Skipping/jumping rope is a convenient and inexpensive way to increase heart rate, burn calories, and target major muscle groups, like your legs, arms, and core. As a full-body and high-impact exercise, skipping rope is beneficial for improving coordination, balance/stability, endurance, agility, speed, and overall strength. 

Tips for Skipping Rope

– Keep your body upright, and head/neck up. Watch the rope pass to help you keep track of when you need to jump. 

– Keep a slight bend on your knees as you jump, then land on the balls of your feet.

– Your wrist controls the motion – have a steady rhythm.

– Don’t be too stiff. Maintain fluidity throughout the movement to avoid tripping.

– Keep your elbows close to your side for a greater arc of the rope.

For beginners: 

Start with mastering basic jumps, such as the bounce step (normal jump with feet together) and alternating foot step (like jogging in place while jumping but keeping the hop as minimal as possible).

Practice the desired motion without a rope first to help with coordination. 

How to Increase Difficulty 

There are various ways to increase the difficulty of a jumping rope routine:

– Increase the intensity, speed, and time.

– Play with jumping variations (e.g., normal jump to scissor jump).

– Combine it with other forms of training: calisthenics, resistance training, or endurance training. 

External stimuli can also be added to make skipping challenging:

– Use weighted ropes.

– Wear ankle weights.

– Follow the beat/rhythm of a fast song.

Skipping Variations

High-knee Jump

Skipping Jacks (in and out)

Scissor Jump

Single-Leg Jump

Backward Jump

Boxers heel to toe

Double-under
The goal of the double-under is to make the rope go around 360 degrees, twice, for every one jump. It’s tricky!

Ways To Incorporate Skipping Into A Workout Routine

– As a warm-up or cool down.

– Create a routine (e.g., HIIT) with a mix of skipping variations, calisthenics, and resistance training. YouTube has a lot of skipping workout routines available, which is a great way to get started.

– For a more cardio-based routine, include skipping ropes either at the beginning, middle (i.e., in between sessions), or end of the cardio workout. E.g. 40s rowing; 20s rest; 60s skipping.

Sample Workout Routine 

Sources

Cengizel C O, Oz E, Cengizel E. Short-term Plyometric and Jump Rope Training Effect on Body Profile and Athletic Performance in Adolescent Basketball Players. Int J Sport Stud Health. 2022;5(2):e132585. https://doi.org/10.5812/intjssh-132585.

Cooper, R. (1997, September). Skipping class: you don’t have to be a welterweight champ to skip like a man. Men’s Health, 12(7), 108. https://link-gale-com.uml.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A19662802/CPI?u=winn62981&sid=bookmark-CPI&xid=7b8a6ec8

McKay, B. &. (2021, June 27). How to Jump Rope Like a Boxer. Retrieved from The Art of Manliness: https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/fitness/how-to-jump-rope-like-a-boxer/

Shaw, G. (2023, March 2023). Jump Rope Workouts. Retrieved from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/jump-rope-workouts

Sport New Zealand. (2023). Developing Fundamental Movement – Jumping. Retrieved from Sport New Zealand: https://sportnz.org.nz/media/2048/fundamental-movement-jumping.pdf

The post Skip Rope appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM) strives to empower newcomer families to integrate into the wider community through affordable transitional housing, programs, and services. From offering onsite housing to activity programs for kids, IRCOM’s goal is to create a community and help newcomers feel at home in Canada.

Betlhem Kassa, or Betty, is the newcomer girls sport coordinator at IRCOM. It’s a partner program that’s funded through Canadian Heritage and aimed at studying how being introduced to sport at a young age may affect girls’ lives in the future. As part of this partnership, IRCOM introduced a yoga program for girls aged six to 10.

Because most of the families are low-income, IRCOM programs rely on partners like Sport Manitoba, who provide free space and access to resources like yoga instructors. The program also uses school buses to transport the girls, so it relieves pressure on the parents and reduces barriers to participate.

Clearing the Mind, Moving the Body

“I’m a newcomer and I had never played a sport in my life until I came here,” Betty says. “It can be hard to get support from your family to try a sport when you’re new and don’t know what the sport is. But here, the families live right upstairs so it’s easy for them to come talk to us and get their questions answered.”

Sports programs like this yoga one grew out of similar programs that have run for soccer, basketball, volleyball, hockey and baseball. IRCOM was asked to try a new sport outside of those five core sports to help measure the success of the program in building confidence.

The programs are also structured around the importance of creating awareness among newcomers about the benefits of sports and gaining support from the girls’ parents to try physical fitness. 

“In the newcomer community, we don’t really talk about mental health or have a clear understanding of what it is and why it’s important,” says Betty. “So when the researchers suggested yoga as a sport option, I connected with that because I wanted the girls to learn and build a habit of meditation to help clear their mind and also move their body.”

Building a Foundation For Lifelong Fitness

Another benefit of yoga is that when the girls grow out of the program, it’s a sport they can continue at home as it requires little to no equipment. The program has also been motivating for the girls because when they see their friends doing a new pose it makes them want to do it as well. Betty says she remembers helping one of the girls with a new pose going through it step by step. By the end of the class, she had it mastered, constantly wanting to show it off to her and the yoga instructor. 

“It’s always fun to see that because it really shows they’re building their confidence and getting comfortable around people outside of their own family. There’s a real sense of belonging in class and the girls are forming real friendships with each other.”

Programs like these not only helps the girls get out of their comfort zone, but also help to improve their flexibility. Yoga is an individual sport, which means the girls get to decide for themselves what they get out of it – anything from helping clear their mind, to just learning how to stretch.

Making Friends and Having Fun

The yoga program has been running since April 2023 and the girls go to yoga class every second Friday on a drop-in basis. To provide a bit of structure to class, the instructor generally sets up a whiteboard with a list of things the girls are going to do that day. When each item is done, one of the girls gets to go up and check it off the list. Once the list is complete, the girls get time to practice what they’ve learned or go into their favourite poses and show what they really like.

“It’s a great exchange-based learning opportunity. Newcomers get to learn about new things and also get to share knowledge from their culture as well,” says Betty. “It really helps build community and now that the girls have tried yoga they’re more eager to try other sports as well.”

She also says she thinks the program is so successful because it’s just for girls. Often with sports with boys involved, it tends to be more of a competitive atmosphere, whereas this yoga program for girls is more centered on making friends and having fun. The goal is to create a positive experience and help the girls build connections with each other. 

“We always want to do things as a kid but if our parents don’t believe in it or can’t afford it then we won’t. Also when they get to school and other kids already know these sports it can be intimidating and make them not want to try the sport,” says Betty. “So to be able to offer accessible programs at this young age encourages the girls to try new things without pressure or expectations which builds their confidence in trying new things outside these programs and hopefully creates a positive relationship with sport and fitness for life.”

The post IRCOM Yoga Program for Girls appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

The majority of the people who are just starting their fitness journey often start with exercises such as pull ups, chinups, or deadlifts. These exercises can be great for building back muscles and training big muscle groups. 

However, for someone who is just starting their fitness journey, these exercises can be unsafe and cause injuries. It is important to start slow and steady by focusing on functional movements first and gaining back strength in order to safely proceed.

Functional training is important, because it strengthens, stabilizes, and prepares muscles, allowing you to perform everyday activities more powerfully and productively. If you are suffering from muscle or joint pain, functional training is very beneficial, because it is focused on self-healing and renewing the body. 

The best way to start strengthening back muscles can be done with low weighted dumbbells for various reasons, including accessibility, getting the right form to prevent injuries, and learning the movements. 

Benefits of Dumbbell Exercises

Accessibility 

Beginners might not always feel comfortable stepping in the gym right away, which is why dumbbell exercises can be great for the start and learning the movements first in any kind of environment. 

Dumbbell exercises can be done wherever you’d like, whether it is at the gym, home, or a park. Dumbbells are also way more accessible for everyone, while heavy plates and exercise machines require a gym membership, which some people might not be comfortable with at the beginning of their fitness journey. 

Getting the right form to prevent injuries

Starting with dumbbells that are lighter in weight can be great for finding the right form and eventually improving it to become perfect. The right form is extremely important in fitness, not only because it is important to work and build the right muscles, but also because it prevents injuries from happening. 

Progressive weight overload 

Starting with dumbbells can be a good starting point for beginners. This is because you can choose from a wide variety of weights, of which the starting weight is usually five lbs. When starting to build back muscles by doing exercises with the barbell right away, it might be more difficult for beginners, because the barbell bar usually weighs around 40 lbs. This forces people to lift heavier right away, instead of starting slow and steady. 

In addition to this, using dumbbells can be more efficient because you start from the lightest weight possible and eventually make progress with the weight. 

Dumbbell Exercises

Incline Row 

This exercise is done on an incline bench, which is used to support the chest on a 45 degree incline angle. As you lean forward on your chest and stand on the floor for stability, you can target your back muscles, which are latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and rhomboids. Holding the dumbbells with your palms facing each other, you will band your arms while taking a breath in and extend your arms as you breathe out. 

Try 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, with 60 seconds rest between sets.

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Although this exercise mostly targets back muscles, which are latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, and rear deltoids, it also challenges your core and biceps. Use the flat bench or any flat surface close to you and place the same side leg and arm on the surface at the 90 degree angle. The opposite side leg is placed on the floor for stability and your arm is holding the dumbbell with your palm facing the body. From there, lift the arm holding the dumbbell towards your torso and extend it toward the floor. 

Remember to keep the elbow straight and close to the body. 

Try 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps, with 60 seconds rest in between sets.

Reverse Fly 

To do this exercise, sit down on the flat bench with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle, lean forward, and with dumbbells in both hands, let your arms hang next to your calves. With your palms facing your body, slowly lift your arms up until your elbows are on the same level of your shoulders. Then slowly lower your arms to the original position. This challenges your rhomboid muscles in the upper back and shoulders by using these muscles to control the movements. 

Try not to arch your back or swing the dumbbells when doing this exercise. 

If you have back issues or are unable to do this exercise correctly, it can also be done by laying down on the bench on your stomach while doing the same movements. 

Try 3 sets of 6-12 reps, with 60 seconds rest in between sets.

Dumbbell Shrug 

This exercise is great for challenging and targeting the upper trapezius muscles. Start by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, while your palms hold the dumbbells facing your body. As your shoulders are down in this position, the exercise will be performed by lifting your shoulders and arms towards the ceiling. Once your shoulders are at the top position, hold them up for a few seconds, and then slowly lower them back down to the lower position. 

Try not to swing the dumbbells and roll your shoulders in this exercise. 

Remember to move very slowly and concentrate on the muscles. 

Try 3 sets of 10-15 reps, with 60 seconds break in between sets.

Sources

14 dumbbell exercises to build back strength and muscle | Men’s Health
Dumbbell Shoulder Shrug | Jefit, Inc
Healthy Lifestyle – Fitness – The Reverse Fly | Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER)
How to do Incline Row (Chest Supported Row) | Pure Gym Limited

The post Best Dumbbell Exercises to Strengthen Your Back appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

The session will take place on Zoom on Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

A recording of the webinar will be available after the session, but we strongly encourage you to attend live for the best experience.

REGISTER NOW

About the Speaker

Darrin Luke is the Training Coordinator at Manitoba Possible. His job entails educating the public about disability, accessibility, and inclusion. He acquired his injury at the age of ten by means of a cancerous spinal tumour that caused him to become a T7 paraplegic, which means he is paralyzed from the waist down. Despite his disability, he was able to acquire a Bachelor of Arts in History and French at the University of Waterloo, an education degree at the University of Windsor and a human resources degree through the University of Manitoba. He spends a lot of his time with his wonderful spouse Jenny and their dog Harley and cat Tropper. His other passions lie in sport where he has completed four half marathons, plays sledge hockey, wheelchair tennis, and water skis.

The post Inclusive Language in Sport for People with Disabilities appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

Become a Coach

Become an Official

Program Coordinator, Ringette Manitoba

• Full time
• Application deadline: Passed

Chefs de Mission and Assistant Chefs de Mission, 2024 Manitoba Summer Games

• Volunteer opportunity
• Application deadline: Nov. 30, 2023

Events Coordinator, Manitoba Runners’ Association

• Application deadline: Dec. 1, 2023

Fitness Professional, Rady Jewish Community Centre

• Application deadline: Dec. 5, 2023

Community Hub Manager, The Y

• Application deadline: Dec. 5, 2023

Executive Director, Manitoba Organization of Disc Sports (MODS)

• Full time, permanent
• Application deadline: Dec. 15, 2023

Program Leader, City of Winnipeg

• No application deadline

Executive Director, Manitoba Tenpin Federation

• Full time, benefits
• Disregard application deadline on job posting
• No application deadline

Sports Equipment Warehouse Associate, Manitoba Aboriginal Sports & Recreation Council (MASRC)

• Full time, benefits
• No application deadline

Bookkeeper, Aquatica Synchronized Swimming Club

• One-year term
• No application deadline

Program Manager, Manitoba Organization of Disk Sports (MODS)

• Full time
• No application deadline

Athletic Therapist and/or Equipment Manager, Dauphin Kings Junior Hockey Club

• Term: Aug. 15, 2023 – Mar. 31, 2024 (approx.)
• No application deadline

Speed Swim Coach, Aquatica Synchronized Swimming Club

• Part time
• No application deadline

Lifeguard and Swim Instructor, The Y

• Part time
• Multiple positions and locations
• No application deadline

The post Jobs in Sport Blog: November Edition appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

The Coaching and Leading Effectively module gives you the skills needed to:

• Promote a positive image of sport and model it to athletes and those supporting their performance;
• Deliver clear messages and explanations when communicating with athletes and their supporters;
• Identify opportunities to interact with all athletes and use feedback to improve and correct performance and behaviour.

To register, please go to either our website or sign in to the Locker and go to Calendar.

For Ontario coaches, please register for courses through the Coaches Association of Ontario website.

The post Coaching and Leading Effectively appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

During this training you will learn:

• Role of the Master Learning Facilitator
• Selecting Learning Facilitators
• Training Learning Facilitator
• Evaluating Learning Facilitators
• Mentoring Learning Facilitators
• Role of the Master Evaluator
• Selecting Evaluators
• Training Evaluators
• Evaluating Evaluators
• Mentoring Evaluators

The post Core Master Coach Development appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

MED is one of the NCCP’s cornerstone workshops, leaving coaches with no doubt as to what to do when the going gets tough.

This NCCP Make Ethical Decisions session is being offered for free in partnership with the Mental Health is Our Sport campaign by the Coaching Association of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

To register, please sign in to the Locker and go to Calendar.

For Ontario coaches, please register for courses through the Coaches Association of Ontario website.

The post Make Ethical Decisions appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

MED is one of the NCCP’s cornerstone workshops, leaving coaches with no doubt as to what to do when the going gets tough.

This NCCP Make Ethical Decisions session is being offered for free in partnership with the Mental Health is Our Sport campaign by the Coaching Association of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

To register, please sign in to the Locker and go to Calendar.

For Ontario coaches, please register for courses through the Coaches Association of Ontario website.

The post Make Ethical Decisions appeared first on Sport Manitoba.

After taking this module you will be able to:

• Assess your own beliefs regarding effective teaching;
• Analyze certain coaching situations to determine if they promote learning;
• Create conditions that promote learning and self-esteem through appropriate consideration of the affective, cognitive, and motor dimensions of learning;
• Identify how the use of words and methods help athletes relate to their preferred learning style;
• Use well-formulated feedback, offering it at the right time and with the right frequency.

To register please go to either our website or sign into the Locker and go to Calendar. You can also register for online courses in other provinces if you would like. Just click all provinces in the Locker Calendar to see options.

For Ontario coaches please visit the Coaches Association of Ontario website to register for courses.

The post Teaching and Learning appeared first on Sport Manitoba.