Before I started working with my trainer Peter about five years ago, I didn't even own a jump ropeit just wasn't how I did my cardio! But counting rotations quickly became a natural part of my fitness routine because it helps with footwork, which is essential for my go-tos like boxing and martial arts. Oh, and it gets your heart pumping.
Now, I am totally obsessed with jumping rope . Once I find my rhythm, I go into this Zen place. I just tune out the world and keep jumping until Peter tells me to stop.
\"If you challenge me with something, my ego and my pride kick in and I have. to. win.\"
Usually, we incorporate 500 skips or so into my warmups . It prepares me for whatever workout's to come because I'm using my entire body in a coordinated way with every swing of the rope and hop off the ground.
Jumping rope also expends a lot of energy . If you really get after it, you can burn almost 1,000 calories per hour .
Recently, Peter and I took the intensity of my 20-minute workouts up a notch by making jumping rope the main event. (Peter is always saying that switching things up and challenging your body in new ways is key if you want to keep seeing results and getting fitter.) So, after seeing the "pillow challenge" post I shared on Instagram , he dared me to do a jump-rope challenge. My goal: 1,500 skips . Yes, 1,500.
Now, I'm incredibly competitive. If you challenge me with something, my ego and my pride kick in and I have. to. win. It's not even a question; I get tunnel vision-level focus and I just do it.
I broke the challenge up into three sets of 500 skips. Once I found my groove, I could do 100 skips without missing a beat. In all, it took me about 15 minutes to get to 1,500. ( I burned 250-plus calories in the process , Peter estimated). By the end, my calves were on fire and my arms and legs burned like you wouldn't believe.
In the end, I was surprised at how funand difficultit wound up being! I really pushed myself and it was probably one of the most strenuous cardiovascular workouts I've ever done . For two (maybe even three) days afterwards, you couldn't even touch my calves, they were SO sore but I loved it because I knew I'd given my body a good jolt!
I want to know what your favorite cardio workout is! Share how you rspin your workout with Peter and me for a chance to win some goodies from my rspin fitness collection. Download the rspin app to learn more about the #rspinYourBurn Sweepstakes!
Halle Berry is a producer, director, and actress. Now known as one of the fittest women in Hollywood, Berry recently launched rspin , a community for stories, conversations, and products for health and wellness seekers. In her weekly WH column and #FitnessFriday Instagram posts, she shares a personal look into her own health and fitnessalong with the tips, tricks, and advice behind her famously fit physique.