This is a good exercise that uses all main muscle groups of the body and also enhances your cardiovascular and respiratory fitness. It strengthens and tones the muscles, is an excellent way of warming up before other exercises and is also useful training for sports requiring stamina, coordination and rhythm, such as boxing, athletics and weight training.

Start with 10 minutes of warm-up exercises before you skip. Always skip on a level piece of ground so that any strain on the body is evenly distributed through your legs and thighs in order to avoid injury.

HOW TO SKIP

• Keep your back straight and your head facing forward.
• Breathe through your nose.
• Keep the rope turning as smoothly as possible using your wrists and forearms.
• Push off with your toes.
• Bend your knees and jump only so high as to clear the rope, no higher.
• Land lightly on the balls of your feet.
• After five minutes, make the rope go in the opposite direction to ensure all-round benefit.
• Skipping 5-15 minutes every day will get you into shape. To maintain a good level of fitness, aim to skip for 20 minutes, three times a week.

FACTFILE

Calories burnt per minute: 4.8

Works on: strengthening chest and buttocks; neck, arm/leg muscles, shoulders, good for posture

Complementary exercises: swimming, walking

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