WED 7.31.13 Double Unders

Double Unders – Conquer the Plastic!

By Coach Cassie
Hey CFMers. Let’s talk about body positioning for double unders. I know what you’re thinking: “Uggghh! I HATE DOUBLE UNDERS, and I’m sick of that rope kicking my A$$!” As a coach, I have to say I rather enjoy all the nice language I hear from you guys as you colorfully yell at your jump ropes during warm up and WODs. I never knew a few pieces of plastic could cause us so much pain and anguish. Well, I hope this post can supply you with a key tip to conquer the plastic!
Far too often, I see you guys performing great singles with perfect hollow body position. Your elbows are close to your body. You’ve got fast rotation with the wrists. Your feet are together and punching off the ground through your toes. But then, you try a double under, and all that beautiful form goes out the window. Suddenly, I’m seeing donkey kicks and high school cheerleading tuck jumps. Your arms push out to your sides in a T-shape, and you’re crying from rope whips because it’s now too short to jump over. Thus, the hatred for double unders continues.
So let’s focus on one thing at a time with conquering those double unders, and let’s start with body position. If you’ve spent some time in my classes, you’ve heard me say over and over how important the hollow body position is in CrossFit. This one position, when mastered correctly and practiced often, translates perfectly to a ton of the CrossFit movements we see everyday in our WODs. And yes, the hollow body position is important to the double under as well. Stay focused on keeping the hollow body position during your jumps, and once you try your double under, do nothing differently except punch off the ground through your toes just a little bit higher. That’s it. Body position does not change. No donkeys. No cheerleaders. Just you, the hollow body position, and the rope. Bam! You got this!
To see exactly what I mean, check out this video from Carl Paoli, guru of body position and movement theory.
Jump Rope Progression – Pt.2 http://gymnasticswod.com/content/jump-rope-progression-pt2

Donations for The Youth Adventure Trust…
CFM students Shaylyn Blake and Joe Portera are participating in the Invesco Perpetual Lakes Adventure Race and you’re welcome to donate $5 towards the fundraising effort.
The goal: To give young people the hope, confidence and life skills to meet the challenges in their lives and together build trust and motivation through a journey of experience, adventure and fun.
Here is a link about the race http://lakesrace.co.uk/#overview
Day 1 – Hike across 10 peaks covering a distance of 30 km
Day 2 – Mountain bike across 6 peaks covering a distance of 30km
The team has a fundraising target of 4,000 sterling.
Donations can also be accepted on Virgin Money – http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ifiatlanta
Happy belated birthday to Anna E!