§56. Easier Done than Said

Our man was programming his electronic calendar to remind himself to get up from the chair and move around. It was not working really well. At the end of each day, he could check that task: how could he have not moved all day?

So he started programming his electronic calendar to remind him to do actions. Forty squats at ten; a hundred jumps at eleven, etc. Or simply one of the ten dragon moves

Our man had to do these tasks. It was easier to do these physical tasks than to endure them nagging him from the inbox all day long. The design of his overall todo lists became easier done than said.

Jumping rope

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Yell. Jump. Play. Out-run all those _sons-of-bitches_. They'll _never_ live the way you live. Go _do_ it.

[Ray Bradbury, **Zen in the Art of Writing**]

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Burns 10-15 calories per minute. Easier on knees and hips than running. Improves coordination, gility, endurance.

Buy a beaded rope ; carry it in your backpack. Adjust well : stepping in its center, the handles just reach armpits. Wear good cross-training shoes.

Warm up and start slowly. Listen to music that has 120 to 135 beats per minute. Cool down a bit afterwards. Relax shoulders. Keep elbows in close to the body. Turn the rope with the wrists, not the arms.

Keep heels lifted. Point your toes toward the floor. Land on the balls of feet.

Hop in a smooth revolution, avoiding the two-hop hiccup. Mix up : basic two-steps, boxer shuffles, low kicks, leg curls, slalom, knee jerks, double unders, arm cross, etc. Adapt to style, rhythm, workout routine.