[Nfb-seniors] Exercise - Jumping Rope -

[Robert Leslie Newman]

Hi You All

(Another short piece from the "Blind Perspective")

 

Most of us need more exercise. Here is one that I did as a kid, not for
exercise, but for fun! Now. I would see it as both fun and good exercise! !

 


Exercise, does a body good


By Dan Kiely
Dan at TheBlindPerspective.com <mailto:dan at theblindperspective.com>  

Hello fitness fans, and welcome to another edition of an Exercise Does A
Body Good!
In this edition we are going to be jumping, yes, as in jumping rope.
Remember ladies when you were jump roping with your girlfriends, reciting
songs, and having so much fun. Well, it can be fun again as an adult. And
yes men, jump roping can be fun for you too! Professional boxers such as
George Foreman, joe Frazier, and Mohammed Ali, to name a few incorporated
jumping rope into their training regimen. 

Equipment Needed:
A good pair of tennis shoes/ sneakers
A rope: make sure you have the right size; when you hold the rope under one
foot, the handles should just reach your armpits
A large area where you can jump: jump on a mat or area rug for orientation 

Benefits of jumping rope:
It is both a cardiovascular and aerobic conditioning exercise
Full body workout
Keeps the lymphatic system healthy (your body's sewer system)
Muscle strengthening and helps with balance 

Types of jump ropes:
Beaded jump ropes: nylon rope threaded through plastic tubular beads
Speed jump rope: weighs less than the beaded rope, and is used by boxers
Weighted jump rope: comes in yellow, red and black; yellow being the light
weighted jump rope and black being the heavier one 

Jumping form: Hold the handles more with your fingers than with your palms.
Hold your hands at 10 and 2 o'clock and at waist height, with elbows close
to your sides. Revolve the rope from the wrists, rather than from the
shoulders. 

Types of jump movements:
Double Jump: jump over the rope with both feet at the same time
Single Leg Jump: jump with one leg for a period of time, then alternate and
jump with the other leg
Backwards: rotate the rope from back to front, being sure to jump before the
rope hits the back of your sneakers
Walking Jump: jump over the rope as if walking; left foot, then right foot
and so on
High Jump: pull your knees up towards your waist as you jump
Skip Jump: one foot lands as the other one takes off
Criss Cross: cross your arms in front of you just before jumping 

So, get your favorite music, shoes, and rope. Start jumping and burn those
calories! I read somewhere that you can burn up to 1100 calories in one
hour. Like the Van Halen song says, Ya might as well jump! 

Health Tip: Sunscreen
It's true that sunscreens that have a higher SPF (Sun Protection Factor) are
more protective of your skin. But there are some important points about
sunscreens that you should keep in mind. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the
sun is comprised of UVA and UVB rays. The SPF rating refers mainly to the
amount of UVB protection that a sunscreen offers, not the UVA rays.
(Broad-spectrum sunscreens do protect from UVA rays, just not as much.) So,
individuals applying a high-SPF sunscreen may not get a sunburn, but could
still receive too much UVA radiation from the sun. 

UVA rays are known to cause skin aging as well promote skin cancer. (In
fact, some countries have banned sunscreens with very high SPFs because
authorities fear that they will give people a false sense of security and
they will stay out in the sun too long.) 

Keep in mind that when applied correctly, sunscreens with an SPF of 15 block
about 93% of the sun's UVB rays, while a sunscreen of SPF 30 blocks nearly
97% of UVB rays. One problem is that people often apply too little
sunscreen, which means they are getting a lower sun protection factor than
they think. You should always use at least a shot-glass size portion for
your body. 

Most experts recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 to 50, and
applying it generously about every two hours. That, combined with other sun
protection measures such as a hat, sunglasses, and proper clothing, should
help you stay safe and avoid the damaging effects of the sun. 

Until next time, apply some sunscreen and grab your jump rope and get some
healthy vitamin D and exercise at the same time! 

 

Respectfully yours,

Robert Leslie Newman

NFBN Senior Division, President