Jump ropes: Rope jumping can help to shape and tone muscles in the upper and lower body. It can also tone and shape legs and calves. While intermediate in difficulty, rope jumping provides an excellent warm-up as opposed to a treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical/cross-trainer machine for it increases one’s heart rate and core temperature.
Sizing information for jump ropes:
Rope Length
Individual’s Height
8 feet
5’5” and under
9 feet
5’6”- 6’0”
10 feet
6’1”- 6’6”
11 feet
Over 6’6”
Medicine Balls: Extremely versatile and fun to train with, medicine balls are excellent for throwing and improving dynamic flexibility and power. Portable and easy to use, medicine balls can improve performance in sports such as basketball and volleyball. While increasing strength, medicine balls also facilitate activities of daily living.
Sizing information for medicine balls:
Ball sizes (weight in lbs.)
Recommended Use
2-6 lbs.
Beginner athletes, fitness classes, one-handed exercises
8-12 lbs.
Intermediate athletes, advanced fitness classes, passing exercises
12-18 lbs.
Advanced athletes, two-handed throws
Stability/Swiss/Physio Balls: Having many names, stability ball training has its roots in rehabilitation. Physical therapists and orthopedic specialists world-wide have used this concept of training on an unstable surface since the early 1900s. Balls were used with patients who had neurological or orthopedic disorders. Today, medical doctors, osteopathic specialists, chiropractors, physical therapists and many other fitness professionals use the ball not only to treat and rehab physical injuries, but now mainstream practitioners and the public alike are getting on the ball and using it to prevent more serious physical problems before they occur.[1] Stability balls are recognized for improving “core” strength and ability. A term habitually used in fitness, one’s “core” refers to his/her musculature primarily involving the abdominal muscles, low back, and obliques (muscles running along the sides of one’s abdomen).
Sizing information for Stability Balls:
Ball diameter
Individual’s Height
45 cm
4’6”-5’0”
55 cm
5’1”-5’7”
65 cm
5’8”-6’1”
75 cm
6’2”- 6’7”
85 cm
6’7” and up
All it all, it remains clear that jump ropes, medicine balls, and stability balls remain great exercise tools. There are myriad reasons to use each piece of fitness equipment. Always keep in mind that variety is an integral component to any fitness regimen. Failure to provide creativity to one’s workout regimen is often the reason one quits working out. Change things up in your routine. For example, instead of warming up on the treadmill before every strength training workout, consider jumping rope for a few minutes, gradually building up to 5-10 minutes per session. Rather than doing crunches on the mats or the floor, make use of a stability ball, as this method of crunches recruits more stabilizer muscles around the mid-section. Don’t forget this will also decrease risk of a low-back injury and improve balance while additionally assisting in improved posture.
Please do not hesitate to schedule a consultation simply to ensure your exercise is technique is flawless. It may also prove a great way to add variety to your workout routine. Remember the benefits a trainer can add: personalizing a program just for you, guidance for proper form to prevent injury, confidence of knowing your progression is monitored and advanced properly, support for questions, a scheduled appointment for motivation, and most importantly- personal attention for your needs.
Good luck and keep working hard!
To your health,
Paul Connolly, NSCA-CPT
[1] http://www.fitnessquest.com/personaltrainer/pt_stability_ball.htm
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