A fun exercise for menopause: Skipping!

It’s hip to skip in menopause!

A study carried out by the American College of Sports Medicine found that skipping could be one of the best exercise activities to do and it may also improve certain menopause symptoms too!

One of the main benefits we like about skipping is that a basic rope won't break your bank balance!

According to the British Rope Skipping Association BRSA there are major physical health benefits to swinging a rope.

Firstly, it’s a fantastic cardiovascular exercise that helps the circulatory system to improve the delivery blood to all parts of the body; helping to boost your immune system, balance your metabolism, and improve your overall health in a relatively short period of time. Not only that, it can help your mind too - a benefit we think is worthwhile testing.

Basics on buying a rope is to make sure it turns smoothly and that the handles won’t slip if hands get sweaty. Check you’ve got the right length; if it’s too long it’ll slow you down and too short it’s a potential trip to A&E! A gauge to get the correct length, is to stand on the middle of the rope, raise the handles to armpit height and adjust accordingly.

5 reasons why skipping is a beneficial and fun exercise for menopause!

And before you start we recommend you invest in a decent sports bra!

Joint friendly

If you suffer joint aches and pains, skipping should be kinder on the joints as you land on the balls of your feet, rather than your heels, lessening the impact.

The National Osteoporosis Society recommend skipping as a fantastic bone-strengthening activity for women going through menopause in the prevention of osteoporosis. Once you’ve bought the rope, it’s free, portable, light to pack and you can do it in the privacy of your own home, or just about anywhere. However should you be suffering osteoporosis, you're off the hook! It's not recommended for you.

Calorie cruncher

Skipping at a moderate pace for 30 minutes could burn off 300 to 444 calories. Easy to write but don’t anticipate you will get to this on your first round, we’ve yet to last anything close to that time!

Shorter intervals of skipping is still beneficial for combating many menopause symptoms including fatigue, low mood and sleepless nights and with practice, you can gradually extend your skipping sessions.

A study published in the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport in 2013 equated the benefits of daily jogging for 30 minutes with skipping for ten minutes a day. After six weeks the participants who skipped showed the same level of cardiovascular health improvement compared to those that jogged. Demonstrating that skipping was just as effective and more time efficient - a win-win as in our book!

Technique, not hi-tec 

The most basic skipping technique is to clear the rope with both feet together. You should aim to jump just high enough to clear the rope (about 2cm from floor), whilst slightly bending your knees and landing on the balls of your feet – easy right? Let’s get clever, try the alternate step, as if you are running. Or, get creative and try adding in the criss-cross – you managed it at school, it’s like riding a bicycle right???

Brain booster

Research shows a link between mental and physical fitness, doing 20 minutes of skipping, or any form of exercise is good for your brain. But did you know that activities with both physical and mental demands, like ballroom dancing and skipping, have a higher impact on cognitive function than treadmills, or static exercise bikes.

It seems that the best workouts for brain health involve coordination, rhythm and strategy. So, once you mastered the basics, why not challenge yourself to try some skipping tricks?

If it's good enough for them...

The joy of skipping is that it’s a great form of cardiovascular training, you build up leg strength and your upper body gets a workout.  

Try it out you’ll be in the company of IMMA Fighters, Bodybuilders, Ballerinas, little kids and celebrity skippers, Jake Gyllenhaal, Justin Bieber (we’re a Belieber!), Kate Hudson and Kim Kardashian, if Kimmy can cope with her cup size then we can too!!! 

So, there you have it, skipping’s worth a try, why not check out how we coped by watching our video Skipping for bone brain & heart health.

February 2018

Christien Bird is co-founder of Menopause Movement, our sister business that trains women’s health physiotherapists and fitness professionals to appropriately treat and train menopause women. If you are experiencing pelvic health problems and want to find a menopause trained specialist in your area.

Look no further! Search our Menopause Movement Directory.