Kim Corbin is the founder of iSkip.com. Here she shares her personal GPS Guide on why it’s OK to let your inner child take over from time to time, and why she recommends skipping as part of an everyday routine.
As children, we skip in play; we skip in dance; we skip just because. So why don’t most adults skip? Probably for the same reasons we stop giggling, staying in awe of life’s simple pleasures and daring to try new things.
I skipped as an adult for the first time at the age of 30 when a friend spontaneously leapt down the street in front me and invited me to join along. I hadn’t skipped since I was a kid and was so inspired by the experience that I ultimately decided to see if I could use the Internet to kickstart a skipping craze. Take a look at the reasons why you should tap into your inner (skipping!) child below.
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Skipping can burn twice as many calories as walking, has less impact on your joints than running and is a lot more fun! Some people skip for long distances, and others simply incorporate 10 or so skips at a time into their walking routine to raise their heart rate.
There’s nothing better than happily skipping to your heart’s content at the gym with two serious runners pounding away on either side of you. Give it a try.
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Skipping infuses your entire being with joy and inevitably brings a smile to the faces of those who see you do it.
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Skipping automatically connects us with spontaneous, creative, childlike energy. It energizes our dreams and our imagination. It’s a great way to experience the many benefits of play.
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Skipping gets your inner critic out of the way so your joyful spirit is free to shine. Even after years of skipping, my inner critic often still says things like, “Don’t skip here! What will people think?†And the voice in my heart retorts even more loudly, “But I love to skip, let’s go!â€
When we consciously choose to honor the voice in our heart, it grows stronger — and when we are connected to that voice, anything is possible.
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For most people, skipping is a lot like riding a bike, in that it comes back to them even it has been years. Here are some skip tips to keep in mind as you set out to put a bounce in your step more often.
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Resist the urge to bounce high into the air. Start with easy, low-to-the-ground skips. Too much impact can be jarring to the adult body, so take it easy until you learn your body’s limits.
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There is no need to skip for miles, although there are people out there who do. Instead, try blending short skipping intervals into walking and/or running routines, especially when you are first starting out.
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It is best to wear good running, cross-training or dance sneakers to help absorb impact. Skipping on dirt or grass is easier on your body than skipping on concrete.
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The most important thing to remember is that skipping is fun and uplifting by nature. The best measure of a good skipping workout is not distance, speed or loft. Rather, it’s the quality of presence, freedom and glee experienced in each moment that has the power to turn a good skip into a great one.
Kim Corbin created iSkip in 1999, when the world wide web was exciting and new. The phenomenon has been featured in People, CNN and TIME. iSkip quickly became what it remains today — an information source and gathering place for people all over the world who enjoy a good skip. You can learn more at iSkip.com.
This GPS Guide is part of a series of posts designed to bring you back to balance when you’re feeling off course.
GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others’ stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing “secret weapons†that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to visit our other GPS Guides here, and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.