I'm scared to death, but I'm going to do it!

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    This next week, I'm going to literally jump in with both feet and do something I've been afraid to do now for many years.

    Why?

    I don't want to be characterized as someone who is fearful - of the unknown, of trying new things, of what could happen if I push myself more than what I'm used to.

    And...my daughters have convinced me that this is a good thing.  A very good thing. 

    (We'll see about that!)

    So - what am I doing next week?

    Drumroll, please . . .

    Okay, I know the suspense is killing you, right?  ☺

    I'm joining . . .

Bella Naturals Speed Jump Rope

Um, no...this isn't me. At least, not yet. :)

    Crazy, right?  If you know me well, you know that I would rather read a book, chat with friends online, hang out with my family, and even do household chores before I'd exercise.

    It's not that I hate exercise.  It's just that I greatly dislike sweating.  But sweating is so good for my health.  I've learned that it helps the body to release toxins and impurities through the skin.  So when we go for years and years and purposefully avoid sweating due to exercise, we're robbing our immune systems of getting healthier.

    I've been eating a low carb diet for over two years now, and still haven't lost more than 20 lbs.  Ugh.  I now think a lot of that comes down to not fitting fitness into my life.  

    I've made all the excuses in the world as to why I can't exercise:

• Not enough time in the day to fit it in (that will always be a valid excuse in my mind, even if I had tons of free time)
• Can't afford a gym membership
• Can't stay motivated enough to keep up with a fitness routine/schedule at home on my own
• Greatly dislike sweating
• Have a bad shoulder and am afraid of making it worse
  
• Was made fearful of participating in group fitness and sports in public school P.E. classes because I was usually one of the last people "picked" for teams
• Never received an "A" in high school P.E. solely because no matter how hard I tried, I could not touch my toes when stretching.  Those crazy long legs and short torso made it impossible for me!
  

    Five months ago, my youngest daughter (age 15) made arrangements to exchange cleaning a portion of one of our local Crossfit gyms once a week so she could participate in its M/W/F Teen classes.  Since it was taking over two hours to do the cleaning, and I had to drive her down to the gym and stay with her while she cleaned (at night, after the gym closes), I eventually decided to work alongside her to get the cleaning job down to 75 minutes like the owner expected.  Hey, I loved the thought of sitting on the couch down at the gym, reading a book for two uninterrupted hours each week (!!!), but I really didn't want to be away from home that long in the evening.  I offered to help her clean, so for 75 minutes once a week, she and I are cleaning buddies.

    Three months ago, younger sister convinced older sister (age 17) that she needed to start participating in Crossfit.  She also made arrangements to clean gym equipment once a week in exchange for her Crossfit membership.

    After a number of months, it dawned on me that since I was working the required length of time as well, hey, maybe I could join Crossfit for free, too.  (What a thought!)  The owner agreed, so I'm starting my two weeks of Fundamentals classes this next week - woo-hoo! 

    I'm terrified.  I know I'm going to start really slow and small.  I've watched some of those women work out, and they are strong and powerful!  My goal isn't to become a bodybuilder - not at all.  That just doesn't appeal to me at all.  What I want to do is become stronger, be more aware of the strength I should have in my muscles, become more physically fit, SWEAT (yes, even that!), get trimmed up a bit, and make that Vitamin D work better because I'm doing strength training along with a healthy eating lifestyle.

    One of the tools that Crossfit members use on occasion is a fitness jump rope.  My oldest daughter, Kelsi, has been using the fitness jump rope you see in the image, above, the fast speed cable Speed Jump Rope by Bella Naturals.  While we are able to use speed jump ropes that belong to the gym, having one's own jump rope means that the length is customized for the individual - and that makes the workout with a jump rope so much more effective.  Here's what we've learned about jump roping as a workout:

• Short, intense jump rope circuits are an effective way to burn both during and after a workout.
• Just 10 minutes of jump roping can provide the same calorie burn as 30 minutes of slow cardio workouts.
• Jump roping is perfect for Crossfit training and exercise beginners, WOD's (Workout of the Day), boxing, MMA training, and more
  

    The Speed Jump Rope by Bella Naturals contains ball bearings which are meant to increase the number of revolutions per minute, making it an ideal jump rope - especially if you need to achieve double and triple unders, as well as best PRs in your workout.  The Speed Jump Rope comes with these features:

• Unlike other ropes which have cheap plastic ball bearings, this has 4 high-grade metal ball bearings, which promote faster turning of the rope and longer durability.
• The rope is also very light, making it easy for beginners to use
• The cable is 10 feet in length and is adjustable to be used by people of different heights
• The jump rope also includes a free nylon bag to carry it in
• This comes with a limited lifetime manufacturer guarantee
  

This jump rope has worked out well for my daughter, so now it's time to buy my own. ☺ Along with the new workout shoes (my walking shoes were very old and stiff and wouldn't work so well for Crossfit), workout pants, and longer tank tops (for underneath) and longer t-shirts (no bellies showing here!), I think I'm ready.  At least in the clothing department.  Heh, heh. 

    So if you see me hobbling around for the next month or so, now you know why.  But I think it is going to be worth it.  The local owner of this particular Crossfit gym is very careful in helping people train properly so they don't injure themselves.  He is aware of my shoulder, and he will allow me to compensate for it so I don't hurt myself further. 

    But the soreness I'm expecting for the next long while?  Well, that can't be avoided.  It's the nature of exercising.  Pray for me! 

    What kinds of exercise equipment have you found to work the best for you, personally?  Do you do any speed jump roping?  If so, how do you like it?

   This post was originally published on http://www.JoyInOurJourney.com.

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