There are things that we leave aside when we get older and that later we realize that it was a mistake. Jumping rope is one of them. We already told you in our post Skipping rope: 12 benefits, 8 tips and 5 routines why it doesn't hurt to resume this (apparently) childish practice. There are many types of rope exercises beyond simple jumping. Therefore, today we go one step further and talk to you about its older brother, double unders. If you are a crossfitter, you have surely encountered them more than once on the boxing board, perhaps with a huge DU. But first, we will give you a quick review of the advantages of taking your old jump rope out of the drawer.
Advantages of jumping rope
Jump rope is a good option to add variety to your cardio exercises. There is no reason to just run around as if you were being chased. Plus, jumping rope will help you be faster and more resilient when you decide to run, whether they're chasing you or not. You will be more relaxed after the shot of endorphins it provides, and it will help you prevent heart disease. You will also see your coordination and concentration improved, which is not a bad thing when doing any type of training. Well, it's good for everything, really. If you add to this that it is cheap, comfortable and fun... Why not?
It's time to know what a double under is
The Spanish term for double under is: DOUBLE JUMP As you may have deduced (you don't have to be Sherlock), to do a double under or double jump, the rope must pass under your feet 2 times before your jump ends. Does it seem easy or complicated to you? Well, rather the second. If you haven't jumped rope since school, doing several single jumps without getting whiplash or tripping may already be more difficult than you think, so the double jump will require a lot of practice on your part. Of course, if you dare to do so, keep in mind that the greater the complexity and intensity of the jump, the more visible the benefits you just read will be. You will work your muscles and burn calories for a tube.
Steps to achieve a double under
Let's go with a little practical theory so that you can start working today on becoming an ace at double unders.
1.Do not do anything without adjusting the rope properly.
Although it may seem unimportant, adjusting the rope correctly is the difference between making a good jump or not. Having the rope too short or long will make you trip more easily, you will have to jump too high and the speed of the rope will not be adequate. Then go through the post that we mentioned at the beginning to find out how to adjust it perfectly.
2.First things come first. Start with simple jumps.
Trying to do double jumps without having practice with single jumps is like wanting to be a runner without knowing how to walk. Take it easy and start to gain confidence with your rope and gain skill in the basic jump before considering moving on to doubles. Increase the number of repetitions of simple jumps without failing and, when you notice that you have mastered them perfectly, it will be time to increase the speed. When you can jump faster, and still not miss… Yes, that is the sign that you are ready to move on to something more complicated.
3.Not everything goes. Learn the correct posture.
Jumping rope is child's play, but they can afford to do it anyway, not you. Having good technique will make you last longer without stumbling and with less fatigue. In addition, you will avoid injury or joint pain. The correct posture is:
- Look forward.
- Arms close to the body and with the elbows slightly bent.
- Contracted abdomen.
- Feet together.
- Move your wrists, not your arms.
- Land with the balls of your feet and your knees slightly bent.
4.This is about speed, not height. Jump only a few centimeters.
The camber has a minimum thickness for a reason. If you jump too high, you'll end up tiring quickly, slowing down, and tripping. The key is to jump just enough so that the rope passes under your feet and maintain a constant speed. At first, you may need to jump a little higher than you should to allow time for the rope to pass twice, but over time you will be able to increase your speed so that this is no longer necessary.
5. Everything is learned by practicing
You'll have to fight with the rope until you see who wins. There are those who believe that it is best to combine X simple jumps with one double jump until you gain fluidity. Others say that this has not helped them much and that they have been better off focusing on doing more and more double unders without stumbling. As each person is different, our recommendation is that you experiment with which method works best for you and, above all, do not despair if the first few times it does not work or you cannot do many jumps in a row. It's a matter of time. Go at your pace. There will come a time when you dare to do a WOD in which you have to do many repetitions of double unders and that will be when you will really improve.
What jump rope to use
We have already talked to you on other occasions about the requirements that a rope must meet so that your jumps are of quality. Yes, besides. If you plan to increase the difficulty of your rope exercises, it is important that you make sure of some details before purchasing. Get a speed rope (with a 360º turn) as it will help you make the turn more efficient and pick up the right speed more easily than with another type of rope. Of course, it must be adjustable or you will not be able to adjust the length appropriate to your height, which will make it difficult for your jumps to be effective. Seriously, if the rope is thin and light, you will appreciate it with every jump. And, before choosing, you should think about whether in the future you will want to add ballast to your exercise since not all ropes allow it. At Picsil we want to make the decision easier for you, so we recommend two models that meet all these characteristics:
- Anna : high speed rope with the possibility of adding weights. Smooth, fast and in various colors. So that you don't say.
- Bee : high-speed, self-adjusting camber. Easy, light and durable. The most of the most.
You already have rope, now let's practice!
2 WODS with double unders to practice
You can use double unders in your warm-up, you will also find them in many WODS and workouts and even in CrossFit games. But today we bring you 2 WODS that you will enjoy when you master double unders and they will help you increase your speed. WOD Annie Double Unders + Sit ups (abdominals) It involves doing 50 double unders + 50 sit ups + 40 double unders + 40 sit ups... And so on until you do 10 of each. Ah! and in the shortest possible time, so that you don't rest on your laurels. AMRAP 20 minutes We tell you everything about AMRAP here so that, if you start doing it, you do so being prepared.
- 100 Double Unders or double unders
- 10 Burpees
- 20 Push Ups or push-ups
- 30 Sit Ups or abdominals
- 40 Lunges or strides
Will you be able to finish within time?
Conclusions
The desire to do double jumps will come to you once you manage to master the simple ones and increase your speed. From there to triple jumps and other types of rope exercises is just one step. Remember that it is important that you have a speed rope that helps you achieve your goal and not make it more complicated. And don't be discouraged if it costs you, as we already said, it's a matter of practice. Let's jump! Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about exercises, techniques and products with which that desired physical state will be much closer. 💪
