SINGAPORE: It is the reason behind Fann Wong's svelte figure, and her long-time boyfriend-turned-husband Christopher Lee's fabulously taut body.

As fans of the sport and fitness experts can attest to, jumping rope - a popular childhood sport which you might have once engaged in - is one of the best and cheapest forms of exercise.

"Rope skipping is an excellent cardio exercise which is far less hard on the muscles and bones than jogging, according to the United States Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Council," said Mr Lim Hun Teck, a senior physiotherapist at Raffles Hospital.

Not only does it improve your heart rate and blood pressure, it also beefs up bone density, strength as well as endurance, Mr Lim added.

It is also one of the greatest calorie-burners. "From an energy standpoint, rope skipping helps in burning about 70 to 110 calories for an exercise session of 10 minutes," he said.

In fact, just 10 minutes of rope skipping is equivalent to that torturous 1.5km run, said Mr Hansen Bay, the programme director of Vitage Fitness and founder of Rope Sports Singapore.

Mr Bay founded the SkipFit System - a synchronised skipping programme which has been used in various schools here - with his coaches Alex Goh and Fifi Hana.

He said the childhood rope sport seems to be gaining popularity among Singaporeans. Since its launch in 2007, over 10,000 students and adults have participated in the skipping programme.

While the sport may look easy, getting started can be humbling and even frustrating.

"Many of us remember our first experience with rope skipping in school where we were simply given a rope - often a lousy one - and told to jump with no further guidance.

"As the exercise requires a good dose of arm-leg coordination, beginners may become frustrated when they continuously get entangled in the rope," said Mr Bay.

From his coaching experience, Mr Bay said skipping novices may even become afraid of rope skipping when they accidentally "whip" themselves with the rope.

"Beginners also tend to develop bad habits such as jumping too high and landing incorrectly, thus resulting in injuries," he added.

That's why it is important to "start slowly", advised Mr Lim.

"Try skipping for 20 to 30 seconds, then march on the spot for 30 minutes. Repeat the sequence. As your fitness improves, you can increase the time you skip."

Going slow, and proper warm-ups and cool down stretches, would also allow one's leg muscles to get accustomed to the new exercise, he added.

If you have joint problems or if you're exercising for the first time, Mr Lim said it might be worth checking with the doctor prior to starting a new exercise regimen.

If you haven't skipped since, say, primary school, consider these expert tips:

1. You need a lightweight rope with a cord that straightens easily, some fitness attire and a pair of well-cushioned shoes.

2. Founder of Rope Sports Singapore, Hansen Bay, recommended doing rope turns - simply swinging the rope while you bounce to the beat of music - prior to doing actual skipping. "You are more likely to experience success when you eventually jump into the rope. In addition, learning to skip to the tempo of popular songs is also fun and engaging," he said.

3. While skipping, keep your elbows tucked into your sides while the rope turns around smoothly. Also keep your back straight and avoid leaning forward, said Raffles Hospital's senior physiotherapist Lim Hun Teck.

- TODAY/yb