A while back I went to a great massage therapist named Kae whose business is called The Blue Hand in Novato, CA. She is a gifted and talented healer, so if you're in this neck of the woods and your body needs some attention give her a call.

As I often do when I meet new people, I told her about iskip.com and my passion for skipping. My skipping enthusiasm must have been contagious because I received this email from her yesterday...

Since your visit, I've been breaking up my walking mornings with skipping every other block. This was at first a whole lot harder than I thought but also A LOT more fun. The cardio benefits are amazing and this is so much more energizing than windsprints. Thanks so much for passing your message on - keep it up!

Yay! I love it when people start skipping and discover its joyful benefits for themselves. And the benefits of skipping are tremendous. When Prevention Magazine did an article about skipping in September of 2001, they reported that skipping burns twice as many calories as walking does. They also reported that it increases agility, strengthens bones, beats boredom and invites family fun!

In the article, Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D. who is the fitness research director for the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA said, "Skipping is cool. Football players do it. Runners do it. It really works your legs, provides a good cardio workout, and is fun for variety."

The Prevention article goes on to offer the following tips for skipping safely:

1. Stay low and slow. Start with just a few easy, low-to-the-ground skips, pushing off your back foot and swinging your arms. When you feel up to it, skip a little longer or with more gusto.

2. Work it into walks. No need to skip for miles. Walk a block, then skip a quarter block. Continue mixing the two throughout your workout.

3. Soften your landing. Wear good aerobic sneakers to absorb impact. Skip on dirt or cindred paths rather than concrete.

4. Watch your back. Too much impact can aggravate lower-back injuries. Stick to easy, low-impact skips if you have a history of back problems

So get out there and start skipping! And if you are worried about what the neighbors think, start by pulling down the blinds, playing a happy song, and skipping around your house! Then read through this blog and iskip.com to hopefully help you stop worrying so much about what other people think so your joyous childlike spirit can shine through! Skip on!