Men's Health - UK (2019-07)

102 MEN’S HEALTH

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PT / 07.2019

Send your cardio health

and weight loss soaring

with a move you can do

almost anywhere. The

double-under – spinning

a rope twice per jump –

is the zenith of skipping.

Let’s get to grips with it

DOUBLE

THE BURN

FORM MASTERCLASS #10

SKIPPING

TRAINING

You may be a dab hand with

the rope, but double-unders

require you to perform each

movement efficiently and

consistently: in other words,

getting it right, rep after rep.

To master them, build your

technique from the ground up.

01

POWER JUMP

3 SETS OF 10 REPS

First, work on the jump empty-handed.

That may seem too basic for you, but

without learning to go higher and, crucially,

stronger, you won’t be able to spin the

rope twice on each bound consistently.

With your hands down by your sides (A),

“pogo” by bouncing up and down with

straight legs (B). Keep your

head up and your core tight.

03

BIG SINGLE

3 SETS OF 10-15 REPS

Get ready for something a little trickier

(A). Put the first two moves together by

combining power jumps with one pass

of the rope and good spinning form (B).

Resist the urge to go faster. The rope

speed will feel too slow, but the longer

you have, the easier it will be to hit your

first double turn when the time comes.

Perform 10-15 reps. Stop and repeat.

02

SINGLE-UNDER

3 SETS OF MAX REPS

Next, grab your rope (A) and practise

single-unders – regular skipping – to

perfect your spinning technique. Your

aim is to rotate only at your wrists,

so keep your chest and head up and

your elbows close to your body. Your

bounces should be small, with your

feet pressed together (B). Try to

beat your rep count each time.

04

PENGUIN JUMP

3 SETS OF 10 REPS

Finally, accustom yourself to the rhythm

and sound of the double-under. Drop

the rope and pogo up and down, as with

the power jumps, but this time with your

hands out to the side (A). At the top of

each jump, tap your hands twice to make

a “slap-slap” noise (B). You should look –

and feel – like a penguin. Trust us, this is

a crucial part of your march to progress.

A

A

A

A

OF DOUBLE-UNDERS WILL

TYPICALLY BURN BETWEEN

150KCAL AND 200KCAL – MAKING

IT AN EMINENTLY WORTHY

INVESTMENT OF YOUR

TIME. JUMP TO IT

10 MIN