Unlocking the double-under!

Guest writer Ceri Littlechild shares her own experience of how patience and persistence DOES work, even for the most frustrating skill - the double-under!

An important aspect of skill development in CrossFit is taking cues and feedback. I’m also learning that one aspect of being a good coach is having an array of cues and tips to give people, including visual ones, verbal ones and tactile ones.

➡️ Have you thought about which cues have helped you the most? Telling the coaches what works for you helps them to help you.

There are so many coaching cues out there, that what works for one won't necessarily work for another!

In my own practice I’m often trying to find the right physical feedback or feeling in my body to know I’ve done the move right (pretty sure I haven’t ‘found’ my lats yet… apart from when I’m foam-rolling them 😪). So for me, the verbal or tactile cues that guide me towards the sensation I’m looking for in my body help me the most in making progress.

Cues like this have generally helped me; bracing in my tummy when doing lifts, clenching my butt when I’m doing push ups, a butt clench at the top of the kettlebell swing too, keeping tension (but not rigidity) in the legs when doing beat swings… I also find that being told which muscle I should feel most when we’re doing a stretch helps me to know I’m doing it right.

Things that work for one person won’t work for everyone, but you never know if one of the things that helped you unlock a move could help someone else. I take tips from the coaches but also from other members who’ve got the skill I’m working towards.

Bearing in mind I’m still working up to being fully proficient in the double under (progress not perfection, right? 😜), here are my tips for the total beginner. I have gotten to the stage where I can fairly reliably turn out between 10-15 back to back. So here are the cues that worked for me on starting to unlock the double under.

🔑 Getting the jump right. Knowing how to do the single under with the slightly slower but much higher jump is the foundation of the double under. You have to jump high enough to give yourself enough time to get the rope over twice, so getting the height consistently is a thing.

🔑 Got a heavier rope. The ropes we use are speed ropes and I don’t think they necessarily help when you’re a complete beginner. I bought the heaviest RX Smart Gear rope (3.4oz) and it gave me much more physical feedback on the movement of the rope. Maybe I fatigue quicker given the weight, but it helped me figure out a sensation to look for in my hands.

🔑 Focusing on the sensation in my hands. There’s the position of the hands but there’s also the timing. The timing of the hands should be like the penguin double tap but with the two rope rotations taking the same time as the one high jump. Having the heavier rope really enabled me to feel the turn of the handle in my hands and get a feel for that double flick. If I focus there I tend to get the rhythm right.

🔑 Practice and patience. They came slowly. Starting with 2 singles and 1 double, then 1 single 1 double, while keeping the jump exactly the same helped. I probably spent a good few weeks doing regular practice in Open Gym for at least 5-10 minutes and that consistent time on it helped me build up from 2-3 to 10-15.

🔑 Listened to feedback. I took tips from all of the coaches and other people who’ve mastered them. I remember Joe telling me to keep my head and eyes up. Dan and Kirsty suggested to me to get my jump higher. Loz told me to listen out for the rhythm pattern of the rope. Richard recommended trying the band around the upper arms to help keep the hands in. I also listened to my own body when it told me I was overdoing it and needed a break.

🔑 Don’t let the bad days put you off. It’s still hit and miss for me. Some days they’re good, some days they’re not. I find that when it’s working, it’s to do with rhythm and hand sensation and getting the feel of it. But some days it can feel like I’ve gone backwards. One thing I refuse to do is completely write myself off when I have a bad day with them. Just keep turning up despite the disappointment.

↗️ Progress is inevitable if you don’t give up.

Thanks for reading!

Ceri

📩 If you're struggling with your double-unders, or are at a standstill in your health and fitness journey, never hesitate to reach out. Drop us an SMS on 07588286277 or give us a call on 01480700506.

Until the next blog post 😊