Jump extend your walk

Filed in archive Exercises For Everyone on September 14, 2007

I like my walks very much and I am quite happy with them. Though recently I have started thinking I´d like to extend it somehow. To feel that I've had a good workout even though I haven´t been to the gym.

We, my walking buddy and I, have talked about running instead of walking. But we both prefer walking together than running and it is also easier when you have a small baby in a stroller with you most of the time.

So to extend the walk a little bit more I have started to use a skipping rope and skip for ten minutes after our walk. This isn´t for everyone but if you haven´t got bad knees it can be a good option. Because of the Long Walk before I am already warm and the skipping can be seen as extra interval training. After that I continue with my normal exercises such as sit-ups etc. So in total my workout is one and a half hour including cooling down.

Depending on your fitness level you might want to start with just a few minutes. Ten minutes skipping is great but also very tiring if you are not used to skipping. After the first day I could feel a nice stretchy pain in my calves so be prepared for that.

Be sure to rest in between, catch your breath and sip some water. Don´t drink too much or you will get a stomach ache/cramp. A good start can be to skip for 2 minutes, rest 30 seconds and do that in three or four sets the first few times. The gradually add one minute to each time.

Of course it is important to cool down and stretch as usual afterwards.
If you feel any pain or dizziness do not continue. Contact your doctor if you suffer from any health condition before starting a new workout.