Want to Master the Jump Rope?

Take Your Skills to the Next Level

If you know me personally, you probably know that I have a pretty big passion for this sport. AND, I have a little bit of skill to boot, if I do say so myself. Keep your eyes open for a video that I will be posting this summer with me and a few others performing at a level that will absolutely blow you away! But right now, I am going to hopefully inspire those of you who have a hidden athlete inside, just burning to come out. Below is a video of the famous boxer, Floyd Mayweather Junior, who’s known for his elite level of conditioning. Check it out! He’s got mad skills!

Hopefully after watching that sick video, you are pumped and asking yourself, “I wonder if I could ever do that?” The answer is “YES!” (with a lot of practice of course). If you already have the basic jump rope skills down (See April 21 blog), then you are ready to take your jump rope skills to the next level. Following are a couple of key lessons from my GET IT BACK system to get you started in the right direction. If you think you’ve got what it takes, I challenge you to give these a shot.

1. criss-cross

Demonstrated by Molly Metz, 2008 World Champion

(For the fastest rope on the planet, go to her site: www.jumpnrope.com)

First practice this move with the rope, but without jumping. LOW and SLOW is the name of the game here. Swing the rope over your head. As it’s coming down over your body, cross your arms tightly, giving your chest a little squeeze. Your arms should be crossed nice and low, down by your hips, as if you were reaching for your back pockets. Concentrate on getting the correct form with your cross.

When you feel comfortable with the cross motion, perform the same move, but add in your jump. Remember to jump with both feet together. When your arms are crossed, you will feel a bit constricted. This is where you have to really fire up those wrists to get the rope turning. Once the rope has gotten under your feet and back up over your head, then open your arms to jump over the rope again and complete the skill. Repeat. Make sure you keep your elbows and arms in, because if they come out wide, the rope will shorten and you’ll miss. It’s a movement of a big cross with your arms, then a small open. Once you’ve got it down, practice alternating your right and left arm on top.

TIP: Bad form is common, so practice in front of a mirror. Are your elbows meeting? Are your hands reaching close to your back pockets? Are you holding your cross long enough to jump the rope and swing it back over your head? Are you jumping on both feet? If you said “yes” to all these, you’re mastering your crosses. For more advanced levels, try performing a cross turning the rope backwards, or a cross inside a double under.

2. double under

Double unders are two complete revolutions of the rope in a single jump. Without a rope, first practice exploding up off the ground (with your calves and ankles) higher than single jumps, keeping your legs straight and your arms in. Then, for 2 sets of 25 reps, pretend you have the rope in your hands and are actually performing doubles, turning your wrists quickly with each jump. Keep the same pace for each rep, which helps to program your brain and muscles for what’s to come.

Now grab your rope and try for just one double. If you miss, your arms are probably drifting out, you’re tensing up and going a little too fast, or you’re turning your wrists too slow. Keep trying; it will come. When you’ve got it down, try a single jump followed by a double. Then go for 2 single jumps, double, 2 single jumps, double. Try to get 5 to 10 doubles using this strategy.

Next, see how many consecutive doubles you can do without missing. Often people will whip the first revolution under, then stall their arms for the second revolution of the rope. Really emphasize flipping your wrists back for the second turn, which will ensure you get a good second revolution. Once you can do 10 doubles in a row, then do 20, then see how many you can do in 15 seconds. When you don’t miss for 15 seconds, try for 30 seconds, then 1 minute, and so on. Keep your muscles and breathing very relaxed so that you can go longer, stacking up the number of reps. Remember, when extending past 30 seconds, it’s all mental! It’s just a mental push to overcome your desire to quit.

When you can perform 20 consecutive doubles, then you’re ready to add in other moves. For the really bold few, triples require that you turn your wrists much faster and spring higher with your jumps.

TIP: This trick is all about rhythm and balance. Stay on your toes! Those who repeatedly miss are often landing on their heels, or jumping all over the floor. Try to stay in one spot. Also keep a small bend in the knee. Don’t emphasize the jump; instead, emphasize your arms and shoulders. Reaching 50+ consecutive doubles has less to do with physical condition and more to do with mental dedication. Aim for a high number, and don’t let yourself quit. The current world record is over 10,000 in a row!