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When you think of jump ropes, you probably are taken to your childhood ' memories come back of children in the play garden, skipping and singing something. Or perhaps, you remember athletes and sporting freaks working out in the gym or some one on TV stunning the audience with some super tricks with the jump rope. The jumping rope has been one of children's favorite play things for centuries. It has been a good tool for all those eager to do some hard physical exercises. But a jumping rope is much more than that. It is an excellent tool for doing aerobic exercises irrespective of how much time and money they have to spare or even space they may have.

Jumping is considered to one of the most vigorous aerobic exercises. It fortifies your heart and lungs, increases bone density, which in turn diminish the chances of developing osteoporosis. The simple jumping rope helps you build stamina, speed along with enhancing overall sense of coordination, rhythm and accuracy. Over and above this exercise adds a lot of fun. The best thing about jumping rope is that despite all the magnificent benefits it has, the item is so cheap. You can buy a decent jumping rope with only five dollars. Convenient to carry, this makes it a good tool for exercise for frequent travelers.

Exercises with jumping ropes can be extremely simple or very complicated. There are many videos, books, articles in magazines and online instructions which give you the basic rules to use it. Or your local gym instructor should be able to get you started. If you are holding the jumping rope for the first time, or re-starting it after childhood, it is wise to start with the very basic step : hold the two handles with two hands, stand with the rope behind your feet, swing it around over your head and as it comes near your feet, jump over it. Once you have practiced this, you can move on to some complicated steps. You can cross your arms as you jump, or twist your body or even swing the rope in the opposite direction. As you advance in your practices, you can try a real challenging step : the double under. This step involves swinging the rope twice under your feet as you jump ! there are triple under, quadruple under and more versions also, which people have mastered. The world record holder has done 320 consecutive triple unders. Don't worry if you cant match this level ' at least you tried.

While there has not been much alterations in the basic design of the jumping rope, modern day technology has given it a lot variations. For instance, today jumping ropes are available which are made of nylon cord or plastic beads which has a direct effect on the speed, durability and weight of the jumping rope. The handles of the jumping rope have also undergone improvement. Today these are made of wood, plastic or rubber foam and shaped in such a way to give your hands a comfortable and better grip. Some jumping ropes have attached heart-rate monitors, so that you know exactly how you are faring in the exercise regimen. Needless to mention, these features alter the price as well. So it is better to judge for yourself, which features you are actually going to use, before buying the rope.

It is always wise to keep some safety guidelines in mind before you start to jump. Make sure there is enough space for the rope to swing back and forth, without hitting anyone, or the ceiling, or worse still, the ceiling fan. Wear clothes and shoes that are comfortable and let you feel free to jump. Since these exercises can have an impact on the joints, take care of your knees and ankles. And if you are suffering from any ailments, consult your doctor, before you start this exercise.

Jumping ropes is an excellent exercise to get and stay in shape. Combined with some other exercises like stretching or weight bearing ' it can put your body in very good shape. Jumping ropes has been around for years ' and perhaps will help you do so too.