Skipping rope workout and other stuff too.

Today I had a good work out. I spent about twenty minutes skipping rope alternating the intensity of my workout. It's also my own method of therapy.

When I began working out this year, January first, sound familiar? I weighed 210 lbs. I'm 5 ft. 8 inches tall and have a small frame, so yeah, I was one of the obese Americans we hear about so often that we simply tune it out now.

I chose rope work as my method of aerobic activity because at one point in my life, long ago, I used to box and was an active and competitive martial artist. Skipping rope was a method I was familiar with, and knew it was an effective tool for what I needed.

Because I'm now 47, not some twenty something kid, I had to go a slower route to my fitness. My first step was to my doctor's office for a physical and a chat about my plans. He was probably skeptical given my condition, the time of year (resolution season), and my age. If he was, he didn't lead on about it. He gave me some broad strokes to work with and suggested I use a heart rate monitor to gauge the intensity of my workouts. There are a lot out there, so ask around, look at Amazon's comments before you buy one.

The other things I started doing before putting on the sweats was to read as much about fitness as I could. Trust me when I say there's not only a lot of misinformation out there, there are down right lies. As science progresses what we now hold true might prove to be snake oil. But have faith, there are some great resources out there with terrific information.

Back to the rope work. Since I was so out of shape I took it slow at first. And for those of you just starting out, ignore these 90 day routes to a newer you. Those are very intense workouts and are tough to sustain over the long haul. Try them after you've achieved a good level of fitness and are looking for the next mountain to conquer.

I started by first programming some upbeat music into my computer. Next was to use a kitchen timer, an egg timer, what ever you want to call it and set my time for thirty seconds. I skipped for thirty seconds and rested for thirty seconds. I did this for twenty minutes. After a week or so I reduced the amount of rest by five seconds so the second week was thirty seconds on, twenty-five seconds off. During the down time I checked my heart rate, sipped some water, walked around, but didn't sit. And when my rest period was over I went back to work. It's pretty simple.

Now, a little more than six months later, I go for five minute intervals with a short 10-15 second break in between. This is working well for me and I've lost just under 40 lbs. in that time.

The Cheapest Piece of Cardio Equipment You'll Ever Need

I still don't know why people think they need to spend big bucks on cardio equipment. The best exercise machine you'll ever need is your own body. But for some that's not enough. We crave gear. One piece of equipment that you should have, must have, is a jump rope. That's right, the humble jump rope.

Unlike a treadmill or exercise bike a jump rope costs hundreds of dollars less. It takes up virtually no room, and it is extremely portable. If, like me, you once had to travel for work, taking along a jump rope was an easy accessory to slip into a suitcase. So it costs less, it is portable, it literally takes up no room, it is light weight, and it is a more effective cardio tool than a treadmill or bike. Heck, skipping rope is even more effective than running, and you don't have to rely on the weather to get your workout done. But if it is nice outside, taking your rope with you is no problem.

Now the bad news. Hey, I'll give it to you straight. Jumping rope takes some skill. It takes a level of coordination that a treadmill or bike don't require. But, isn't part of athleticism being able to do stuff? Skipping rope will not just improve your cardio-vascular health, it is a great tool for improving foot work for a number of sports. I mean, who hasn't watched a boxer work a rope? I'm surprised more athletes haven't gravitated toward the jump rope.

Skipping rope has the benefit of growing with you. You'll never outgrow a jump rope. Since you regulate the intensity of the work out, as your fitness level increases so can the challenge of skipping rope. Jillian Michaels suggests for cardio to be most beneficial you must train hard. And believe me, a jump rope will help you do that.