RopeSport: Basic Workout

Remember skipping rope as a kid? We never worried about particular shoes or proper equipment. Jump to present day, where you'll find premium ropes, jumping mats, handle weights, and the lightning fast speed cord, not to mention “special apparel.” Although it might sound like the product-tail is wagging the consumer-dog, jumping rope (if you've got the knees and ankles for it) is not only fun but probably also one of the best workouts around (burning 1,000 calories an hour!). Instructor Louis Garcia (the “World's Greatest Jump Roper”), joined by guest celebrities Kelly Packard (Baywatch) and Eric Nies (The Real World), begins with tips for choosing the right rope size in relation to body height (and shilling the aforementioned product line), before breaking into rope technique and basic moves, including the cross, figure-eight, straddle, and scissors. Following the introductory workout, the program moves to the gym and employs a fast-edit montage while joining a crew of freestyling hard bodies whoopin' and hollerin' it up. Providing excellent cardio conditioning, this flexible and portable workout offers a great new twist on an old childhood pastime. Recommended. [Note: also available in the RopeSport series are: Intermediate Workout, Advanced Workout, and Extreme.] Aud: P. (N. Plympton)