CrossFit Boston

Of all of the skills we deal with in CrossFit, the one that tends to drive us crazy is the double under. The double under is one of those skills that requires consistent practice to get better at. For myself, I worked at it every single day before class for at least a year. Eventually, I began to get more and more consistent with them and they became second nature to me. What helped me the most are the following;

1) Do not change your bio mechanics at all when shifting from the double under to the single under. One of the most common errors is jumping too high and slamming your feet down on the ground. Avoid this at all costs! The key is not to jump that high and pull your feet up to your chest. The jump may be a little higher, but not high enough that it destroys your ability to be consistent and efficient. Keep the bounce as light as you can. It's similar to box jumps. The lighter and easier the bounce, the more efficient you are in the movement. 

(Can you tell what is wrong with this double under?)

2) The extra spin comes from the wrists, not the arms and the shoulders. Try spinning your wrists harder and faster as opposed to throwing your shoulders and arms into the mix. What I recommend is holding the jump rope in one hand and learn to spin your wrists as fast as you can. Remember, not the arms but the wrists.

3) Keep your arms and hands close to your body throughout the movement. As we start to spin the rope with our arms (which is bad!!), the arms shift out causing the rope to shorten. This is when we get whipped. Ouch! Keep those arms and hands close to your body. 

4) Lastly, stay relaxed throughout the double under. Keep that torso completely relaxed, open posture (palms facing out), hands in, bounce light. 

Remember, only through consistency do we get anywhere. To the majority, this movement does not come easy. Keep at it and it will come in time. Eventually, we will all get to be like Buddy Lee.