We will follow the holiday class schedule on Monday, Presidents’ Day – 6:30, 7:30, 9:00, 11:30am
Clean 3-3-3-3-3-3-3
Friday Poll
Do you have double-unders? Read below and POST to comments.
IF YES
– How long after starting at Roots did you to get them?
– How much did you practice outside of class time (before, after, or at home)
– Did you purchase a “magic” rope?
– What piece of advice do you have for people who are trying to get them?
– Have you ever considered a triple under?
IF NO
– How long have you been at Roots without them?
– How much are you practicing to get them? (before/after class, or at home)
– Do you really really want double unders, or just a little bit?
YES. I can’t remember how long after starting CF that I got my double unders. Maybe 6 months to a year? I don’t practice much at home but sometimes before a WOD if I get there early. I bought a rope like the wire ones at the gym, but it’s customized to my height. I find the rope length makes a big difference. I don’t think I’ve tried a triple under.
I honestly can’t remember how long after starting CrossFit it took me to get double unders. I do know that I lucked out in 2009 at the Regional because they were not in any of the exercises. I could do them then, but not consistently. I practiced them a lot. I think I warmed up before every workout for 2 months with 100 double unders. Advice – PRACTICE. Triple under, never. I just posted that to see if we could get people thinking about them:)
YES
– How long after starting at Roots did you to get them?
I was able to get a “single, single, double” after a couple of months, a ” single, double” a couple more months after that. And probably almost a year after my start date to get linked doubles, although I can probably only get 5 doubles in a row before getting tangled up in the rope and missing a whole lot. I think the most I ever got in a row was 8.
– How much did you practice outside of class time (before, after, or at home)
Honestly, not a whole lot or not as much as I should have. I sometimes try to practice before a WOD if I get there early.
– Did you purchase a “magic” rope?
No, I bought a cheap $2 vinyl rope from Target. It’s not adjustable but I’m somehow able to jump with it. I should probably upgrade to one I could adjust to my short stature.
– What piece of advice do you have for people who are trying to get them?
Try to comfortably and consistently get the “single, single, double” first before progressing onto “single, double” and linked doubles. Jumping over the double has more to do with rope speed than jumping really hard.
– Have you ever considered a triple under?
Oh heavens no. I’m happy I’m starting to link my doubles.
IF NO
– How long have you been at Roots without them?
Started Roots May of ’10 – so right around 10 months
– How much are you practicing to get them? (before/after class, or at home)
Usually before every class
– Do you really really want double unders, or just a little bit?
I’d consider donating a testicle to be able to do them consistently (and if you watch some of my double under practice sessions, you’ll see I come close to “donating” occasionally).
I got frustrated not being able to do them, so I practiced them for about an hour straight in my driveway one day, and walked away being able to string together 7-8 in a row pretty consistently. It’s hard. It wears out your arms quickly when you suck at them, plus you leave red lashes all over your hands, arms, and legs, but I just put my head down and always forced myself to start another set after a 30 second break or something.
I love the blue (thin wire) ropes at Roots, but I learned on a thick leather Everlast rope. There will be more resistance in the air, but double unders are a timing thing, not a strength thing. A thicker rope shouldn’t stop you from getting them.
YES
– How long after starting at Roots did you to get them?
About one year
– How much did you practice outside of class time (before, after, or at home)
Not much at first, but I started to do it at home and that is when it finally “clicked” for me
– Did you purchase a “magic” rope?
Yes, similar wire rope to what we have at Roots. I also optimized it’s length to my height which helps a lot.
– What piece of advice do you have for people who are trying to get them?
Practice is the only way to get efficient. Start with the single-single-double-single-single-double… and then single-double-single-double routine. I did that for the longest time, but it took forever to do long sets of 50 or so. You really want to connect them. I always start off with a bigger jump at first to get the first couple going, then you need to slowly lower your jump height as you settle in otherwise you will wear out fast. The key though is your wrist speed. You don’t want to be using forearm movement because that really tires you out fast. Try to keep your arms steady and close to your body and really whip the wrists. I also hold the handles just at the end knobs instead of entirely in my hand. It seems to help with whipping speed.
I really loathed double-unders at first, but now I enjoy them (similar to my Muscle-Up learning curve). I still practice them often and am able to connect a lot. I’m working on doing sets of max efforts back to back to back … to simulate WOD conditions. Obviously it’s a whole lot harder to do 50 DUs in the last round of a WOD versus the first round.
– Have you ever considered a triple under?
Yes, Zac had us try some last summer. I couldn’t do them at the time because I still did not have DUs consistently. Will have to try them now.
I practiced a lot. I initially learned barefooted with a heavy leather rope.
Learning to relax once you learn to link a couple makes a huge difference.
It took a few months of practicing b4 class. I bought a magic rope, but I’m back to the wire ropes in the shop b/c they’re lighter & faster. Advice for those trying to get them? It’s all in the wrists. I can do doubles b/c the combination of a light, fast rope and tight wrist (not arm) swings, allow me to speed the rope up (whip it) when I’m in the air, then slow slightly when my feet are on the ground. The rope doesn’t swing at a constant speed, and if it hits the floor it sounds like: … bam, bam….. bam,bam…..bam,bam…..bam,bam…. bam, bam. (i.e. in couplets)
hum… well, this may be a bit too much information (sorry boys), but i think its important to share, so other women are aware, if they aren’t already….
i HATED double unders for over a year of crossfitting, not necessarily b/c i couldn’t learn them, but b/c i was so uncomfortable doing them…. every time i tried, i peed. i thought something was wrong with me and was embarrassed, thus i never really tried that hard to learn them out of pure embarrassment. it wasn’t until i started at Roots and chatted with Nicole about my “situation” and learned that i was NOT the only lady this happened to, and it is actually quite common for many women… phew! that was such a relief to hear. and now that i am aware of the fact that i am not the only one with this issue, i just try to suck it up and accept that i may pee and plan accordingly (have a second set of clothes to change into, etc.).
now with that being said, i still struggle greatly with them. i was very frustrated after last year’s regional competition when i flailed during the 2nd WOD and didn’t qualify for the finals b/c of DUs… so i was determined to learn them. i even signed up for the CF/USAW competition b/c i knew DUs were part of the WOD portion of the competition, and i figured that would be the perfect motivator. i purchased a “magic” rope (buddy lee) and although i traveled a lot for work in the months leading up to the comp, i packed my jump rope and would jog over to a neighborhood park in the morning to practice DUs. i was FINALLY able to get single, single, double, and was ECSTATIC! it is seriously all about practicing, but also COMMITTING to the practicing – not just blindly practicing and getting frustrated (which was my typical approach!)
Although i still don’t have them linked, i don’t believe the “magic” rope will give you the edge – i definitely think its in the wrist, but haven’t been able to quite master that YET! … i will get back on that band wagon after my +1 comes into the world this summer!
YES
I started working on them a few weeks after starting at Roots as it was one of the only major skills I could do on my own. I worked on them before and after classes making sure to get at least a few minutes of work in. I also purchased a similar rope for home use and worked on them periodically over the weekends…. again, only for a few minutes in the day.
One piece of advice is to just jump rope. The key is to work the rope with the wrists. If you can work efficiently on singles… for long periods of time, then you can transition to doubles making sure that the wrist generates and maintains most of the action.
I have tried triples and have been able to only get 2.
BTW….. I purchased my cable speed rope for $13 from http://www.buyjumpropes.net/ They are like the ones in the gym. I am now trying out a Buddy Lee rope but, like Hank, I still like the cable ropes as they are light and much faster.
NO.
–Sometimes I can link single-single-doubles. But after a year at Roots I’d have to say it’s my least fav part of any WOD.
–Practice?
–I hate DUs.
No, been at ROOTS a bit over a year.
I can get one but cannot connect them. Occasionally I have gotten 2-3.
I practice about 2 times a month at home, but not enough to make a difference obviously.
I’ll keep trying!
NO
– I’ve been at Roots for almost five months now. I’m not practicing them at all outside the shop. *hides* I did buy a rope for home to tuck in my travel bag, but I really hate jumping rope (here we go with the TMI), I’m pretty busty and no matter how great a bra I have, bouncing HURTS. It’s another reason I won’t run, it’s just damn uncomfortable. That said, I do struggle with the perfect DU storm of speed/wrists/jump. I’ll keep at it.
NO — and I’ve been xfitting for 2.5 years! I don’t have a rope at home…and I truly have not practiced them other than when they show up in a WOD….. I would LOVE to have them….. and I love the advice on the wrist action… My new year’s resolution was DU’s!!! nothing like a little pressure this year…