FitnessU

Playful workouts

Anywhere, anytime jump rope

Warm up:

Jump Rope Figure 8: 30 seconds
Jog in place but this time hold jump rope in hands and bring your hands side by side and swing the jump rope from right to left making an infinity sign as you jog

Upper and lower body mobility stretch with the jump rope

• Jump Rope “Pass Throughs”: 8x front to back
  Hold jump rope out in front of you, grip the jump rope wider than shoulder width apart and bring the jump rope down to touch your thighs and then raise it over your head and behind you, opening up your chest as your arms move backwards behind your body. Go as far back as possible. If your range of motion is limited grip wider on the jump rope. The rope should have no slack at anytime during the pass through.
• Hamstring Leg Raises: 8 raises per leg
  Lying on your back, place the middle of the jump rope around the arch of your right leg. Hold the jump rope ends in each hand and make sure there is no slack in the rope. Pull your leg towards your chest and then lower to the floor. Repeat this motion without any pausing. Keep tension on the rope so that your leg is feeling some resistance throughout the motion. Repeat this 8 times and then move to the left leg.

Workout circuit:

Jump Rope: Side to side jumping:
As you jump rope, your feet will jump laterally from right to left.

• Perform 30 seconds for beginner 1 minute for advanced

Front to Back Step Overs:
Lay the jump rope out so that it is in a straight line. Stand on the right side of the rope. With the left foot, step across the rope, then bring your right foot to follow and meet your left. Then proceed by bringing your right foot over the rope and left to follow. Continue this pattern down the length of the rope. Turn around when you get to the end and go back down the rope.

• Perform 30 seconds for beginner and 1 minute for advanced

Jump Rope Shoulder Plank Hand Taps:
Keep the jump rope as is from the iky shuffle and stand at one of the edges of the rope. Assume a plank position with your right hand on one side of the rope and your left on the other side of the rope. To maintain a strong plank position pull your belly into your spine, keeping your back flat, your wrists, elbows and shoulders are in line and legs are together squeezing your glutes. Lift your right hand off the floor and tap the top of your left hand, then bring your left hand off the floor and tap the top of your right hand.

• Perform 20 seconds for beginner and 40 seconds for advanced
  
• exhale as you roll back up.
  
• Perform 8-10 for beginner and 15 for advanced.

Moving Forward and Backward Jump Rope Runs:
If you know how to jump rope, this is another way to challenge yourself. If you’re still learning how to jump rope, stay stationary. Start at one end of the room and start jumping rope by skipping, so one leg jumps over the rope at a time and you’re switching mid air. Once you find your rhythm start moving your jump across the room.

• Perform 30 seconds for beginner and 1 minute for advanced

Jump Rope Push up Walkovers
Lay the jump rope back out in a straight line. Assume push up position so that your body is on the right side of the rope, with your left hand only about an inch or so away from the rope. Perform a push up, option to drop the knees to get full range of motion. Then when you’re back at the top of the push up, walk your left hand over the rope and then your right hand. Perform another push up with your body now on the left side. Then walk your hands back over, right then left and perform another push up.

• Perform this for 8-12 reps.

Jump Rope Tension Sit ups
Hold the jump rope like you had it for the shoulder mobility pass throughs. Assume a sit up position; feet flat on the floor, knees to the ceiling, back on the floor, engaging the core and hold the rope above your shoulders. Take an inhale and as your exhale roll your upper body off the floor and come to the top of the sit up. Then inhale as your roll back down and exhale as you roll back up.

• Perform 8-10 for beginner and 15 for advanced.

Repeat this circuit 2x if you’re a beginner and 4x if your advanced.

— Samantha C., American University

Playground exercises

Access to a jump rope and a playground with monkey bars is necessary to complete this routine. This is also a good workout to do with a partner, as some exercises might require assistance.

• Jump Rope: A rope of optimal length should reach your armpits when standing on its center. With hands at hip-level and thumbs pointing out, begin rotating the rope and jump with both legs simultaneously as it approaches your feet. If you do not have a jump rope, refer to traditional jumping jacks instead. Jump for either 30 seconds or 1 minute straight for 3 sets to warm up.
• Monkey Bars: Depending on the height of the monkey bars, begin with feet either on the ground or on an attached ladder. Holding one bar with one hand and the next bar with the other hand, control your momentum while swinging from one bar to the next. If you find this difficult, bend your knees and have a friend support your feet while you move from one bar to the next. This will challenge your grip strength, coordination, and core stability. Assuming there are about 10 bars, complete between 4 and 6 lengths with rest in-between.
• Incline Pushups: Use the ladder from the monkey bars or another bar between knee and chest height. While holding the bar firmly, obtain a pushup-ready position. Hands should be below your shoulders, legs should be straight and hips neutral, so that your backside forms a straight line. Perform pushups by bending your arms and bringing your chest towards the bar. Once your chest either touches or comes within an inch of the bar, press against the bar to bring your body back to the original position. This builds muscle in your chest, triceps, and shoulders. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions. Note that the higher the bar/greater the incline, the easier the pushups will be. Choose a bar height suitable for your strength level.
• Supine Rows: These can be done with a single bar at roughly hip height. Hang underneath the bar with legs straight and heels on the ground. The position will look opposite to the incline pushup, in that you are under the bar as opposed to above the bar. Keep your hips extended to maintain a straight line with your body throughout the movement. With an underhand grip, so that your palms face your head, pull your body up until your chest either touches or comes within an inch of the bar. Lower your body in a controlled manner and repeat. If this is too difficult, bend your knees and have your feet flat on the ground. If a single bar at hip height is not available, refer to chin-ups on monkey bars with a friend holding your feet to assist if necessary. This will test your back, biceps, glutes, and overall core stability. Perform 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions.
• Hanging Leg Raises: Hang on to monkey bars with each hand and keep your arms straight as you bend your knees and raise them towards your elbows. Avoid momentum to isolate the muscles. This means no swinging! Too easy? Keep your legs straight and bring your feet towards your hands, but be careful! Too hard? Perform reverse crunches on the ground instead. Do so by lying on your back, holding a bar behind your head, and using your abdominal muscles to bend and pull your knees towards your chest. This exercise targets your abdomen and, once again, involves grip strength if you choose the hanging variation. Perform 3 sets of 5 to 10 repetitions.

— Frankie R., Lipscomb University

Playful workouts

• Cross Over’s: Attach a resistance band or jump rope around a pole and hold the handles so there is tension in the band. Arms should be at about shoulder height. Begin to pull both of the handles of the band across your body over to the left and then back to center. Repeat this 10 times and do the same on the left side 10 times. To modify, shorten your range, and to intensify, go as slow as you can to fatigue your muscles.
• Hopscotch: Stand in front of a hopscotch sketch on the ground, or envision one if you don’t have one. Begin to do the hopscotch sequence of jumping on one foot and then on two and then on one again. It is this kind of 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 sequence. Try holding dumbbells underhand up by your shoulders to intensify the work out. As fast as you can, do three repetitions of the hopscotch for three sets.
• Jump Ups: Find a platform at a park or a step in your house. Start standing with your feet hip width a part, arms relaxed by your sides. Create a slight bend in your knees and hop up onto the platform and drop into a squat. Step back and do it again 10 times for two sets. To intensify, you can hold dumbbells in your hands and to modify you can step up and down instead of jumping. If you are doing this at a park with wood chips or sand as the surface, the jumping won’t feel so hard on your joints!

— Eliza, University of Massachusetts Amherst