Has this ecomonic climate got you house ridden and seeking out new ways to work out with minimal equipment? While most of the exercises I show on here require little to no equipment, you may still be searching for effective cardio without heavy machinery.
Jumping rope and walking are great ways to maintain your fitness without breaking the budget.
How has jumping rope worked out for you? Are you experiencing soreness in your calves following excessive jumping?
Try a new strategy for jumping:
- Start without the rope.
- Begin by placing your feet hip width apart.
- Bend the knees and push off the floor using a pattern which forces the toes to be the last bit coming off the floor.
- Allow yourself to have a soft landing with the balls of the feet hitting before the heels and softening your fall with your knees bending.
- Think of allowing the movement to be fluid and graceful.
- Practice 10-15 times, thinking about the motion starting in the mid-line of your body (i.e. upwards through the pelvic floor muscles) to send you upwards. The muscles throughout your legs should not be straining.
Walking tips
- Before beginning, set out a path to keep you motivated and focused (i.e. will you go around some marker or walk a distance and turn around and walk back?)
- Make sure to wear appropriate footwear to allow you to go the distance.
- Walking should be very natural and smooth. If you find yourself struggling to increase your speed, try these tips:
- Before starting, take some deep breaths, allowing your spine to grow up and out of your head with each breath.
- Reach out for each step with your heel and make sure to 'walk through' your feet, rolling from heel to toe with each step.
- Use your arms. Think of the diagonal connections along the back line of your body between your arms and legs. As you step with your Right foot, reach out long with your Left arm to help you connect through your trunk for strong movements.
How are you guys coping in this tough environment? Have you continued your regular fitness routine or had to change things up??
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10 comments:
Great tips, Rupal! I walk for my exercise - out to the pasture and the corral, several times a day. Unfortunately, my green insulated rubber boots don't qualify as appropriate footwear... :)
I don't consider walking an exercise :-)
Jumping rope has potential. I have a friend that can jump for 30 minutes straight, and carry on a conversation at the same time. Not me :-(
When I teach rope jumping, I suggest jumping with a little hop step in between the bigger jumps until the person gets the hand of it!
Walking has always been my favorite. (Yes, Dr. J, it's not really exercise, it's just part of life.) I tried to jump rope not long after my father came to live with me, because it was something I could do right in the house with him (at the old house I had to get in the car and go somewhere to walk, not having any ambition to be crushed to a guard rail by a concrete mixer) and it was a total failure. I remember when jumping rope felt good. Now, even after I half undress to put on a sports bra, it's still uncomfortable, and not just for the breasts--the knees and ankles and even hips complain.
Mary Anne in Kentucky (the comment form finally loaded after three tries.)
I'm going to agree with Dr. J here that walking isn't really an exercise, it is just apparently something us humans forgot how to do a long, long time ago.
We never use to be able to travel from Pennsylvania to California in 5 hours, imagine this: we use to walk it. Eeeek. Now most people will sit in a parking lot waiting for a parking spot 3 spaces closer to avoid walking those 15 feet.
Jump Roping on the other hand IS indeed a great cardio exercise and for those who think it's too easy, double unders (jump roping while bringing the rope under you twice on each jump) is quite a challenge and still great for the cardio!
Bag Lady-- Sounds like a good walk to me!!
Dr J-- Walking CAN be an exercise given a good pace! People swear by it!
Mary Anne-- Ahh, ya jumping rope can be a toughy at times :)
Rayna-- agreed. Love jumping rope!
~rupal
I'm going to have to disagree with Dr. J. and agree with your Rupal. Walking definitely is an exercise. How much you get out of it is in proportion to how much you put in. Go for a 5 mike hike at a brisk walking pace and tell me that you're not sweating. That tells me that calories are being burned.
I've always been a *workout at home* gal. Dvds can be borrowed from the library at no cost.
My local parks have great walks and enough people to make me feel safe. Still, I always have my cellphone in a pocket. Women should always think of safety when outside ... my city paranoia showing through. :)
You always have such practical tips! I love how much we're able to exercise without the need of fancy expensive equipment.
The cartoon made me giggle ("that's me!")
Walking will probably always be my favorite exercise, but I love mixing it up, too. As for jumping, I never quite got the hang of jump roping, but I do love to do bench jumps. Or if I can't find a bench, I just stretch out a towel in the floor and jump back and forth across it. Silly, but in a fun and productive way. :)
have a FANTASTIC weekend!
I hope you had a fantastic weekend!
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