I like to keep fit but don't have time to do many activities away from home such as attending a gym or swimming due to work and childcare issues so I do what I can from home. I have always been a fan of skipping and owned a skipping rope a while back but got out of the habit of doing it when my skipping rope broke and I didn't replace it. I decided to give it another go recently after talking with friends at work as I am determined to get that 'bikini bod' for my holiday in September.

As my last skipping rope broke, I decided to just purchase a normal skipping rope rather than a specific skipping rope designed for fitness as they all do the same job and I assumed a child's skipping rope would be cheaper than a fitness one.

I got a Mookie skipping rope off Amazon. I didn't actually have to pay for it as I had a gift voucher but the standard price of these is £3.00 which was half the price of my previous Argos skipping rope so I saved myself a few pennies. I wasn't sure when I ordered it exactly what size the rope was but presumed it wouldn't be overly big as it is aimed at children.

Although aimed at children, I found I had no problems with the size of the rope. It is definitely smaller than the Argos one I had owned but I am quite short anyway so I found this actually helped, not hindered me! Some taller adults though might struggle with the size of the rope.

The rope has wooden handles which in hindsight wasn't the best idea I have ever had as these aren't very comfy at all, especially when you have been skipping for a while and your hands get sweaty. I also find that there isn't much grip either and I have let go of the rope a couple of times. This is when you realise that the skipping ropes specifically designed for fitness aren't rip off merchandise enticing you to pay more, they do have genuine aids to make skipping for fitness purposes easier and safer.

The rope itself on this one is quite thick and therefore you know that it has very little chance of fraying or coming apart but I do feel that this skipping rope will break quite easily as the wooden handles feel very cheap and flimsy and the rope doesn't feel very secure inside the handles so I have a feeling that the rope will come away from the handles eventually or the handles will break.

So far though this skipping rope has stayed intact and I have been able to start my skipping again in the evening. I do it in the back garden as obviously something is likely to get damaged in the house when using a skipping rope. Skipping is apparently one of the best ways to burn calories and tone up and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. As for the Mookie skipping rope itself, it is ok at best. So far it has done the job but I can't see it lasting too long in all honesty and now think that if you are seriously thinking of taking up skipping as a regular exercise then you really should get one specifically designed for that purpose as this one is ok as a childrens toy, but it isn't really made for adult fitness.