How busy are you, really? Too busy to read this article?
The truth is that we’re all busy. We all have things to do – we all have a long list of priorities and responsibilities that need taking care of.
Our calendars are over-populated with tasks and reminders and our ability to find time to squeeze in even a simple workout has become a challenge.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. And it shouldn’t. In this post, I'm going to share with you 6 fun and creative ways to fit jump rope workouts into your busy day.
It’s worth taking the time to read.
Importance of Prioritization
Here's the truth -
We all have the same 24 hours in the day.
How you choose to use your hours is really up to you.
You can't make time for exercise. You have to prioritize time for exercise. You have to prioritize exercise higher than other things in your life if you want to get done.
Sometimes it seems as if this is impossible. But this thought is often based on misconceptions.
For example -
Most people are still under the impression that for a workout to be considered effective, it has to be long (i.e. 1-2 hours) or that it has to be confined to the four walls of a gym, fitness studio, or yoga room.
Sure, these are great options. But they are not your only options. And this is important to understand if you want to make a change.
The reality is that your workout doesn't have to take up an hour of your time. It can take as little as 5. Nor does it require you to get in your car and drive 10+ miles to get to your gym before you even start training. You can do it anywhere.
With a good jump rope set and a few powerful bodyweight exercises, you can build a workout that will get your heart rate up, lungs gasping, muscles firing, and sweat dripping quickly.
Movement is movement.
Your body doesn’t care in what shape or form that movement comes in.
Unfortunately, many of us prioritize exercise far down the totem pole - that is, until it's too late.
Your health is the foundation for everything else in your life. If you’re sick, your business stops. If you’re out of shape, you can’t think as clearly and your performance suffers. If you don’t have energy, you can’t spend quality time with your loved ones.
So don’t take it for granted. Take it seriously.
What You Will Need
Again, you don’t need access to expensive and complex gym equipment like treadmills, elliptical trainers, cable systems, or rowers to get a good workout in.
These are all great options, but not your only options.
To build a workout, you'll need three tools
> Your body - check
> A timer - you likely have one already on your smartphone
> A jump rope system
Here's what a good jump rope system looks like:
The Get Fit Bundle is a powerful four rope training system that's ideal for all fitness levels.
A good jump rope will allow you to add unique strength and conditioning elements to your workouts. It's easy to carry around with you which makes it easier to actually get your workouts done.
Now let’s take a look at some time-saving strategies.
How to Fit Jump Rope Workouts into Your Busy Workday
Alright so you understand the importance of prioritization and you understand what tools you need to make things happen.
Here are some fun and creative ways to squeeze your jump rope workouts into your daily routine.
1. Use Timed Workouts
Let’s start with a really simple one.
Often, the limiting factor in your schedule is time itself so why not use the time you do have to dictate your workout?
Only have 10 minutes to spare?
No problem.
Grab your rope, find a place you can jump, and crush a five minute finisher like the one below. Use the remaining of the time for warm-up and cool-down.
Remember – you don’t need an hour to get this stuff done.
Want proof?
New research from McMaster University says that all you need for a 'significant' health benefit from your exercise is just one minute of your time.
Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, says that's all it takes. And, he says he has the research to prove it.
So the strategy here is simple –
Don’t try to make time for a workout. Fit your workout in the time that you do have.
"Don’t try to make time for a workout. Fit your workout in the time that you do have!"
2. Find An Accountability Partner
It’s easy to convince ourselves that we don't have time for a workout.
But when your workout partner is waiting for you at the gym for a quick lunch-time workout, your mentality changes and the workout suddenly becomes a priority.
You don’t want to let your partner down.
This is the power of accountability.
What if you don't have a workout partner?
No worries - we got your back.
Join our Jump Rope Fitness Community and interact with over 75,000 jumpers from all across the globe. It’s the best place to keep yourself accountable.
3. Have A Big-Picture Goal
Short-term motivation is hard to rely on.
It comes and goes and there’s not much you can do about it.
What you need is a long-term goal with a deadline that you can progressively work towards. When you have a big, audacious goal, it really comes down to disciplining yourself to work towards that goal each and every day.
(Read this post on goals vs. commitments for further clarification.)
"Give yourself a reason for prioritizing your time to workout with a big-picture goal"
With a goal as your foundation, each workout suddenly has a little more meaning and importance. It becomes a stepping stone to your ultimate destination.
This mental shift is important if you want to give yourself a reason for prioritizing your time to get your workout in.
4. Find Time Gaps
Our calendars may look full, but there are a lot of time gaps that we might not be aware of.
What’s a time gap?
It’s often wasted time in your calendar.
Some examples of time gaps include waiting in line-ups or long drives/commutes.
Let me give you an example of how I use time gaps in my own life -
Reading is a big priority for me, but I don't always have time to read. So I leverage time gaps. I have my ebook reader on hand wherever I go and I squeeze in a few pages wherever I can - at the dentist's waiting room, at the long lineup at the bank etc.
So think about where your time gaps are.
Are you taking the kids to soccer practice? Then have your rope in the car and come 10 minutes early and squeeze a workout in at the parking lot.
Got a long lunch-break at work?
Bring your rope to work (and a change of clothes) and bang out a 10 or 15 minute jump rope workout. Even better if you can get your co-workers involved (see #2 above).
Waiting for your kids to get up in the morning?
It’s the perfect opportunity to do your workout first thing in the morning and just get it out of the way – sets you up for success for the rest of the day.
Take a look at your schedule and you’ll find a lot of time gaps that you can make use of.
5. Grease the Groove
Ever heard of greasing the groove?
It’s a simple training principle designed by Soviet strength coach Pavel Tsatsouline – I won’t go into the details of it but the simple concept is that you repeat a movement or exercise frequently throughout the day.
(You can read more about GTG here and here.)
Here’s what I like to do –
On the days I work from home, I’ll set my kettlebell on the way to the kitchen and every time I walk by it, I will do 5 kettlebell swings.
It’s not a lot, but if I enter the kitchen 20 times throughout the day that’s 100 swings for the day – and none of it had to be "scheduled".
There are many ways you can use this strategy and you’ll have to be creative, but here’s an example of how it could work for you –
Is there a place that you frequent often? The bathroom doesn’t count.
Let’s say you like to watch Netflix in the evenings.
What you would do is place your rope in the living room (or wherever your TV is) and every time you walked into the living room, the rule is that you have to bang out 100 jump rope repetitions + 20 squats + 20 push-ups. Those reps add up.
You get the idea.
6. Get Your Family Involved
Family is important and it deserves a lot of your attention.
But what prevents you from killing two birds with one stone? Exercise opens up an opportunity to get your kids and spouse involved in your training.
It’s a beautiful way to bond and stay healthy together.
Check out our friend Brandy who used her 7 children as inspiration to lose over 45 pounds.
The point is that you don’t have to use “I need to spend time with my family” as an excuse to not keep yourself (and family) fit and healthy.
Instead, use it as a reason to get them involved.
Your Turn
So what are you going to do?
Are you going to continue telling yourself that you don’t have time to exercise? Are you going to continue prioritizing exercise lower than other things in your life?
Or are you going to step up and do what it takes to build the body and the life that you want?
I’ve presented you with six simple strategies that you can use to fit your workouts no matter how busy your schedule may be.
So tell me.
Which one are you going to use? Leave your response in the comments.
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