Jump Rope Jamboree Christina Lee Steele Chapan ACE CPT M.A. Education Curriculum and Instruction B.S. Elementary Education Jump roping is a great skill for children to learn. In the following article, I will give you a brief overview of the history of the jump rope. In the second section there will be some hints for teaching the beginner or an advanced learner. In the last part of my essay I would recommend to use with your clients while teaching this skill. Jumping rope is a minimal time, high calorie burning exercise. In fifteen to twenty minutes jumpers can burn minutes the calories in a candy bar. This exercise teaches coordination, balance, and flexibility. It is an all body workout with the upper and lower muscle groups. Indirectly, it also teaches the body to balance with the mind. Originally, like most sports, jump roping was a boys’ game. Brave girls of the 1850’s decided to give jump roping a try. Scientific experts at the time said that the “girls would become tired and have blood vessels burst in their brains.” “What could become more unladylike than falling down in a bloody heap on the front lawn.” Those brave tomboys proved the experts wrong. Things changed in the 20th century when Muhammad Ali highlighted jump roping as a part of his training. His accessibility to competitive sports lead to acceptance of cultural and non-gender jump roping. Today, many male and female bodybuilders use it as a cardiovascular part of their training routine. Jump ropes are a great choice for fitness training because they are inexpensive, portable, and easy to use. Jumping can happen virtually anywhere inside or outside. Little space is needed for basic jumping skills. Children of all ages and skill levels find numerous ways to use the rope. I have recently rediscovered the joys of jumping and have added it in my training with elementary children. When I teach jump roping I usually start with free play. As I begin instruction, I have them jump as high as they can and then as low as they can. Primarily, I teach on a hard surface and I ask them to jump hard and soft on that surface. We discuss which type of jumping is the easiest to perform. Next, we talk about posture and show the differences of jumping straight, crooked, slanted, etc. If you jump low, soft and stand straight, you will be a successful jumper. I emphasize as well the following: • Adjust the rope by holding the handles and stepping on the rope. • Jumpers should put their hands down beside and slightly out from their bodies. • Don’t have your hands by your shoulders. • Shorten the rope so the handles reach your armpits. • Arms need to be fairly straight and relaxed. • Wear properly fitted athletic shoes, preferably cross-training shoes. ( Many children wear inappropriate footwear and can injure themselves or lessen their ability levels) • At first, use beaded ropes for beginners because they hold their shape and are easier to control than a lightweight rope. • See how many times the jumper can consecutively jump without missing. • Focus on concentration while performing the jumping skills. If I am working with lower elementary students, I try to have them make shapes and letters to jump in, out and to the left and right of the shape or letter. This also teaches children the concept of letters, shapes, directions, and patterns. Students can also make a group word and jump on their friend’s letters. Here are some group readiness games I would recommend to beginning middle elementary students. • JUMP A STATIONARY ROPE – The rope is stretched out across the floor. The jumpers line up and jump the rope one at a time on a signal. As the jumper approaches the rope he plants both feet together and broad jumps across the rope. Cue: take off on 2 feet and land on 2 feet. • JUMP THE SNAKE – Rope turners crouch or kneel and wiggle the rope from side to side, (no more than 12 inches). Jumpers take off and land as they did with a stationary rope. The goal is to avoid touching the rope. • SIDE SWING- Fold the rope in half and turn around with your body in a circular fashion. Have the partner jump over the rope as it goes around in a circle. • SIDE STEP SIDEWARD- Again fold the rope in half with both hands to one side of the body. Swing the rope to the left side of the body and then the right side. Jump over the rope as it touches the left and then the right side of the body. • STRADDLE JUMP-Alternate…. a regular jump with a straddle jump. The straddle jump has the feet spread to shoulder width. • SKIER- The skier is a double-foot jump similar to a technique used by skiers. The jumper stands on both feet on a line. Jumping is down sideways back ad forth over the line. Children should also try it in a backward and forward direction. • HEEL TOE- The Heel-toe, as the rope passes under the feet, the jumper jumps with the weight landing on the right foot while touching the left heel forward. On the next turn of the rope, he humps lands on the same foot, and touches the left toe beside the right heel. This pattern is done again with the opposite foot bearing the weight. • JUMP ROPE RHYMES - Rhymes or chants work well with small or large group activities. Here are a few choices for everyone to join in and keep the whole group interested and on task. (1) I love apples, red and green Tasty fruit is fit for a queen. Let us pick some from the tree You can eat them along with me. How many apples can we eat? 1, 2, 3, 4... (2) Salute to the Captain Bow to the Queen And turn your back On the dirty submarine (3) 1 and 1 are 2 2 and 2 are 4 4 and 4 are 8 (4) Mother, Mother, I am ill. Call the doctor over the hill. In came the doctor. In came the nurse In came the lady With the alligator purse. “Measles,” said the doctor. “Mumps,” said the nurse. “Nothing,” said the lady With the alligator purse (5) Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Go upstairs! Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Say your prayers. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn out the light, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, As shown above, jump roping can also teach academic skills such as memorizing spelling words, states, and math. In conclusion, jump roping is a great skill for conditioning all parts of the body. It increases coordination, rhythm, and timing with new challenges. This is a skill that children can take with them in later life. Both boys and girls are embracing jump roping. Web Resources: Think Quest about the basics of jump rope http://www.thinkquest.org/library/site_sum.html? tname=5407&url=5407/index.shtml Jump Rope History http://www.jumprope.ca/jumprope.html Jump Rope Skills http://library.thinkquest.org/5407/skills.html?tqskip1=1 Healthy Heart in Jumping Rope Disciplinary Unit http://www.pecentral.org/bp/indivBPDisplay.asp?ID=123&votes=17 Teaching Progression of skipping from the USA Jump Roping Team http://www.usajrf.org/st_teaching.asp Jump Rope Rhymes http://www.kids-teens.org/RHYMES/jump_rope.htm http://www.skookum.org/jumpropes/tradrhyme.htm http://satsop.olympus.net/biz/skookum/jumpropes/kidrhyme.htm http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/shaynamaydle/jumprope.html Games Kids Play Over 40 rhymes. http://www.gameskidsplay.net/jump_rope_ryhmes/index.htm Suggested Reading: Balley, Guy Ultimate Homeschool Physical Education Game Book Educators Press. 2003 Balley, Guy Ultimate Sports Lead up Game Book Educators Press. 1999 Balley, Guy Ultimate Playground and Recess Game. Camas, WA: Educators Press, c2001. Cole, Joanna. Anna Banana 101 Jump-rope Rhymes, Beech Tree Books, /New York. 1989 Cheatham, Billye, Ann, Physical Activities for Improving Children’s Learing and Behavior: a Guide to Sensory and Motor Development, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, c2000 Gabbard, Carl Physical Education for Children: Building the Foundation, Prentice-Hall, 1987 Gallahue, David L. Developmental Physical Education for Today’s Elementary School Children, Macmillan, 1987 Hall, J. Tillman Physical Education in the Elementary School, Goodyear Publishing Company, 1980 Panegyrize, Robert P. and Dauber, Victor P. Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children, Ninth Edition, Mac million Publishing Company, 1989. Yule, Jane. Street Rhymes around the World, Wind song, 1992 Suggested Music: Learning Company, Toddler’s Trio Stewart, Georgiana Silly Willy Pre-jump Roping Skills. Kimbo Music Jump rope Basics Jump roping is a great skill for anyone to learn. We’ve long been told the benefits of jump roping. Mark McGuire used jump roping to improve his speed and skills in baseball while Emmitt Smith applied jump roping to practice blocking and defending in football. Bruce Lee used jump roping as a martial arts warm-up and as a training strategy to develop speed. Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali are famous boxers that used jump roping to improve their power, agility and grace. Roping involves variety of muscles and stabilization skills. It increases balances and multidirectional movement. Jump roping increase explosiveness of movement. It used leg muscles including the gastroneimus and soleus as well as the biceps femoris. The quadriceps are exerted including the rectus femoris, vastus laterals, vastus intermediacy, and vastus medialis. Gluteus maximus, leg adductors, leg extensors, leg and foot flexors are also recruited in this activity. The digits of the feet learn to move and work better together. Roping teaches improvement in vertical and horizontal leap, lateral shifting, and sprinting speed. The muscles of the chest are worked such as the pectorals major and serratus anterior. The back also has quite a workout in this activity. The upper back of the trapeizus and lattissimus dorsi are worked and jump rope improves arm movements including the wrist extensors, forearms, triceps brachii, and biceps. The core is also positively affected. Jump roping requires all lower and upper body muscles to work together simultaneously. Roping conserves energy and expends a large amount of caloric burn in a short time. Jumping rope is also effective for performing aerobic exercise if done for ten minutes or more. You spend 10.2 calories per minute jumping rope compared with the 4.2 per minute expended while walking. Jump roping is recommended on a gym floor, wooden floor, artificial turf, sports, baseball field, or grass. Students should have arms length or 3 feet on either side of them and 2 feet overhead. Four to five feet should be available both in front and behind the jumper. I often tell my students to be at least arms length apart from each other in their lateral, posterior, and anterior planes of movement. Clothing should be comfortable but not baggy and hats or removable objects should be removed before jumping. Comfortable shoes should be securely tied before executing jumping movements. Ropes are made for various purposes. Some of the types of rope include: the leather rope, the licorice speed jump rope, beaded, rope master, nylon, cotton, and speed ropes. The leather rope is used primarily for boxers and has been around for almost 90 years. The licorice speed jump rope is used for learning to jump rope. It does provide a completive advantage but can instead be adjusted easily by tying knots at the handles. The beaded rope is often used in schools and is designed for students jumping on cement. They easily keep their shape but are dangerous when used too close to another student. Other types of ropes included cotton or nylon, which are considered poor for speed training, aerobic speed ropes for power jumping, the rope master for teaching upper leg movements, and the junior speed rope for younger athletes. Ropes should be divided into half to measure the length against the height of the jumper and should not go over the armpit. Ropes should go above the jumper’s head at least two feet when it is in the air. Make sure when using the rope each time that there are not cuts or holes in the rope. Ropes that are not cared for properly should be disposed of promptly. When starting to jump with the rope be sure to make sure that all knots are out and that the rope is pointing in the same direction. Also, make sure your shoes are tied. Your body position is very important to jumping. You must stand upright with your head positioned squarely on your shoulders and your eyes focusing straight ahead. Your knees should be slightly bent and your feet should be place, no wider than shoulder-width apart. Balance your body weight gently on the balls of your feet. This gives you a readiness to jump with the rope and has a good effect on your posture. If you are practicing a specific move with your feet, try shadow jumping first. This consists of jumping first and learning the move without the rope. A correct grip is essential when using the jump rope. Hold your rope with the thumb, index, and third fingers of each hand. Grasp the handle with your thumb and index finger and wrap your hand around the handles. Your grip should be comfortable but firm. Keep the ropes vertical and toward the jumping surface, whether you are jumping forward or backward. The biomechanics of the jump rope are fascinating. It is divided into three phases: the loading phase, the flight phase, and landing phase. These phases occur two or more times every second, if executed right. In the loading phase, you begin by lifting your body off the ground a mere half inch and remaining less than one inch every time the rope passes your feet. The flight phase contains a propulsion phase and an airborne phase. Propulsion consists of a slight push from the ankles, calves, knees, and hips. Push through the surface from the balls of your feet while pointing your toes downward as you become airborne. The landing phase consists of the knees, ankles, and hips spreading to impact each jump over a longer time and distance. The jumper must land softly on the balls of the feet and concentrate on staying less than an inch off the ground in the landing phase. It also allows the jumper to increase bone density and muscle recruitment. It is important that the jumper concentrate on correct landing to avoid injury. Repetition of the movements improves kinesthetic awareness by improving rhythm, balance, time, and coordination. Jumping rope while reciting proves to improve those students trying to memorize spelling words, state capitals or other important factual materials. Next month, I will provide tips for warming up and cooling down when jumping rope. For more information on jump roping, check out these sites or books or consult my website on games and chants to use while jumping rope. Jump to Warm-up Fun! Warm ups are essential in any jumping workout program. Jump roping is a total body exercise and it is important that all muscles be recruited in the warm-up since the workout is a quick anaerobic and plyometric activity. Flexibility is also important in jump roping. It helps elongate the muscles and provide the tension that is essential to jumping rope. The following provides a list of good warm-up exercises for jump roping. March in Place Place the jump rope in front of you and push it back and forth as you march in place. Marching is a total lower body movement. Shoulder Shrug Stand up straight with your arms at your sides and your feet a little apart, knees slightly bent. Make a small forward circle with both shoulders at the same time. Continue to circle your shoulders forward five more times. Then, circle your shoulders backwards. Be sure to stretch out your arms, wrists and digits. Upper body strength is gained in the front and back deltoids. Upper Torso Stretch your waist, head, neck in a circular motion with the front, left, right, back, and forward. Stretch out the arms with the palms facing toward the person and flex wrists up and down. This exercise is great for the middle back. Hip Flexor Stretch Kneel with your right foot forward, left knee back. Lean forward with your hips facing forward, keeping your body upright. Bend over your right knee and do not allow it go over your toe. Contract your buttocks under and repeat for the other leg. This exercise stretches the inner and outer thighs. Standing Calf Stretch Stand with your hands about shoulder-width apart against the wall, left knee bent, and right leg straight and extended back. Press the right heel into the floor. Repeat with the left leg back. This is a great exercise for the gastrocnemious, tibialis, peroneus longus, and the extensors and flexors of the foot. Standing Hamstring Stretch Stand with your right leg forward and left knee slightly bent. Bend at the waist and reach both arms toward the left toe toward the fingers. This motion recruits the biceps femoris and the sartorius muscles. Knee Up Stand up straight with your arms at your sides, your feet a little apart and your knees slightly bent. Keep your body straight while raising your right knee until you can grasp your just below the knee with both hands. Pull your knee upward as high as you can toward the chest. If it hurts, you are pulling your knee too high. Slowly lower your right leg to the starting position. Raise and lower your left knee in the same way. Repeat the exercise five times with each leg. This activity employs the thigh abductors, flexors, and leg adductors and extensors. Walk Like Spot Stand up straight with your arms at your sides, feet a little apart. Lift your right heel high off the ground, while keeping your right toes off the ground. Your weight is on your left foot. As you lower your right heel to the ground, lift the left foot high off the ground, keeping the left toes on the ground. Your weight is on your left foot. Continue walking by alternating your heels for one minute. The foot flexors and extensors are used. Do not forget the next time you jump rope to warm-up first. Warm-ups will lessen muscle soreness later and prevent injury.