What if your workout doesn’t have to be a drag?
Hello Jump Ropers!
What’s normal to us wasn’t normal just a few years ago. Physical activity used to be a part of life. And I’m not talking about manually tilling soil and growing food, which is quite extreme. I’m talking about day-to-day manual jobs that were part of everyone’s life less than 50 years ago. Like fixing things around the house without power tools, hand-mixing ingredients or shredding cheese when cooking, hauling suitcases without wheels (even I lived that), climbing stairs, washing clothes by hand, cutting grass with a non-powered mower, and even washing your car with no more than a bucket and a rag.
No one does these things anymore. Life has become more convenient and easier for all of us, and our brains have conveniently adapted, to the point that we’re bothered if the electric stairs at the airport are out of service.
Our brains are programmed for survival first and foremost. This means we unconsciously seek to conserve energy and avoid danger. Back then, this allowed us to be ready to escape or even fight a dangerous encounter with a predator. But in the absence of predators wanting to eat us, we have become a society of sedentary, overweight, inactive, and unhealthy humans.
So, what do we do? Many go to the gym to get a workout to try to feel good. Good solution, but the thought of going to the gym to get a workout requires motivation or willpower. For most of us, these two often hide or disappear altogether. But do you know what our brain is always ready to do? Having fun. We are wired to play. Everyone likes it. Animals do it, babies do it and even people in jail do it. You may even have trouble sleeping if you’re doing something fun and exciting tomorrow morning.
What does that have to do with being in shape? Well, if it’s fun, we do it. If it’s a struggle or if it’s painful, we may make the effort for a while, but eventually give up.
Jumping rope is playing. Some see it as dancing, which almost everyone likes. So get a good pair of wireless headphones, download some fun music and keep practicing what we’ve learned so far. Side-swing, figure 8, and jump with two feet, alternating between all three. Hit music, Dominican merengue, heavy metal, new age, disco… it all works. It just has to have a fast, fun beat, and nothing will stop you.
No, we don’t want to get into more complicated jumps until you can string many simple two feet jumps. Shoot for 30 minutes of alternating between these three moves and try to string together 20 jumps before resting again with Figure 8 and Side Swing. Remember, there is no reason to give up in less time because you can always go to these two resting moves you already practiced.
So keep practicing. Pretty soon we move on to bigger and better jump moves for more fun during your full-body workout.
Check out our rope here!