Thanks for taking the time to get this guide. Here you will find a how to double under guide.
What are these things you call double unders?
Here is what Wikipedia says:
Double Unders are performed when, the participant needs to jump up higher than usual while swinging the rope twice under his feet.
I think they’ve got this, I couldn’t explain this better myself. Sounds easy right, and for those of you that have this nailed you can sit back smugly and bask in your own glory as you’ve already put the work in.
Why double under?
Well the double under is one of ultimate exercises that tests, hand coordination, foot coordination & fitness. It’s definitely one of the more complicated exercises done using a speed rope.
This exercise is mainly used in Crossfit, Boxing, Martial Arts and general fitness.
Can anyone do it?
The simple answer to this is “YES” anyone can do it. So with practice a high pain threshold and perseverance you can be smashing out unbroken double unders in no time at all.
What’s an unbroken double under?
An unbroken double under is when you perform multiple double under in a row without having to stop because you have missed a jump or got in tangle.
“Don’t worry about getting in a tangle this is all part of the learning process”
Does it hurt if I miss a jump?
I really don’t want to put you off but yes, sometimes it can hurt. You may get a little whip, which feels like a sting. The main parts of the body that could be affected are the calfs, back, forearms and sometimes even the hands. But don’t let this put you off your hardy right?
Does the skipping rope you use affect how easy or difficult a double under is?
The short answer to this is YES. So if your using a leather rope with a wooden handle, or a clunky piece of rubbish then yes it will be a lot more difficult to do. However you’re smart and I’m sure you have the right tool for the job. As a minimum you will need a speed rope with either a wire or slightly heavier PVC rope.
When I was learning there wasn’t all these new fangled all singing all dancing speed ropes with ball bearings & DBBT. So your lucky!!
What is DBBT?
DBBT is an acronym for dual ball bearing technology. All No Label speed ropes have this in their handles. The ball bearings used in our products are made from precision cut stainless steel and are carefully assembled in our factory.
All our speed rope handles come with a lifetime warranty!!
What is better, a PVC or wire rope?
So if your starting out I would definitely suggest going with a heavier PVC rope, the reason for this is purely for sensory reasons. With a heavier rope you’re more able to feel the whip and weight which enables you to know when and how to jump. The lighter stainless steel cable is faster and also more difficult to judge when to jump but with practice, long term this is the rope you want to be using once you have mastered the double using a heavier rope.
Three phases of jump
I’m not sure if you know about his or have heard of it before, but there are three components of your jump while skipping.
The three phases are load, flight & landing. All three phases are as equally important as one another.
The Load Phase
This is the what can also be know as the anticipation phase. The load phase is the preparation part of the whole movement before you enter the “flight phase”. While in the load phase pre take off, your body weight needs to be balanced evenly between both feet and you should be poised on the balls of your feet. Your knees should be slightly bent and your body straight. When your body is in this position you are primed and ready to make the multi-joint demands of the jump.
The Flight Phase
There are two parts to this phase first of all you have the propulsion then then the part where you are actually airborne. To generate propulsion you push back from the surface using the balls of your feet, ankles, calves, knees and hips. This is a multi joint exercise.
When in the airborne phase or the flight feet shouldn’t be anymore than 3cm-5cm off the surface. This part of the jump is when the rope passes beneath your feet for 2 revolutions.
Landing Phase
Each time you land your knees, ankles and hips act as shock absorbers. You should be landing softly on the balls of your feet with every revolution, using the rebound of each jump to propel you back up in the air again. The more you do this the better balance you will have over time making it easier for you to complete unbroken double unders.
So in it’s simplest terms this is the 3 phases of jump. All you have to do now is condense these instructions into fractions of a second, easy right!!
So are you ready?
Ok so here I go trying to explain how to master the double under!!
Here is a 10 Step Guide of How to Master the Double Under.
1. First things first, you’ve got your speed rope in hand and you need to make sure that that you’ve set it to the right length so that you can make a start.
2. Top tip number two is to remember to keep your elbows as close to your body as possible. Spinning them around windmill stylee will not work plus it will make you look a little crazy. Ensure you keep a “Good Posture” at all times. Straight back knees slightly bent and poised at all times ready to jump.
3. Understanding what your trying to do is a must. Take a few moments and think about it. Try to visualise what your double under will look like and have a “Vision” in your head of the steps you need to take in order to complete the task.
4. Skipping or using a jump rope is a 3 part series, you have the load phase, flight phase and landing. You need to know exactly what your doing at exactly the right time in order for to successfully do a double under.
5. First off lets practice with a single under. Using your correct stance, knees bent, back straight, elbows in start by spinning the speed rope for one revolution. Allow the speed rope to go over your head and under your feet once then stop. Repeat this but this time for 2 revolutions, then 3 revolutions, try to get all the way to 10 unbroken single unders.
So by now you have realised you only need to jump a tiny distance off the floor maybe 3-5 cm with each revolution.
6. So now for the double. First off let’s make this as easy as possible. I want you the “Jump Phase” to be jumping off both of your feet rather than just one.
The secret to the double under speed rope jump is about “whip”. Whip is the speed in which the rope part goes over your head and under your feet. With a double under you want the rope to go up and over for 2 revolutions while you jump only once.
The key to getting a successful “Whip” is all in the wrist.The action you’ll be taking will fee & also look like a “Flick”. In affect you’ll be flicking your wrist in a circular motion as quickly as possible to try and achieve 2 revolutions.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t land the jump straight away, this will come with practice. For Now just concentrate on the whip.
7. Now that you have the “whip” nailed it’s time for you to concentrate on the jump. So just as you did for the single under, you need to do the same when doing the double under only this time you need to jump a little higher.
How I learnt was by smashing out a few unbroken single unders, so that my timing for the jump was perfect each time. So when you mid flow through your single under you need to start think and preparing yourself.
After you’ve made a few single unders get ready with your whip technique you practiced earlier for your wrists. Immediately whip the rope, and with this jump a slighty higher than you would normally. Top tip: remember to keep your elbows in!!
8. If you followed all the steps above you should’ve just nailed your first double under successfully. Then continued with your unbroken single unders.
I think now is the time for a quick pat on the back!! Well done you.
9. It’s all about practice and putting the hours in. This isn’t a quick process and you will have good days and bad days. Practice as much as you can and stick with the same speed rope so that you get used to the “feel” of it.
10. So you can now do unbroken single unders and throw in a double under every now and again which is awesome!! Use the skills you have learnt to try and build upto multiple double unders.
Start by doing unbroken single unders then throw in one double under. Then 2 double unders, then three build this up until you can do as many double unders as your calfs can handle!!
CONGRATULATIONS your now a master a double unders
In summary, the double under is an awesome exercise that combines coordination, fitness and multi joint movements. It’s not easy but when you’ve got this combination of movements nailed, you’re going to look like a boss!!
Follow this guide watch videos on YouTube and let me know if this was any help to you.
Best Regards
No Label Team