Jump rope routines have emerged as a popular fitness trend during the lockdown, and so we invited a professional to help you give it a shot
Varma shows off his jump rope skills at a public park in his neighbourhood in Kalyan
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 routines.
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Known in his circles as Mr Jumper, Kalyan-based Aman Varma, a professional jump rope athlete has been competing in the sport for the last nine years. He is a seven-time national champion and Limca Book of Records (2019) holder.
Varma caught mid-action performing the bum skips
We caught up with the 23-year-old who is now pursuing his second year in Bachelor's of Physical Education from the University of Mumbai, to share a few routines that you can restart your fitness journey with, at home.
Why jump rope?
The sport has numerous health benefits, suggests Varma. “Unlike 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 700-1200 calories per hour depending upon the intensity,” he shares.
TJ a variation of the triple-under jump
He highlights the other factors to consider for beginners, “Wearing trainers is important. Good shoes shield your feet by providing much-needed cushioning and also avoid injuries. Also, the surface that you perform on shouldn't be hard. Begin with grass or a wooden floor, before moving to concrete.”
Maintaining 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 emphasises.
Routines for beginners
To kick off any routine, begin with stretches and jumping jacks. Start at a slow pace and build speed. “Cycling 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 front-back 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 criss-cross while crossing one arm behind your back,” he shares.
Once you do these simple tricks, you can then move to intermediate options like double and triple-unders. They involve high jumps while turning the rope twice or thrice under the feet and rotating the rope at 720° and 1080° in a single jump.
“Doing 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 stability,” Varma shares.
Go freestyle
For 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. “Freestyle is creativity, athleticism, dance moves, footwork and gymnastic skills, perfectly put together in a routine,” 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 skips.
Multiples 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 eye-catching freestyle trick is the release where you release one or both rope handles into the air and catch it again in a flow.
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Before you begin
SoBo-based Deepa Sapre, a nutritionist and fitness expert, highlights the dos and don'ts to look out for:
Deepa Sapre
. Don't 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 don't 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 wrist.
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