This term we are learning how to skip! Each child received a skipping rope in the gift bag from school at the end of last term . If your child was absent from school on the day Father Christmas came and have not got a skipping rope at home please contact school to collect your child's gift bag.
Take a video of what you can do at the start of the term then another at the end and see the difference!
Begin with the jump rope behind your body. Next, swing the jump rope gently to the front of your body and then to the back. Practice this several times just swinging the rope from the front to the back. Now swing the jump rope to the front and let it stay on the ground.
Rope jumping is a simple, easy-to-learn activity that is great for fitness and can be done just about anywhere.
Before you start …
- Choose the right jump rope. For beginners, we recommend a simple beaded jump rope or licorice jump rope.
- Size your rope. Because speed is not the objective, a longer rope is ideal for beginners. A longer rope slows things down and allows for less than perfect timing. To size your rope, stand the jump rope in the middle of the cord. The BOTTOM of the jump rope handles should come up to your armpit.
- Pick the right surface: Jump rope should be a low impact activity. Jump on a mat if outside or on a forgiving indoor surface. Hardwood floors are best as they give you a little extra bounce and are easier on the knees. If possible avoid concrete (unforgiving) and carpet (will make your rope bounce and you will have to jump higher to clear it).
Learn the basic jump (20 minutes)
Here are a few helpful strategies for starting out. The single bounce or “basic jump” is the absolute foundation of jumping rope. Become an expert at the single bounce and learning more difficult skills is much easier. I can’t stress this enough!
- Start with your hands in the "ready" position. Grip the handles loosely with your fingers, not your palms. You want to avoid giving your handles a "death grip." A loose grip will allow for a natural and more efficient turn of the jump rope and allow for greater speed. Hold the jump rope in front of you with your hands together and your elbows in close to you body.
- Practice a toe catch. Place the rope behind you and turn the jump rope over your head. Catch the jump rope under your toes and lift up your heels and let it out from underneath your feet. Repeat this movements until you become comfortable spinning the rope and catching it under you feet. The key to learning any physical skill is repetition: teaching your muscles a motion and creating a memory of how to do it. In jump rope, practicing correct movements is the key to learning.
- Pretend jump. Jumping rope is all about timing the turn of the rope with your jump. Try taking an imaginary jump rope and pretending to turn it over your head and jump rope with it. Yes, you’ll look ridiculous, but this is a great way to practice your jump and proper form. Jump on the balls of your feet with your body fairly erect. Your heels should not touch the ground, and your elbows should be near your sides with your wrists doing the work, not your arms. Continue for several minutes. Once you feel comfortable with the motion, continue to the next step.
- Practice timing. Another great way to practice correct timing is to place both handles of the rope in one hand and turn the rope at your side and jump. Try to coordinate both movements and, if possible, have somebody watch you to make sure the timing is correct.
- Try the real thing. Now it’s time to try with a real jump rope. Be patient with yourself and go slow. Challenge yourself to do one jump. Then two jumps. Then three, etc. Always try to improve upon your personal record. Improvement will come quickly with persistent practice. Don't give up!
- Too much arm, not enough wrist: Don’t swing your arms to spin the rope. Instead, use your wrists. Your hands should be held near the front of your hip bones with your wrist doing a majority of the work. The elbows do a small pumping motion in combination with the work of the wrists. The only exception to this us your very first turn of the rope will require some arm movement. You do not want your arms to come out away from your body. Besides looking funny, it makes the rope too short and slows the rope down.
- Jumping hunched over: You want to jump straight up and down with your butt and hamstrings absorbing the shock. Good form includes making a good athletic arch in your lower back with shoulders back. The biggest mistake most people make is bending forward and hunching their shoulders. The only time this is OK is in competitive speed jumping (doing 6-7 jumps a second) where the competitor needs to bend forward to make the path the rope travels smaller. See a speed jumper in action.
- Jumping too high and/or kicking heels up: Jump only a few inches off the ground. The cord or cable is no more than 5mm in diameter, so you don’t have to take big leaps. Jump rope should be a very low impact activity.
- The double bounce: Double bounces (where you hope twice between each spin of the rope) can become a bad habit and hard to break. Increase the speed of the rope and force yourself to do a single bounce. Pause between jumps and do not allow for two jumps between turns.