THE newly formed Philippine Jump Rope Association (PJRA) headed by Noel Agra is not skipping a beat in spreading the news about the fitness craze amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s for everybody. There’s no age limit. It’s for all skill levels. You can do it anytime, anywhere and it’s very affordable,” Agra told Tuesday’s online session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.
Agra, a health and fitness buff and a certified jump rope coach, said the PJRA was formed at the height of the lockdown and enjoys a membership of close to 150 nationwide.
He said jump rope enthusiasts or even other groups are welcome to join the PJRA, which has filed for membership with the International Jump Rope Union (IJRU) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
“Everybody is welcome. The PJRA wants to collaborate with everyone. We want to be inclusive,” Agra, who has been doing jumping rope for five years now, told the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, Milo, Amelie Hotel, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and powered by Smart, with Upstream Media as webcast partner.
The PJRA has lined up a series of events, including online competitions beginning next month. It invited foreign jump rope experts to do workshops and clinics in the country.
Agra stressed that jump rope is all about dedication, commitment and health, considering that jumping rope burns three times more calories than jogging or running.
“I’ve lost 50 pounds doing jump rope,” Agra said.
It’s still a long way to go for jump rope but Agra said he is looking forward to the sport’s inclusion in multisport international events like the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games or even the Olympics.
“It’s a sport,” he said.