TIME TO SKIP SKIPPING

Trying to keep fit during COVID-19, I started skipping in a big way. It beat dodging crowds in the park, or huffing and puffing over strangers.

In the past, I've mainly used rope work to warm up or round out a session. If it was in the body of a workout, it would only be in two minute bursts, between rounds of pad work, bag work and bodyweight exercises.

Now, it was my primary exercise. Within a month, I was skipping better than I ever have before. My technique was improved and - at 40-years-old - I could push harder than I ever thought possible. Okay, skipping isn't an in-demand skill but if it isn't obvious, I was pretty happy with myself.

That was before my shins started hurting, and then a calve muscle seized up. It happened in the middle of a PB, doing double-unders, so I pushed on.

The next day, I could barely walk. I hobbled up the street, a little embarrassed. Injuring yourself chasing a skipping PB isn't something to boast about. Perhaps I'd tell people I'd fallen down the stairs drunk.

For a lot of people finding motivation is a problem when it comes to getting fit. But the flip side is being too motivated, and not listening to your body.

As a personal trainer, I've learnt it's important to program clients so they don't burn out. That can mean adding variety to workouts or allowing time for recovery. Or it can simply be a matter of saying, "Take it easy on the rope mate - even if it's a record, it's still just a skipping record."