One of the best ways to tone your body is actually jumping around. Not exactly as a kid does because it just received those happy news that it is going to get the bicycle of its dreams, but close enough. Perhaps the joyful screams and the happy jumping around will occur later, when you will be able to see the results of your training being reflected on your bathroom's mirror, but that is a matter of personal behavior patterns and is subject to another study and not the one relating to your fitness level.



I remember the first time I picked up a rope when I was in grade school and begun jumping around in joy. Although this is an exercise I have not practiced for a long period of time, when recently I was given the chance to explore my youth's performance levels, I was disappointed to discover that I was not able to keep up jumping longer than 5 minutes before hitting the ground breathless and shouting "I quit!" Well, I can provide you with a lot of excuses, but the fact still remains that I was not physically ready to endure such a vigorous training exercise. In fact, rope jumping is considered to be an excellent calorie burner, as you are able to burn almost 200 calories in 15 minutes. Imagine that the activity kids enjoy in a playground is such a good cardiovascular exercise that offers you the opportunity to burn one slice of pizza in about 15 minutes! Isn't that a sweet deal?

But apart from the excellent calorie burning outcomes of rope jumping, your muscles -the gastrocnemius, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, abdominals, forearms, and deltoids- get and excellent workout. Moreover, your movement coordination will greatly improve and you will gain better feet balance. Finally, rope jumping is one of the best exercises you can perform in order to build those strong bones you so much will need for the rest of your life.

In case you are worried that this type of exercise is not for you, due to your lack of coordination skills or because you do not want to injure specific parts of your body, like your arms or knees, you should try to relax. If you are using the right technique, rope jumping can be easily mastered and since it actually strengthens your joints is an excellent type of exercise to stop those midnight feet aches. You could always join a group class or watch a video workout and you will soon be able to rope jump again like a kid, happy that this time your are competing against yourself and you can enjoy the results of your efforts in such a short while. Thus, regardless of your fitness level or ability to coordinate your movements, practice makes perfection. Buy a specially designed rope and begin jumping around. In less than a month you can visit again your school and invite other jumping around kids to try to match your shocking new record!