Jump Rope!

Anyone who has worked with me or participated in any of my classes knows how much I love to incorporate jumping rope as a cardio element. It requires no equipment (except, of course, the rope), no instructions/learning curve, and very little space. However, if done with effort, it can be a great way to warm-up, finish a workout, or keep the heart rate up during resistance training.

Some cool "did you knows" about jumping rope ...

• Jumping rope can burn up to 1000 calories per hour, making it one of the most efficient workouts possible
• It tones muscles in the entire body, developing long, lean muscles in all major muscle groups, both upper and lower; primary benefactors are calves, glutes, arms, shoulders and abs
• Jumping rope is great not only for the cardio elements, but also the agility and coordination pieces. Anyone who hasn't tried it in a while will know what I mean when they grab a rope and get going for the first time
• It can make you feel like Rocky or Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter. Is this important in terms of the exercise benefits? Of course not. Is it important in terms of the coolness factor? 100 %.

Now I will admit that jumping rope can be a bit repetitive, but that is easily remedied with some creative design. Try these ideas:

• The first time you "fail," (the rope hits your feet), you do a pushup. 2nd time, 2 pushups. 3rd time, 3 pushups, etc., trust me .. if you jump rope for 5-10 minutes, you'll end up doing quite a few pushups.
• Or, if you have more experience, do 5 pushups everytime you fail
• Do intervals. One of my favorite interval schedules is this one - 120 seconds on/30 seconds off; 90 on/30 off; 60 on/30 off; 30 on/30 off - then work back up the other way. By the end you should be gassed.
• Do double-unders - Crossfitters will be very familiar with these. Watch the video and then try ... they are NOT as easy as they look
• Use jumping rope as active rest between sets of resistance training. I love to grab a jump rope at the gym in the morning and carry it around with me. After a set of any exercise, I'll jump for a minute instead of just standing/sitting around allowing my muscles to rest (works better on upper body lifting days than lower).

Sometimes the simplest things are the best things. You can get a jump rope just about anywhere, and even the best ones shouldn't be any more than 10-15 bucks. Grab one and get going - it's a fantastic, easy way to burn calories and stay active.

Box Jumps

I'm always on the lookout for exercises that are challenging, portable and a little different. While plyometrics have certainly begun to attract more fanfare lately, I think that many people still shy away from them for one reason or another. Many do so for good reason - they are not strong enough or mobile enough to attempt them - but I also think many people are intimidated with some of the movements and perceived challenges that go along with them. Box jumps (a cornerstone of plyometric leg work) are definitely one of the exercises that fall into that category.

When I train people using these (once I know they have strong enough leg muscles to do so, great balance and a desire to push themselves - these are pre-requisites for sure), the first thing that I inevitably notice when I put a 24- or 30-inch plyo box in front of them is the "ummm, I don't think I can do this" look/shrug/sigh/fear-addled babbling. It's understandable. Many people have no concept of their vertical leap or ability to get up and down off of something quickly. However, once someone is sufficiently motivated, a demo is done and  ONE rep is completed successfully, box jumps can be super empowering and quite addictive, in the sense that a person typically wants to see how high they can go/how many they can do in a minute, etc.

I love to work them into leg (or full body workouts) because of the incredible anaerobic and speed/power benefits, and the fact that they target each major muscle group in the lower body--quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, etc. If you want some more info on the basics and benefits of box jumps, check out this article.  

I'm also partial to them because all you need is an elevated flat surface on which to do them. Park benches, picnic table seats, tree stumps, outdoor stairs and tires are all things I've used in the past and will likely use again. Of course, you need to be sure you can do the exercise safely and in a way to achieve the desired benefit, but for a guy who does a lot of outdoor training, they're incredible.

Check out this video to see an insane example of the box jump in action - 63 inches!! That's like jumping over Muggsy Bogues for those of you who know your NBA.

Anyone out there have experience with these? I know the Crossfitters that follow this blog will have done them. Also, if you're in the boot camp, be ready  .... 

Step-Ups

As I have mentioned before, I'm always trying to incorporate new things into boot camp - especially exercises that translate well to just about any setting or skill level. That's why I love step-ups. They're an incredibly simple exercise to instruct and complete, yet they have the ability (through adding weight, increasing speed, incorporating plyometric components) to really focus on the lower body--quads, glutes, hamstrings--while promoting core activation and working on balance.

I love them for my boot camp, because all you need is a step. I use park benches, railroad ties, plyo boxes - anything that is about 24 inches off the ground. The movement itself is super simple - step up with one foot, bring the other leg with you and place that foot flat, clear the hips (meaning, bring your torso completely straight on top of your body), then step back down with the same foot you stepped up with. When both feet hit the ground again, change the lead foot.

That is the most basic movement - and here's a video to show you what it looks like. However, that is just where the fun begins. Some other things you can do to make it more challenging include:

• Adding dumbbells--this is the easiest thing to do, it adds resistance for a better leg and core workout
• Add a "pull step" once your non lead leg comes up--step up left, then step up right and "pull" that right knee towards your chest. This activates the hip flexors and adds a tougher cardio element
• Add a calf raise once both feet are flat on the step
• Move faster--this increases the pace to make it a stronger cardio challenge
• Jump into the movement--this is more difficult and should only be done after mastering the basic movement, but check this out to see what I mean - adding a plyometric element here really amps up the resistance/cardio benefits) 

You can do them anywhere - give them a try and let me know what you think! Or, if you're coming to boot camp, get ready.