Wednesday, August 19, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon JUMP ROPE: Childhood toy is an excellent fitness tool Continued from page 14 speeds, do intervals. All can be effective programs for adding a layer of complexity to jumping rope Where to begin? Fit the rope properly: Hold the han- dles and stand on the middle of the rope with one foot. The rope handles should reach one9s armpits. Trim as needed. A beginner should simply try to swing the rope and step over it. Easy? OK now swing the rope around and hop over it. Stop and repeat this many times. Next practice air jumping (without the rope). Soon one will be able to skip the rope effectively. Establish a rhythm and cadence. A program can be inter- val based; use minutes as a parameter. Begin with 15 seconds of jumping, then 45 seconds rest. After 10 rounds this is a 10-minute work- out. Progress to 30 seconds on and 30 seconds9 rest. Another 10 minutes. Soon, you can do 45 seconds, and 15 rest repeated over 15 minutes for a very solid workout. Then use different jump techniques, skipping singles, side-to-side for a dynamic workout. Remember exercise can be fun, jumping rope is a throwback to the play- ground of youth and can be a dynamic way to work one9s fitness in a new and fun way. The biggest benefit is the low barrier for entry, the limited equipment and space, and the versatility it provides. LETTERS Continued from page 2 his lifetime. He has become the face for injustice because he was murdered by a policeman who felt he was above the law. Does that mean we are against all police? Absolutely not! I appreciate and respect every policeman that has each person9s best interest at heart. I also understand I9ve never walked in a policeman9s shoes, and feel they have a tremendously difficult job. But I will not close a blind eye to racism and injustice just because they are police officers. If am choosing to protest alongside someone with a BLM9s sign, does that mean I am in agreement with everything the founders believed in when they started the organization? No, it just means, I agree black lives matter and that we are stronger in numbers. As far as the riots are concerned, I don9t believe I under- stand what is going on enough to comment on it. I do know our oldest son was at a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest two years ago in Portland, when a group of people, who no one had seen before, came over and started lighting things on fire. The next days newspaper had a picture of the fires burn- ing with a caption stating it was a BLM9s protest. So yes, if you live in a safe community, thank the police. If you live in a dangerous community welcome the police. And if you see anyone causing harm to anyone else, whether it9s verbal or physical, stand up, and say or do something to help that person. It9s not just up to the police to keep our communi- ties safe. My favorite quote is by Winston Churchill