Jump rope Fundamentals (What to do and what not to do!)

1) Bounce Low

• You only need to jump high enough for the rope to clear just under your feet, look at your rope and make a note of it’s thickness and consider this when jumping. Try and focus on jumps no higher than three inches.
• Keeping bounces low will limit the impact on your joints and reduce the risk of injury and fatigue.
• A good way to protect your ankles is to focus on jumping in the same spot and not stray sideways or forwards!

2) Stay on the balls of your feet with only a slight bend in the knees

• Jump from the balls of your feet with heels off the ground (This is called a bound and will engage the correct muscle for proper jumprope technique)
• Keep your knees slightly bent.
• Avoid kicking feet back as you leave the ground.

 3) Hand positioning is key

• You want to make sure your elbows are pointing behind you with your hands close to your body, next to your hips. This is called the home position. Jumping with arms wide and straight makes things difficult. Though the home position may feel unnatural at first, the elbows set back drives the rotation in the wrists which reduces unnecessary shoulder fatigue. 
• This positioning also allows for as short a rope length as possible to be used which leads to a more efficient rope movement.

4) Wrist Rotation

• Rotate the wrists and avoid leading the rotation with your arms

5) Shorten your rope

• Many beginners use a rope that is far too long because they initially feel it’s easier to jump over, however, this can lead to poor form, incorrect hand positioning, kicking back and potential injuries. 
• Shorter rope lengths lead to better mechanics and efficiency of rope spin leading to cleaner technique and execution of skills. 
• We recommend shortening your rope as much as technique allows and continue to review and shorten with time and confidence.

6) Use the correct rope type

• Avoid light cables and weighted handles which don't have the correct amount of feedback or have a weight imbalance.
• The best way to feel the weight of the rope around you is to use a beaded rope or alternatively, a 5mm PVC rope.
• The value of feeling the rope’s weight is the reason CrossFit athletes choose a buff 3.4oz cable to start with.
• Our beaded rope is perfectly balanced to give you feedback to feel the rope so you know where the rope is around you, this awareness in turn gives you the best chance to learn, execute skills and improve your form.