If you have made a New Year’s resolution to get in shape this year, it’s now time to get moving. While setting fitness goals can be exciting, deciding how to go about it can be a little confusing. There are many things to consider.
What is the best exercise equipment to lose weight? Should you focus on aerobic or anaerobic exercise to burn fat?
These ideas will help you get started. After all, once you find a workout routine that you like and that gives you results, you are likely to keep going.
Just walk into a gym the first Monday after New Year’s, and you’ll see more than a lot of people crowding to get in shape. You’ll also see a lot of different exercises. From treadmills to weights to yoga, there are many approaches to choose from.
Aerobic exercises like jogging on a treadmill, using a stair climber, and biking help you build endurance while burning calories. To lose weight, you need a caloric deficit, and constant state cardio is a traditional go-to. These benefits have the drawback, though, of not helping to build strength like anaerobic exercises.
On the other hand, anaerobic exercises like lifting weights offer the combined benefits of burning fat while also increasing strength and muscle mass. These combined advantages are desirable, though they can come at the cost of not building endurance like cardio.
If you decide to focus more on aerobic exercise, you then have the choice between constant state cardio like running or biking and high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. HIIT workouts can involve a similar activity to constant state exercises like running.
For example, instead of running at the same pace for a longer period of time, you would run harder for a short duration, say 30 seconds, then slow down to a walk for 30 seconds, and then ramp it back up again for several intervals.
While constant state cardio can burn more calories, HIIT workouts have the potential to burn much more fat.
You also have the option of performing a range of bodyweight exercises that can give you the cardio benefits of HIIT along with solid strength training. One of the best examples of this is jumping rope with a weighted rope.
Can you lose weight jumping rope? Absolutely! In fact, jumping rope is one of the best HIIT exercises you can do. Intervals of jumping rope can be very intense and pack a lot of benefits into each workout. It’s possible to burn over 1,000 calories per hour by jumping rope.
Doing weighted rope exercises increases the benefits of jumping rope. A weighted rope adds a strength training component to the movement. Your upper body has to hold that heavier rope and keep it moving. It also adds to the weight you have to lift each time you jump.
Another benefit of weight rope exercise is that you can skip that crowded gym altogether. You just need a weighted rope and a little space to get a great workout. Plus, there are endless jump rope workouts you can structure to keep it interesting and challenging.
The dawn of the new year excites many of us to set new goals and tackle long awaited challenges. One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is getting in shape. If you are new to working out, you may have decided that now is the time to start working out. However, there are a number of pros and cons of working out, and knowing them ahead of time can help you set appropriate goals and avoid common exercise pitfalls.
One of the great ironies of working out is that people often feel like they don’t have the energy to do it, but that by actually exercising, they will actually increase their energy overall. It can be hard to get started, but once you break through that first wall, you can really feel the benefits.
Another way to have more energy is to get more sleep. Exercise helps you sleep. Working out is also great for reducing stress, which in turn helps you sleep better.
Working out makes you stronger. You can increase strength by lifting weights, and you can also do it through bodyweight exercises.
Working out enables you to keep going. You build the endurance to exercise longer, play sports longer, and to do the things you have dreamt about like running that 5K.
One con of working out is the risk of injury. This can take the form of working out too hard too soon, or aggravating a serious condition like heart issues. You should always talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
There is also the risk of injury that can result from doing exercises improperly. If you are new to a specific exercise, do some research and get advice from people with experience.
Starting a new workout routine can be intimidating. The learning curve can lead to frustration, which can cause you to quit. This is common with some sports that can make you feel uncoordinated. It can also happen when you try a new type of exercise. You can avoid this pitfall by taking classes, signing up with a trainer, or by doing some research in advance.
The excitement of starting a new workout routine helps you get going. It can also be dangerous or defeating if you hit it too hard at first. Take it easy when you start and plan on working your way up.
One of the most common complaints about exercise is that it can be boring. Running on a treadmill or doing the same lifts day in and day out are among the most typical frustrations. Bodyweight exercises are a great way to add variety to each workout. The options are practically endless.
Some people love the bustle of the gym. Others find it frustrating to work out in a crowd while competing for equipment and space. Variety can help you overcome this pitfall as well. Even if you like going to the gym, try adding bodyweight exercises at home or outside. It will give you more workout options, and it provides a great alternative when you don’t want to go to the gym.
Another downside of the gym is the expense. Even big box gym memberships can be a burden when times are tight. Specialty gyms can be even more expensive with high monthly dues and class prices.
Once again, bodyweight exercises come to the rescue. You can do them just about anywhere as long as you have a little space, and there’s little to no cost. Once you get a single piece of equipment like a jump rope or pull up bar, you are ready to go.
Anytime is a good time to decide to get fit. Whether you are starting to work out after being relatively inactive, or you are looking for a change of pace or a more complete workout, it’s important to make a plan.
Creating a workout plan is a perfect way to get excited about working out. It also gives you ideas for your workouts each day, so you can get to work instead of spending time deciding what to do. Knowing how to create your own workout plan will help you avoid key pitfalls and reach your goals.
The importance of setting both short-term fitness goals and long-term fitness goals cannot be understated. Being specific with your goals helps keep you motivated, and it gives you a blueprint to follow when you create your own workout plan.
We are all pretty familiar with long-term fitness goals. These tend to include big-picture visions of where we want to get in our fitness journeys. Yours might include losing 20 pounds or 50 pounds. It might be related to an action like running a half marathon. While having more general goals like “get in shape” can serve as a starting place, it helps to have specific, measurable goals to target.
Long-term fitness goals are more about the destination of your fitness journey. Short-term fitness goals are about how you get there. They include things that you can start doing or accomplish soon. Yours can include things like working out three times per week, adding time or distance to your workout, or lifting a little more weight.
Setting both long and short-term goals is important. The long-term vision keeps you motivated by giving you a vision you want to achieve. Short-term goals are key for getting you there. You need specific actions to move toward your long-term goals. You also need to chalk up some wins along the way that serve as regular accomplishments that aren’t quite so lofty.
With both, your goals need to be within your control and relatively achievable.
Make sure you are healthy enough for the type of exercise you want to do and that you first focus on achieving correct form when starting any unfamiliar exercise.
Getting fit requires work, and sometimes that work can be grueling. In addition to running, swimming, and lifting, you can explore new workouts like yoga or jump rope.
Working out with friends makes it more social, and you can keep each other accountable so you show up.
If you have goals like losing weight, make sure you take a healthy approach. Getting fit is a journey that takes time if you want it to last.
An easy mistake to make is to jump right into an exercise without properly warming up. This can lead to injury and derail your fitness journey. When you’re done, do a sufficient cool down as well.
If you plan to lift weights and do cardio in a single workout, lift weights first. Trying to lift when fatigued from cardio can lead to improper form and injury.
Fitness is about more than exercise. A healthy diet is key as well. On top of diet, getting enough sleep is also key.
Creating your own fitness plan is an exciting process. You get to develop a long term vision of yourself and plan how to get there. For more help and information, check out the products and resources at Rhino Rope. We’re here to help you on your fitness journey.
]]>With the pandemic still dragging on, more people are looking for ways to stay fit outside of the gym. If you have found yourself in a bit of a workout rut, or if you just want something new to try, then jumping rope is a great way to stay fit.
There are all kinds of images that come to mind when thinking about a jump rope. They can range from kids playing at recess to boxers showing off impressive routines. There’s a good reason kids and boxers alike enjoy jumping rope. It’s great exercise, and it’s fun!
If you haven’t held a jump rope in years, it could feel a bit intimidating or at least a little awkward. Not to worry. This jump rope routine for beginners is designed to get you going at a reasonable pace.
Aside from the motivation to start, the first thing you need is a jump rope. There are a lot of options out there, from beaded jump ropes for kids to weighted jump ropes. The great thing about a weighted jump rope is that you can add a strength training component to your routine.
In terms of the right length for a jump rope, most products out there are either adjustable or can be held at any place near the ends. That way, you can find the right length for you. Weighted jump ropes fit into the latter category.
To find the right length of rope for your weighted jump rope, hold the rope at each end with the rope lying on the ground at your feet. Then stand on the middle of the rope. You will want to hold it so the rope is at ground level with your elbows bent 90 degrees and your hands at your sides.
Even as a beginner, a weighted jump rope is a great tool. You still get the cardio benefits from jumping rope, plus you get the added strength component of using a weighted rope.
One thing you will notice when you start using a jump rope is that it’s great exercise. You will get winded fairly quickly if you are just starting to work out. That’s okay. In fact, that’s a great thing. You’ll see right away how effective a jump rope is as a fitness tool. Plus, you can do it just about anywhere.
Taking that in mind, a circuit-style workout works well for a beginner’s workout. You can get that great cardio workout without having to slog through a long routine. Here’s how you can structure a nice pyramid style workout:
That’s only four and a half minutes of movement, but you’ll feel it. You can start with one pyramid and build up to more going forward, or you can take it on again after a couple minutes of rest.
After doing this workout several times, you’ll want to expand your routine. You can add more sets, increase the time of each active period, or add sets of pushups between jump rope sets. The variety is limitless. Jump rope is a great exercise to add to a healthy diet and fitness plan.
To make the most of your jump rope workouts, get a weighted jump rope for beginners from Rhino Rope.
]]>Battle ropes provide a full-body workout that can target every muscle group you want to strengthen, define, and develop. Grab your battle rope, follow along with RhinoRope’s full-body workout plan at home, and find out what battle ropes do for your workout.
Place your RhinoRope on the ground with the ends being shoulder length apart. While in a pushup position with your legs slightly further than shoulder-width apart.
Keeping your body lifted off the ground, grab the rope with one hand, lift it to your chest or hip, and put the rope back on the ground. One set of renegade rows should include 10 lifts with your right arm and 10 lifts with your left.
RhinoRopes are heavy and can be used as weights to make normal strength-building activities more effective. Drape the 50mm RhinoRope behind your neck with the ends of the rope coming down in front of your chest to add 8.8 lbs to your squat. During the middle of your set, this can add an extra layer of burn to your glutes, quads, hamstrings, adductor, lower back, and calves.
We recommend doing 10-20 squats (depending on your fitness level). You should feel your legs start to wobble just a bit as you finish your last squat in the set. Rest for two minutes, and then repeat your reps.
If you get bored of normal squats, try using a squat variation like a side squat, pistol squat, plié squat, or side-kick squat to work and strengthen your muscles in new ways.
No jump rope workout plan is complete without actually jumping the rope. Skipping a normal rope is a great cardio exercise, but with a RhinoRope, jumping rope turns into so much more. A single jump set for five minutes with a one-minute recovery period will help you strengthen, tighten, and tone your core.
If that doesn’t pack the punch you’re looking for, try a few jumping variations to get the burn you need.
Interval training, also known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), is working in short, energetic bursts of exercise followed by recovery periods. If you’ve ever lifted weights before, this should feel familiar as you are used to doing one set of reps, taking a short break, and then going back and doing the same set of reps again.
Any exercise with the Rhino Rope can be used in interval training to help strengthen muscles and improve your cardiovascular health. When using any of these exercises, you should be spending about 75%-90% of your energy within the exercise time (about 30 seconds) and then resting for one to two minutes.
For example, you could modify the jump rope cardio routine into a HIIT workout by doing simple jumps for one minute to warm-up, followed by a burst of twist jumps at a higher speed for 30 seconds. After the high-intensity exercise period, you can either sit down for a minute to rest or go back to slow regular jumps to keep your muscles moving to avoid cramping while resting.
Flexibility and balance help in sports, strength training, and everyday life. Improving your flexibility and balance helps in your day-to-day life. A good way to improve balance is by jumping rope, so we’re going to finish this full-body workout with one more set of jump rope drills.
When you’re jumping rope, you have to re-establish your balance between each jump, so for this exercise, we are more interested in the speed of your jumps than the weight or jump variation you use. Take 30 seconds and see how many jumps you can perform. The real pros use alternate foot step jumps and look like they’re running in place, but we’re not expecting you to set a new world record. We’re more interested in making sure after each jump, you feel stable and grounded before making another jump.
Stretching isn’t optional. Without stretching, your muscles shorten and become tight, making them unable to extend all the way when you need them to work. Muscles need dedicated time to stretch to help them rebuild and become flexible, strong, and healthy. Stretching helps increase muscle growth and increases overall strength.
Start stretching at your feet, and work slowly up through each muscle group to your head, holding each stretch to a slow ten count before moving on. This can help your muscles get the blood flow they need after a strenuous full-body workout and can help reduce unwanted soreness.
You don’t need much to get a full-body workout plan at home. Launch your at-home fitness routine by buying your RhinoRope today. If you’re a beginner, the 25mm or 38mm RhinoRope can be a good starting point to get the most from your at-home workout. If you already love your jump rope and want to take your exercises to the next level, try our 50mm RhinoRope.
If you’re looking for a more traditional Crossfit rope, our Battle Rope is 32 feet long and 15 pounds. It provides you with a different range of full-body workout options you can do at home.
Get started and order your RhinoRope today!
]]>For those of you with athletic friends, finding the right gift for them this holiday season might feel tricky. When there is workout equipment everywhere you look, how do you know which are good quality items your loved ones will actually like and use?
The workout fanatics and experts at RhinoRope™ have you covered with the best 10 gifts for athletes. We’ve picked out a well-rounded selection of assorted items that target different areas of the body and serve various purposes.
Better yet, most of these items are on sale! We know how expensive workout gear and equipment can be, which is why we included items that have generous discounts going on. So, be sure to check out these items before they sell out for the holidays.
A good athlete appreciates a full-body workout that you can do and take anywhere. The RhinoRope™ Weighted Jump Rope fulfills this job and more.
The weighted jump rope gives you a full-body workout, helping build muscle and burn twice as many calories as other cardio exercises. Best of all, it’s portable, so your friend can take the rope wherever they go!
Here are some other key features the RhinoRope™ weighted jump rope offers:
For more details, read all about weighted rope workouts here.
This is the perfect gift for professional athletes who love video games. The Stealth Core Trainer Plankster turns a boring plank exercise into an interactive gaming experience.
The Plankster has you twist, turn, and rotate your body during a fun game. By doing this, your movements target a total of 29 different muscles. Let’s just say the Stealth Core Trainer Plankster is a unique way to level up your friend’s plank game.
Your athlete buddy already likely has a set of dumbbells. Why not help them switch up their strength training with COREwheels by SKLS?
COREwheels are like dumbbells, except they have rolling wheels, which can easily switch up someone’s usual plank, pushup, and pillar exercises. The results? A pretty stellar core workout.
Here are some of the key features your friend will get with COREwheels:
Help your friend make every workout movement matter more with Bala Bangles—stylish, weighted bands that you can put around your wrists and ankles.
They add comfortable resistance to workouts and work best for lower-impact activities. So if your friend engages in activities like pilates, yoga, or swimming, these Bala Bangles might be a hit.
Recovery is a crucial part of an athlete’s journey. After a hard workout, your friend can enjoy a relaxing recovery workout with TriggerPoint Foam Rollers.
The foam rollers are meant to mimic the hands of a massage therapist and offer a much-needed recovery session. They come in a variety of sizes that provide different self-care options depending on your needs. They’re lightweight and compact, so they can go wherever your athlete friend needs them.
Got a friend who is a yogi? They could probably put this yoga wheel set by UpCircleSeven to good use.
The yoga wheel set features three sizes—6 inches,10 inches, and 12 inches—that helps improve yoga routines and even make some poses more challenging. Better yet, your friend can use them to roll out their back after their yoga class.
If you’re looking at gifts for your fitness instructor, look no further than Therabody's massage guns or Theraguns. Your fitness instructor is likely on their feet for hours at the gym, and these massage guns can be the perfect way for them to decompress their muscles and relax between teaching sessions.
Theraguns have brushless motors with QuietForce Technology™ that provide a 60-percent deeper massage than average massage devices. They also have customizable speed ranges with an ergonomic handle design.
You might also want to consider the Theragun mini. It’s small and portable and provides on-the-go relief, which can be perfect for your busy and active fitness instructor.
Does your exercise buddy have all the equipment they need? No worries! Consider looking at health trackers from Fitbit.
These trackers can help your friend stay on top of all their health goals. Here are some of the key features of Fitbit trackers:
The great thing about these Fitbit trackers is that they come in several versions with different price points. With more options, you can find one that best fits your budget.
Active folks can never have too many workout clothes. And at GymShark, you’ll find practical and functional gym clothes (sweat-wicking, flexible, and durable) that look good.
Not to mention, they’re affordable! You can find t-shirts as low as $20 and shorts as low as $30. GymShark also has a separate sales section on its website for both men and women.
You can’t go wrong with getting a water bottle as a gift for that professional athlete or amateur fitness enthusiast in your life. After all, hydration is critical before, during, and after any workout. There are a lot of brands out there, but Hydro Flask bottles are your best bet.
Here’s why:
While you’re adding these holiday gifts to your carts, don’t forget to include the RhinoRope™ Weighted Jump Rope and Battle Rope. With these, you’ll be sure to give your friends a full-body, high-calorie-burning workout this holiday season. If that isn’t love, we don’t know what is!
]]>With the coronavirus still ravaging the United States after more than 18 months, Americans feel that gyms may be unsafe. Many are still social distancing, preferring alternative ways to stay fit.
If you desire full-body workout equipment, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars. A RhinoRope is the ultimate way to work out anywhere. This weighted rope offers a game-changing workout. Here are some other tips for staying healthy during quarantine.
There are plenty of ways to get exercise without even leaving your home. Here are some indoor workouts to try:
If possible, exercise outside your home. The fresh air and sun are good for the body, mind, and soul. Here are some ways to incorporate outdoor activities:
Other Ways to Stay Fit
Besides exercising, there are other ways to stay healthy during quarantine:
You don’t need expensive full-body workout equipment to stay healthy. Get your indoor workout started with RhinoRope. Contact us today to order a heavy jump rope and transform your body.
]]>You may remember getting your heart pumping in elementary school when you jumped rope at recess. Now that you’re an adult, you don’t have to give up your jump ropes. Instead, improve upon them and get a full-body workout with a weighted jump rope.
A weighted jump rope is thicker and heavier than a traditional jump rope, allowing you to burn calories and gain muscle at a much higher rate than virtually any other workout. With a weighted rope workout, you can achieve your fitness goals anywhere—with no need to step inside a gym.
A weighted jump rope is like a regular jump rope, but better. Here are some weighted jump rope benefits to consider:
While a weighted rope is good for jump roping, a battle rope is heavier. You anchor them to a pole or other sturdy object, and with one in each hand, you swing and slam them. Battle ropes give you the same kind of workout as a weighted rope but in a different way. Slamming battle ropes is a great way to relieve stress.
Whichever type of workout you choose, start small. Try the smallest version and work your way up. If you start too heavy, you’ll get discouraged.
There really isn’t a wrong way to use a weighted jump rope. While a weighted rope workout may primarily consist of jumping rope, you can use battle ropes in many ways. You can move them up and down, back and forth, create waves, and slam them down hard. You can kneel or incorporate planks or jumping jacks. The possibilities are endless!
Before purchasing a weighted rope, know that different rope weights produce different results. For example, RhinoRope offers them in three different weights, all measuring 3 meters long: