for fitness

Skipping burns twice as many calories as walking, has less impact on your joints than running, and is a lot more fun!  You can skip on the treadmill, skip on the street, or skip around your house.  You can skip for long distances; walk a block, run a block, and skip a block; or walk four steps then skip four steps, walk for steps than skip four steps, etc. The most important thing to remember while skipping for fitness is that it is supposed to be fun and uplifting! Skip for as long or for as short a distance as your body feels inspired to skip!

I regularly hear from skippers who are frustrated because they feel too self-conscious to skip in public….No sweat!! Just skip in your house!!! If I can skip around my cramped San Francisco studio apartment, you can do it too!! Just turn on a happy, upbeat tune…My personal favorite is Late in the Evening by Paul Simon….and skip to your hearts delight!!! It really will infuse you with a burst of positive energy!!

A skipper in Dallas, Texas has a great way of incorporating skipping into her walking workouts. She skips for four houses and walks for four houses as she goes around her block!

We are the proud new owners of a Trimline Treadmill, and as I was walking along this morning on it, I decided to try and skip. I set the speed at 2.5 mph and it seemed just right. I walked ten paces, and skipped ten paces, and did this for just ten minutes. Terrific workout. I call it Treadmill Ten Ten Ten. (Note that you can also increase your speed the more you do it….I personally set the speed at 4.5 mph…..But it is a great idea  to start slow.)

Here are some skip tips from Prevention Magazine’s September 2001 issue:

How to Skip Safely:
1. Stay low and slow. Start with just a few easy, low-to-the-ground skips, pushing off your back foot and swinging your arms. When you feel up to it, skip a little longer or with more gusto.
2. Work it into walks. No need to skip for miles. Walk a block, then skip a quarter block. Continue mixing the two throughout your workout.
3. Soften your landing. Wear good aerobic sneakers to absorb impact. Skip on dirt or cindered paths rather than concrete.
4. Watch your back. Too much impact can aggravate lower-back injuries. Stick to easy, low-impact skips if you have a history of back problems.