#108 - Jumping for Joy: Rediscover Activities From Childhood to Make Fitness More Fun!
Do you remember jumping around as a child, skipping and leaping over the objects in your way? Jumping is a natural way to exercise but it’s fun, too! You will burn off calories when you incorporate jumping into your routine. Get the whole family to play through fitness this summer!
Jumpstart Your Family - Jumping Makes Fitness More Fun!
Are you ready to unplug at your household? Don’t waste summer away with too much screen time. If the sun is out and the family is home, this is your chance to gather them up and do something active! The kids are likely craving your attention and some outdoor activities will be good for the mind and body. You might be a new mom, trying to lose that baby weight and feel like yourself again. Or, you might be a motivated dad, trying to get the whole family into shape so you can leave a legacy of health. Whatever your family does for bonding, you can build memories and build each other up with a fun fitness routine - together!
When we are young, we naturally jump and skip around for the fun of it. Let’s jumpstart the fitness fun with some jumping games. Try these activities in your backyard or driveway:
Jumping on the trampoline (you can get a mini-sized one if you like!)
Jumping games like leapfrog and hopscotch
Jumping toys like pogo sticks, Skip It, and Hopper balls
Jumping contests - high jump, long jump, hurdling, etc.
Here are a few more jumping games for high energy kids that you can play as a family this summer. Make it your mission to get everyone moving and laughing. You may be surprised how quickly those TV shows and video games take a backseat. Pull the plug and go outside to play and jump around!
Jumping Rope and Jumping Jacks - Cross Training for Runners
If you’re an athlete, you should already know the benefits of jumping rope and jumping jacks. If you have a professional running coach, he or she likely has you working on a cross training schedule that includes jumping jacks and jumping rope or other similar activities, like burpees. These are popular cross-training methods. To warm up before a long distance run or squeeze in a quick cardio workout, grab a jump rope or do a few sets of burpees to get your blood pumping.
Jumping might sound more like fun than a real workout but it’s a legitimate way to lose weight and build up muscle tone in your arms, legs, and core. Use this calorie calculator to figure out how many calories you’ll burn doing jumping jacks for a set amount of time. Or, see how quickly you’ll melt the weight off from jumping rope.
Besides losing weight and burning calories, there are other perks to jumping as a cross-training method. Jumping rope for a few minutes a day or doing a few sets of jumping jacks is beneficial to your internal body. It strengthens your bones and is great for the heart, but you don’t have to be a runner to benefit from jumping. It is a key preventative health activity for women because it prevents the bone density loss that comes with aging. Women are naturally more prone to bone density loss - a biological difference between men and women - but certain types of birth control have been linked to bone density loss and osteoporosis, causing issues for women as they age.
Based on a study of 60 premenopausal women, jumping 20 times a day for 16 weeks straight resulted in significantly stronger bones. The doctor overseeing this study used an x-ray machine to measure the hip bone mineral density gains on a group of women who adopted a jumping exercise routine. This eye opening study shows the importance of building up bone density before a woman enters the menopause stage, where she’s likely to lose 20% of hip bone density and become at-risk for fractures.
Jumping Across the Finish Line - Reach Your Goals
Running/jogging is nothing but a series of small jumps. Your stride and form determine your overall workout and run times, but in basic terms, running is jumping. So, it makes sense that a jumping workout goes hand-in-hand with your running practice. All runners should cross train by jumping rope and/or jumping jacks. Jumping will improve your ankle stability and prevent shin splints - a nightmare for serious runners.
If you’re new to jumping rope, here are some pointers to get you started:
Buy a decent jump rope for exercise. For as little as $10, you can order a good one.
Adjust the length of your jump rope. If it’s too long, it will slow you down and be hard to maneuver, but if your jump rope is too short, it will trip you. Here is a sizing guide.
Practice jumping without a rope first, focusing on pace and landing correctly on your feet. Once you get into the rhythm, grab your jump rope and give it a shot!
3 tips on doing jumping jacks the right way
Women’s Health Magazine shows us the right way to do jumping jacks. Click to see a video demonstration on how to do jumping jacks with your feet spread the right amount. Your posture should be straight and your spine engaged while you’re jumping.
Spread feet just enough so they’re at a hips’ width apart. Overspreading your feet can lead to knee injury or ankle sprain, so don’t go into a straddle while doing jumping jacks!
Go as fast as you can. Unlike stretching, where you want to be slow and careful, a good jumping workout takes you farther when you go quickly. Do as many jumps as you can.
Start out doing 100 jumping jacks a day. You can break it up into sets or knock out the full 100 in about 2 minutes. Work your way up to doing 500 jumping jacks daily to burn 700 calories each week, according to Today’s summer weight loss tips.
Hop to it! Work for Results That Will Make You Jump for Joy!
Join Coach Tadris and the team here at Keep Calm and Run To The Best You. We will see you across that finish line, whether your goal is to lose weight or run in a race. Contact Coach Tadris and work on a plan that will get you results worth celebrating! You will be cleaning up your eating habits, increasing your activity level, and getting your mental health in check. Get the support you need and partner with us to train, work, and jump into the best shape of your life!