FitnessU

Pick your piece

Fitness may get easier when you embrace improbable equipment. Here’s how to make friends with the foam roller, the kettlebell, and the jump rope.

Jump rope demo

Most of us were exposed to the jump rope at the playground as kids. For those who haven’t already noticed, it’s followed us to the gym as adults. Whether we know the jump rope as a toy or a tool, there’s no doubt that its use promotes lean body mass, increases muscular and cardiovascular endurance, and improves coordination. Not to mention that jump ropes are inexpensive, portable, and versatile—ideal for college students.

Here are some tips about how to choose and use a jump rope, as well as exercises for different fitness levels:

Tips

• Pick the right sized jump rope. By standing on the jump rope’s center, each handle should reach chest level. If the only available jump rope is too big, wrap the ends around your fingers.
• Hold the jump rope properly. Arms should be slightly bent with hands at hip height. Your palms should face forward. This might not apply to some advanced exercises.
• Minimize movement. Keep the jump rope at hip height. Let wrist movement and momentum control the swing. Stay on your toes and remain low to the ground.

Exercises
For each jump rope technique, I recommend tracking time rather than jumps completed. The work to rest ratio should start at either 1:2 or 1:3. For example, if you perform the traditional technique for 30 seconds, make sure to rest for either 1 minute or 90 seconds before repeating.

After you can complete a round of jumps without error, either increase your speed or perform more rounds before advancing to the next level of difficulty. Jumping rope can be done 2-4 times each week and combined with resistance training for the ultimate cross-training workout.

Beginner

• Traditional: Hop with both feet when the rope passes.
• Skipping: Alternate one foot hitting the ground after each pass of the rope.

Intermediate

• Single Leg: Hop with only one foot when the rope passes.
• Split Stance: Alternate one foot in front of the other with each pass of the rope.

Advanced

• Crossovers: Cross your arms when the rope passes in front of your body. After you hop through the loop, return your arms to each side of your hip for the second hop. Cross your arms again for the third and repeat.
• Double-unders: Hop higher and swing faster while maintaining control to clear your feet twice before landing. This might require a plastic rope for speed.

— Submitted by Frankie R., Lipscomb University

Take it anywhere kettlebell workout

Two handed kettlebell swing

1. Start with the kettlebell an arm’s length away on the ground in front of you. Sit your hips back and slightly bend the knees, keeping your back straight and chest up, and grab the handle with both hands.
2. From here, pull the kettlebell between your legs. Once you feel the momentum stop at the back, drive your hips forward by squeezing your glutes and core to stand up straight, using your hips against your forearms to propel the kettlebell up to shoulder height - you should not have to use your shoulder muscles for this.
3. As the kettlebell begins to descend, sit your hips back and slightly bend the knees while keeping the back straight, letting the forearms make contact with your inner thighs to load the hips. Drive the hips forward to stand again, and continue in this manner until you complete your reps.
4. Set the kettlebell on the ground by letting it go at arms length once you’re in the bent over position.
5. To practice form, start with 3 sets of 10 reps, trying to get a feel for the momentum of the kettlebell to make the transition between each rep smooth. Once this feels comfortable, do a set of 20-30 swings, then move directly to the next exercise.

Kettlebell clean and press

1. In the same setup for the swing, grab the kettlebell handle with one hand, making sure your index finger is against the inside of the handle.
2. Pull the kettlebell through your legs again, and this time when the kettlebell gets just in front of your body when you stand, pull it towards you by bending at the elbow and shrugging your shoulder.
3. From here you want to bring your elbow close to your side as you shoot your hand upwards- bringing your forearm to the kettlebell as it flips over to the outside of your wrist (you don’t want the kettlebell slamming on your forearm- ouch). This takes some practice initially, but will become more fluid and comfortable with a little time. This is the “clean” portion of the lift.
4. For the press, press the bell straight up as you turn your hand forward. As you lock out your arm, your bicep should be close to your head with the weight of the kettlebell pulling backwards slightly on your shoulder. Keep your glutes, quads, and core tight as you do the press.
5. Lower the bell by reversing the press motion, then drop it between the legs to initiate another clean.
6. To work on form for the clean, do 5 sets of 5 reps per arm. If the kettlebell keeps slamming onto your forearm, give it less hip drive and more pull with the arm. Once this is comfortable, do 8-12 reps per arm following the swings, then go to the next exercise with no rest.

Kettlebell windmill

1. With the kettlebell in the overhead position, turn your upper body slightly outward, putting the overhead arm towards your backside. Next, look up at the kettlebell and maintain eye contact with the bell throughout the entire move.
2. Place your inside hanging hand on the closest leg, and begin to sit your hips back, using your arm against the leg to guide you straight down. Keep the kettlebell pressed straight towards the sky as you bend forward, keeping your weight even between both feet.
3. Get as far down as you can while keeping the spine in line, then use your core and hips to come back to a standing position.
4. An easier variation of the windmill can be done by placing the kettlebell in the hand that follows the leg down to the ground. You will keep everything else the same, ending in a sideways T position at the bottom of the move and with the opposite arm overhead at the top of the movement.
5. Do 5-8 reps per arm for this exercise following the clean and press, then rest 2 minutes.

Repeat this circuit 3-5 times

—Submitted by Chase S., Northern Illinois University

The slightly less painful guide to foam rolling: Basic foam rolling techniques

Foam roller FAQ

What’s a foam roller?
Lightweight cylinders made of foam. They come in many degrees of firmness, often white and blue coloured rollers are softer while black is firmer. Foam rollers are available to use in most gyms and can be purchase at most athletic stores with the price ranging from $15-$50.

What they do?
Compared to a deep tissue massage. Provide myofascial release (relaxes the fibers that surround the muscles and connective tissue), increases circulation, which speeds recovery and relieves soreness, and increases mobility on the muscles and joints.

When should you use them?
As part of a warm up or cool down. Be sure to be warm beforehand as it can be quite aggressive. When you have muscle soreness post exercise, stiffness in the joints, and pains that affect mobility, the foam roller is highly recommended.

Who should use them?
Athletes and those who regularly engage in intense exercise, those who aren’t able to go for a professional massage, and those who need aid in flexibility training and myofascial release.

Things to consider.

• Use sparingly for a few minutes at each area.
• Avoid areas that are very sore to pressure and directly at joints, including ribs.
• Opt for gradual rocking movements rather than aggressive rolling up and down the muscle.
• Perform three movements for each section: Roll, hold, and rock.

Rolling lengthens the muscle, holding works the tense areas and rocking helpsrelease the fascia. Keep core tight and proper alignment when getting intoposition.

How do you use it?

• Start with warming up the whole body with a few minutes of light movement or do your workout. Take a roller that is firm enough for your comfort level, you may need to start with one that is softer before going on to using a firmer roller.
• Lie on the floor with your roller, starting with the low back. Place roller where the hip meets the low back, engage your abs (keep them tight) as if you’re doing a crunch. Gently roll the body over the roller to just before the back ribs, roll back. Once you find a tender spot, hold the roller close to the area for about 10 seconds, then gently rock back and forth until the muscles release and the tense area becomes less hard.
• Then move to the calves and hamstrings. Place roller under one or both lower legs and lift your self up onto your hands, engage core and repeat the same three moves (roll, hold, and rock). You may choose either one or both legs depending on the amount of pressure that’s needed for you to find the tense spots but to also offer release.
• Then progress to front thigh, your quadriceps and rector femoris. Position your self in a plank on your forearms and lie onto the roller, I’d recommend only rocking side-to-side and holding to release the fascia. Take time to move side to side to work all the quad muscles then work up to the hip flexors (where the leg meets the hip) and roll up and down.
• Next work another hip flexor known as the tensor fascia latae under the side hip just above the leg. Hip flexors are common to be tight and shortened after exercising and excessive sitting. Rolling up and down the muscle may help lengthen these shortened fibres.
• Turn over to work the gluteus muscles, rock side to side instead of rolling back and forth to work the fascia.
• Place roller under the arm to target trapezius, and post deltoid, or your upper back and shoulder, noticed I avoided the ribs and neck in this routine as they are very fragile. I’d recommend gradual static stretching for those areas. I also avoided rolling onto the Iliotibial (IT) band, which is along the side of the legs. This is a very sore area for most and can be very painful to roll over. Instead focus on the hip flexors, quads, hamstrings and glutes. They are attached to the IT band and by having them relaxed will provide relief for the IT band.
• Afterwards drink plenty of water. You may notice some inflammation and warmness to the muscles, which is ok. However, swelling and bruising may indicate a too aggressive foam rolling, go lighter and use a less firm roller and avoid the up and down rolling motions. Work the routine a few times per week up to every time you workout. Pay attention to the areas of tightness but include the whole body, as the source of tightness in one area can be caused by tightness in connecting areas.

— Submitted by Florence S., University of Saskatchewan