“The body is no stronger than the legs and the back. When a person’s legs and back become weak … vigorous health is gone. That is the reason why it is so imperative to see to it that the legs and back are kept strong and vigorous, and the only way the legs can be kept strong is by vigorous exercise, particularly exercise which involves some jumping. When a person ceases to jump he loses the elasticity and flexibility of the legs.” – Paul Bragg
These immortal words of Paul Bragg not only validate the importance of Hindu squats, bridging and Hindu pushups, exercises that strengthen your body in a HUGE way – but they also explain why you should mix in Hindu jumper squats and rope skipping.
You can find Hindu jumper squats in my Combat Conditioning book and DVDs. They’re next to impossible to learn from the book alone – so you really do want to have the DVD’s playing to learn proper form. Make sure you’re able to do at least 100- straight regular Hindu squats (without jumping) before you try the Hindu Jumper Squats. This is important. And when you begin doing the Hindu Jumpers – start with 10-20. Gradually you can work up to 500-straight jumpers, as some of my top students have.
Whilst making the transition from being a non-jumper to a jumper, you’re well advised to jump rope regularly. I use the weighted blue and green ropes made by Lifeline USA. I like to call the green rope the Green Monster. It truly kicks butt. You not only build your leg muscles, but your grip, too. Just the other night I pumped out 500-straight with the bad boy – alternating between regular forward jumps and backwards. Tis good to train your body in BOTH directions.
Like Hindu squats, speed in jumping rope should come along with proficiency. You don’t try to run when you can’t walk. Once you’re able to jump rope with fairly decent skill, then add speed. Go faster and faster and you’ll be amazed at how jumping strips the flab off your body in record time.
If you’re a true daredevil, you can alternate and/or mix Hindu Jumpers with rope jumping. I’ll be teaching Matt Furey Inner Circle Members the details of that in el futuro.
Well, time for me to grab the Green Monster and do some kick-butt rope jumping.