Over engineered product or simply the most useless product ever? I report, you decide

[Farid]

http://www.jumpsnap.com/

Seriously, who could come up with an idea this absurd and find funding or get green lighted for mass production?

 

[tabs]

Oddly enough, it seems like a good idea to me, though I can see why it appears a bit ridiculous when you could just use a rope.

If you're short on space in the home and do your exercise there, these would be safe to use where a rope probably would take out something valuable.

 

[Skrying]

Oddly enough, it seems like a good idea to me, though I can see why it appears a bit ridiculous when you could just use a rope.

If you're short on space in the home and do your exercise there, these would be safe to use where a rope probably would take out something valuable.

Go outside? Get a tan?! Seriously, umm. The rope on a jump rope is good best it makes sure you actually jump over said rope on a consistent basis. If its not there you could be be all out of wack.

Oh it was designed because its easier than a jump rope. You know, don't actually jump just raise yourself on your toes. Might be neat for older people with joint issues but otherwise it seems like a lame joke for people who just find it oh so hard to jump.

 

[Nesh]

if I swing the things but dont jump will it still count it as a jump

 

[AlphaWolf]

if I swing the things but dont jump will it still count it as a jump

they should give you a shock if you don't jump

 

[Nesh]

they should give you a shock if you don't jump

awesome

 

[kyleb]

Better yet, they could just preempt the issue by giving you a shock so big that you are sure to jump.

 

[tabs]

Go outside? Get a tan?! Seriously, umm.

Not everyone has a garden, or even a park nearby. Or perhaps the desire to go 'skipping in the park'.

I wouldn't be bothered by the way. In fact I've spent a great deal of time out in the sun walking around on my hands in front of my neighbors - I couldn't give a monkeys what they think, but many folks are a bit more reserved than me, and this product is good for them.

 

[Dresden]

Doesn't this defy the jump rope as an object entirely? It nixxes out any sense of error so you could potentially make 2/56 jumps correctly and still feel some sense of accomplishment regardless of whether it was done correctly. It's like lifting imaginary weights. You may go through the motion of lifting, but it's not necessarily the same thing....

 

[ShootMyMonkey]

Doesn't this defy the jump rope as an object entirely? It nixxes out any sense of error so you could potentially make 2/56 jumps correctly and still feel some sense of accomplishment regardless of whether it was done correctly. It's like lifting imaginary weights. You may go through the motion of lifting, but it's not necessarily the same thing....

I guess their argument to this is that the benefits of jumping rope don't come from the "correctness" of the jumping and the formation of a rhythm, but the fact that you are constantly jumping. The problem with that argument is that having an actual rope forces you to do both, whereas this thing doesn't seem to impose any real requirement other than that you swing it around. Though it seems like a nice thought in that not having a rope means you don't get interrupted, you still need to ensure somehow that the benefit is put to use, because human willpower is a faulty thing to depend on.

 

[Dresden]

I guess their argument to this is that the benefits of jumping rope don't come from the "correctness" of the jumping and the formation of a rhythm, but the fact that you are constantly jumping. The problem with that argument is that having an actual rope forces you to do both, whereas this thing doesn't seem to impose any real requirement other than that you swing it around. Though it seems like a nice thought in that not having a rope means you don't get interrupted, you still need to ensure somehow that the benefit is put to use, because human willpower is a faulty thing to depend on.

If the goal of the product is to emphasize the importance of merely jumping, then buying the product is entirely pointless. When I was involved in boxing one of the key exercises boxers do is jumping rope. For the exercise to be even remotely beneficial, form, timing and speed are all factors one must take into consideration to successfully jump rope for longer than eleven seconds. This product doesn't take advantage of any of those aspects other than speed, and even that's a stretch. By all technical means, you could jump at whatever speed you desire and leave the ground an eighth of an inch. I'll play the Devil's advocate and assume there's ligitmate usage for this product. I could potentially see the use for a ropeless jump rope for indoor use, but anything outside of those boundaries is absurd. It should be renamed to "Lazy Recluse's Jump Rope."

 

[ShootMyMonkey]

When I was involved in boxing one of the key exercises boxers do is jumping rope. For the exercise to be even remotely beneficial, form, timing and speed are all factors one must take into consideration to successfully jump rope for longer than eleven seconds.

Beneficial to what extent, I have to ask? Boxers have a use for being able to be quick and precise on their feet and being able to keep it up for long periods while maintaining proper form, as do many athletes. I know that when I was seriously playing tennis, I had to go through the same thing, and it was meaningful for me since I like to play the net, so I have a need for small precise quick footwork.

For the average person who's probably going to buy a toy like this, they're just looking for something to keep them from becoming obese or diabetic. So the only real value of jumping rope for them is strictly getting a cardiovascular workout, which means having to maintain that state of activity without stopping.

I suppose it's possible to engineer something such that it can detect that you've jumped with correct timing and so on and warned you when you were off, which seems like a good idea, but people don't care enough. Really, they should be telling people to jump a real rope, but that's exactly what no one will bother to do. At least by saying "well, we'll make it easy on you", you have something you can sell.

It should be renamed to "Lazy Recluse's Jump Rope."

"Lazy Recluse" probably describes a lot of people on this board.

 

[Dresden]

Beneficial to what extent, I have to ask? Boxers have a use for being able to be quick and precise on their feet and being able to keep it up for long periods while maintaining proper form, as do many athletes. I know that when I was seriously playing tennis, I had to go through the same thing, and it was meaningful for me since I like to play the net, so I have a need for small precise quick footwork.

For the average person who's probably going to buy a toy like this, they're just looking for something to keep them from becoming obese or diabetic. So the only real value of jumping rope for them is strictly getting a cardiovascular workout, which means having to maintain that state of activity without stopping.

I suppose it's possible to engineer something such that it can detect that you've jumped with correct timing and so on and warned you when you were off, which seems like a good idea, but people don't care enough. Really, they should be telling people to jump a real rope, but that's exactly what no one will bother to do. At least by saying "well, we'll make it easy on you", you have something you can sell.


"Lazy Recluse" probably describes a lot of people on this board.

The heightened importance of jumping rope for boxers is not only the cardiovascular angle, but it also increases stamina, no not your health bar but your duration to continually press on while exerting great deals of energy, because believe it or not, boxing is EXTREMELY tiring. And you're absolutely right. The ideal demographic for a device of this nature is people who want to truly believe they're ACTUALLY working out when in all actuality nothing is really being accomplished, it's merely acting as a space holder in their void of aerobics. There are numerous preventative measures people can take to avoid obesity and diabetes, but buying one of these then drinking your coffee with 30 sugars or eating whatever you please, won't really make it worth your money. People want a substitute that guarantees easier job performance for EVERTHING and exercising is no exception. Such is the ideal product for us as Americans, just take a gander at the Segway

*edit* Actually, no. The "Segway" is WHOLEHEARTEDLY IMPRACTICAL!

 

[AlphaWolf]

There are thousands of craptacular get fit fast machines, but how many of them could work as a wii controller?

 

[DeadlyNinja]

There are thousands of craptacular get fit fast machines, but how many of them could work as a wii controller?

The funny thing about this is that there is a wire connecting the Wiimote with the nunchuck! You might as well just use that to jump rope.

 

[ShootMyMonkey]

The funny thing about this is that there is a wire connecting the Wiimote with the nunchuck! You might as well just use that to jump rope.

Wouldn't it only be useful as a jump rope for people under 30 cm in height? Though I suppose if you really curled up on each jump... That would get tiring really fast, and tripping on the cable could have disastrously damaging and expensive results (though there are jump ropes that cost much more than a Wiimote/nunchuck, they're not quite so fragile).

 

[Dresden]

The funny thing about this is that there is a wire connecting the Wiimote with the nunchuck! You might as well just use that to jump rope.

T.V's beware

 

[DeadlyNinja]

You can always make the wire connecting the 2 much longer, thus allowing you to properly jump rope with it.