(By Bruce Liu / Steve Hopkins)
Everybody Jumps: Fitness Challenge from Chen Longcan
Chen Longcan has issued a challenge to table tennis athletes – Double Skip !
Chen, a gold medalist in the Olympics (Men’s Doubles in 1988) and a seven time medalist at the World Championships, used jump rope and push-ups as a large part of his training regimen throughout his career. Now retired (he retired in 2000, though has still competed less formally as recently as 2007), Chen was asked if he could still double skip with a jump rope, and he replied that he could. He went on to note that serious players should all be able to double skip and then expanded that further to note that “every athlete should”.
The jump rope has been used in training for athletes from boxers to football players. It improves stamina and builds the small muscles in your legs and feet. It has now caught on as a staple in the cross fit fitness craze – and, at least according to Chen Loncan, it needs to be a staple for the table tennis athlete as well.
The double skip is one step further than standard jump roping. One focuses on the speed of the rope and the pace of the jump to ensure that the rope passes under one’s feet twice between jumps. It takes some practice. And it takes some extra speed, power, agility, and coordination – all important aspects of elite table tennis.
Here is the challenge: Visit the youtube page created by Bruce Liu outlining Chen Longcan’s Everybody Jumps Challenge. And when you have mastered the skill, post your video clip with the hashtag #doubleskipping. Feel free to dare your fellow table tennis players too !
#doubleskipping #pushup #fitness
Pushup Challenge from Former World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist:
Everybody Jumps Video:
