benefits

FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN
Put a skip in your step, America!

(Summer 2009) Not only does skipping have all the benefits of a good workout–it makes you happy too! What better exercise than one that actually, physically, physiologically makes you happy. Think about it…you see joggers with grimacing looks on their faces even walkers seem to be upleasantly completing a task. But if you ever watch someone while they’re skipping, they’ll be smiling.

“Skipping absolutely makes you feel like a kid again,” says Kim Corbin, avid skipper and founder of iskip.com. “Your adult voice says that you’ll look silly or stupid; that people will stare or poke fun at you,” she continues, “But that’s nonsense. Why do adults stop skipping in the first place? When I skip, I make people smile and feel good, including myself. Plus, it’s incredible exercise–physically and mentally. Try to get that in a gym.”

Corbin is on a mission to get adults to start skipping again. She’s convinced that our world desperately needs something positive to focus on. She says, “Our news is covered with negativity….from war, to shootings, to economic collapse. We need something simple, free, and positive to lift our spirits. Skipping is where it’s at.”

According to Corbin, “There are no skipping “rules.” People find their own ways to add skipping to their lives. Many don’t use it for exercise, but just for fun. She also realizes that skipping is not for everyone, “I understand that there are people who will not be comfortable doing it in public. But, they can talk about skipping and recommend it to those more inclined to give it a try. Even skipping spectators end up with a smile on their faces.”

Iskip.com offers a place for skippers to network and share stories as they spread the skipping word. The website celebrates the efforts of passionate skippers around the world and offers an in-dept exploration of skipping’s many benefits.  It lists opportunities for group skipping experiences around the country “It is amazing to see the positive effect a group of skippers has on a crowd of people. It exudes positive energy.”

Corbin has some advice for new skippers. She recommends the following:

Skip tip #1: As with running, always wear a good cross training shoe.

Skip tip #2: Be sure to stretch before and after you skip. You’ll be using muscles that you forgot you had.

Skip tip #3: Try skipping with a child. Children today need as much quality time with adults as possible.

Skip tip #4: Use skipping as a part of your overall workout. You can add skipping if you already have a set routine. For example, if you walk or jog, try skipping every few blocks. If you aren’t used to exercising, start slowly.

Skip tip #5: Skip for the fun of it! Don’t place rules or rigorous schedules on yourself. Let skipping bring out the kid in you–just enjoy yourself!

Skipping, when you think about it, is a part of our culture. It’s a natural part of being a human. As children, we skip in play; we skip in dance; we skip just for the heck of it. Why did we quit skipping? Maybe for the same reasons adults quit giggling to themselves, splashing in puddles, or staying in awe of life’s simple pleasures. We have much to learn from children, and a good way to start is by skipping–you’ll be amazed at the kid-like thoughts and feelings that can arise as you skip along your merry way.

And, says Corbin, don’t feel silly. “Why should anyone feel silly? It’s not silly to get extraordinary benefits from a FUN exercise”, she says, “It’s not silly to make yourself feel incredibly young again. And it’s certainly not silly to spread a little bit of joy as you go through life.”

Kim Corbin is a book publicist living in Marin County, CA  She has a degree in elementary education but emphasizes that no degree is necessary to skip.  For more information or to schedule an interview, you can contact her via email.
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Prevention Magazine listed the following benefits in their September 2001 issue…

This playful childhood exercise can also help with grown-up concerns:
**Speed up results. Add short skipping sessions to your daily walk. Skipping burns twice as many calories as walking, so you’ll lose weight faster. Or do it to raise your heart rate between sets while lifting weights.
***Sneak in a workout. Do you find there’s never any time to exercise? Skip around the house for a quickie workout.
***Strengthen bones. Moderate impact activities such as jumping and skipping help build your bones and keep them strong.
***Beat Boredom. A little skipping can energize an entire walk.
***Invite Family Fun. Young kids love to skip. Take them along to help the whole family stay fit.

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Its easier on your joints than running…

In the early 2000s, the Fox affiliate in San Francisco re-aired a segment that they did in the 1980s about skipping. They did the story because after the 1984 Olympics, an official Olympic doctor said that jogging is terrible on the joints and that skipping would make a much better exercise alternative.This is a piece of information I have been needing for quite some time…..They also interviewed a former Mr. Hercules who said that skipping is a tremendous workout because you use your entire body….upper and lower…He also said that, “Skippers make better runners.” It was such fun to watch the piece with all these people skipping around in Richard Simmons-esque shorts. Hilarious.

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