per hour depending upon the intensityrdquo he sharesTJ a variation of the tripleunder jumpHe highlights the other factors to consider for beginners ldquoWearing trainers is important Good shoes shield your feet by providing muchneeded cushioning and also avoid injuries Also the surface that you perform on shouldnt be hard Begin with grass or a wooden floor before moving to concreterdquoMaintaining the right posture is a key factor as well Taking big jumps on a hard surface can lead to ankle knee or back problems in the long run since the impact from the ground is high he emphasisesRoutines for beginnersTo kick off any routine begin with stretches and jumping jacks Start at a slow pace and build speed ldquoCycling and single bounce are the most basic jumps To make the routine fun you can then start mastering simple hand movement and coordination skills like crossover and EB also known as frontback cross or sailor While crossover or cross arms involves performing the basic jump while crossing arms in front of the body the EB is performing the same crisscross while crossing one arm behind your backrdquo he sharesOnce you do these simple tricks you can then move to intermediate options like double and tripleunders They involve high jumps while turning the rope twice or thrice under the feet and rotating the rope at 720deg and 1080deg in a single jumpldquoDoing this in rapid succession can be effective in burning a lot more calories The stunt requires a lot of strength and helps develop core strength and stabilityrdquo Varma sharesGo freestyleFor those who want to engage in the activity for the sheer joy of it Varma suggests going freestyle where you do a mix of rope skills choreography and entertainment ldquoFreestyle is creativity athleticism dance moves footwork and gymnastic skills perfectly put together in a routinerdquo he says Highlighting a few elements he talks about manipulation which is the art of rope control and performing a combination of skills without breaking the flow of the rope It involves manipulating the speed and direction Some of the manipulation skills are cross toad EB backcross or bum skipsMultiples involve performing tricks in combination with double and triple unders Wrapping is another type of manipulation where you wrap the rope around the body or any body part Its different types include Toad wrap and EB wrap among others An eyecatching freestyle trick is the release where you release one or both rope handles into the air and catch it again in a flowLog on to _mr_jump3r_ on InstagramBefore you beginSoBobased Deepa Sapre a nutritionist and fitness expert highlights the dos and donts to look out forDeepa Sapre Dont jump into performing stunts You have to be at a certain level of fitness to do it Start with being physically fit Perform stunts like handstands in the presence or under the guidance of an expert Avoid trying to imitate stunts at home after seeing videos on social media Videos dont give you the full picture of the conditioning training or preparation that the athlete has undergone to reach that stage If you wish to try a handstand start with strengthening your shoulders first Do an assisted headstand with the support of a wall then move to an assisted handstand against the wall and only when you are confident enough attempt the unassisted stunt The chances of workout injuries are high while performing stunts if you lack muscle strength Dangerous stunts performed in the absence of expert guidance can also lead to severe injuries to the back and shoulder or small injuries to the wristKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news