If you are thinking of setting up your own gym at home, then you should know that most of the fitness equipment comes with a very hefty price tag. The investment may not be worth it after all if you are going to be the only one to use it. In that case, having a treadmill and a skipping rope is more than enough to get you started. Yes, you heard it right – Skipping Rope! A skipping rope would be your best bet if you were looking for something that does not cost you much and yet gives you a good workout. A skipping rope is ideal for beginners and potato couches who simply cannot imagine getting themselves into an aerobic activity. So, what exactly can a skipping rope do for you and why should it be included in your daily fitness regime?

It is cheap and effective

The price is an important factor and it is within the means of practically everyone to buy a skipping rope. Even beginners can easily manage to workout for at least five to ten minutes if not more since it is such a fun way of exercising. Typically, skipping rope is an aerobic activity that gives you a good cardiovascular workout. Liz Neporent, in her book “Fitness of Dummies” has included a skipping rope in the list of top ten great fitness investments considering the benefits it offers to the cardiovascular system. In her opinion, a skipping rope can: ? Tone your thighs, calves, back, chest, shoulders, and abdominals ? Burn a lot of calories even if the workout session is short ? Improve agility ? Fortify cardiovascular system More importantly, a skipping rope does not occupy much space so can be easily tucked away underneath a coffee table or in your cupboard.

Improves coordination

In the past, boxers used skipping rope workouts to enhance the coordination of their footwork in addition to increasing stamina. Former World Aerobic Champion and “Jump and Jab” exercise video star Mindy Mylrea advocates the use of skipping rope to improve timing, agility, and rhythm. A skipping rope requires upper and lower body movements to be synchronized or else the rope gets tangled. A skipping rope thus is an effective way of improving your coordination.

Skipping rope workout is a medium impact activity

Contrary to common belief, skipping rope is not a high-impact activity and is suitable for everyone. It is more like brisk walk and the key to do it effectively is to bend the knees just slightly to avoid any impact.

How many calories can you burn?

This happens to be a very important question, as there is no point in doing any activity without knowing the number of calories it can help you burn. After all, you need to plan your workout and meals accordingly, so here are the facts and figures. An average person burns 700 calories per hour with a skipping rope. A 150-pound person skipping rope at a low skipping rate of 60 to 80 skips per minute will burn 143 calories in 15 minutes while a person skipping at 120 skips per minute would burn calories equivalent to caloric expenditure for running at six miles per hour. Caloric expenditure would thus vary as per individual weight.

Mike Lombardy is a web publisher and fitness enthusiast. Don't forget to get a 50 % discount code on the idiot proof diet at his website. With the idiot proof diet you can lose 9 lbs in 11 days. Get started today !