Muscle & Fitness Australia — November 2017

26 MUSCLE & FITNESS / NOVEMBER 2017

T RA I N C RNOFSUSSFII0TNI By Joe Wuebben

DID YOU KNOW?

Skipping rope burns more than

10 calories per minute.

TRAINING

NOTES

> Perform this workout

(designed by Shiffler)

either after lifting

weights or by itself

on a cardio day.

> Choose rounds and

reps based on your

current fitness level.

MAKE IT A DOUBLE

This high-intensity CrossFit staple is a two-for-

one conditioning and fat-burning workout.

S

kipping rope as it’s typically

done (aka “single unders”)

is a moderate-intensity form

of cardio that you could

probably do continuously for

a few minutes if you really wanted

to. Double unders, on the other

hand, are decidedly high-intensity

and about the closest thing you

can get to an all-out running sprint

without having to travel forward.

If you hate skipping rope, you’ll

CARDIO ROUTINE

DOUBLE UNDERS

WOR KOU T

HOWTODOIT

EXERCISE REPS REST

DOUBLE UNDERS 15–30 90 SEC

BURPEES 15 90 SEC

DIRECTIONS: perform 3–5 rounds of:

doubly hate double unders. The

suck factor, however, is directly

proportional to the benefits offered.

“Double unders are a great tool to

improve coordination and speed,”

says Bill Shiffler, strength and

conditioning specialist and

CrossFit coach. “Once you’ve

mastered the skill element, they

also serve as a phenomenal

conditioning and HIIT exercise

because of the higher power

output of the movement compared

with single unders.”

You don’t have to be a gifted

athlete to do double unders – just

an ambitious one who seeks the

highest intensity level possible to

maximise calorie and fat burning.

Before you jump headfirst into

double unders, heed these tips:

1

First, measure your rope. Put

the rope under one foot and

raise both handles. They should

stop right at your armpits.

2

“Glue” your elbows to your

sides. Practise this first

with single unders.

3

Jump with an upright

torso. Stay as tall as

possible, bound off your toes

using your calves and keep

your toes in front of your body.

4

Turn the rope by rotating

only at the wrists (not the

elbows or shoulders). Again,

you can practise this by

doing single unders.

5

To go from single unders to

double unders, jump higher

and rotate your wrists faster.

3

2

4

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