I skipped today in the meadow, at dawn, in the rain with my dog.
Skipping, like “skip, skip, skip to my loo”? Yes.
And, yes, I’m a grown-ass man. So, what am I doing, skipping like a little kid?
That’s exactly the point of it. Feeling like a little kid. It’s nearly impossible to skip and not feel like a joyful, happy, light-hearted kid. I also feel like I’m flying when I skip. I cover a lot of ground.
Why do I recommend skipping for you? Joy, lightheartedness, and happiness to start. But if you’re a health hacking nerd like me, there’s more. Skipping is a low-impact cardio workout with serious benefits of skipping exercise that most people overlook.
It’s Just Child’s Play… Or Is It?
Kid-Style Skipping: The Science
What It Is (Biomechanics)
- An asymmetric gait: one leg mainly brakes, the other mainly propels (unlike running where each step does both).
- Uses mixed pendulum + spring mechanics; a legit “third locomotion” (not just child’s play).
The Health Benefits of Skipping
Metabolic & Cardiovascular Benefits
- Higher metabolic cost than running at similar speeds (harder workout per meter).
- At reduced gravity, skipping approaches running’s economy—shows it’s a real, efficient bouncing gait, not random play.
Knee-Friendly Exercise
- Lower knee joint contact forces and lower vertical GRFs than running → knee-friendlier while still taxing.
- Often used as return-to-run / cross-training because of that load profile.
- Perfect low impact cardio for functional fitness over 50 or anyone with joint concerns
Coordination & Brain Health
- Demands rhythm, balance, and inter-limb coordination; useful motor-control stimulus as we age.
Bottom Line: Why You Should Skip
Skipping = cardio + plyo with knee-friendlier forces vs running, but more metabolically demanding. Great warm-up, finisher, or low-impact “sprint-adjacent” work.
So whether you look at it through the lens of just bringing more lightheartedness into your life or improving your cardiovascular fitness and having a knee friendly exercise alternative to running with a lot of benefits for your brain and body, skipping is great! I encourage you to incorporate it into your life regularly!
Do you skip? When was the last time you skipped? Drop it in the comments below.