Want to learn jump rope quickly and efficiently as a beginner?
Want to challenge yourself with new skills and combos?
Well, Fancy Feats the app by Lauren Jumps does exactly that!
See below for more details on frequently asked questions!
Q: What is Fancy Feats?
A NEW jump rope app helping you master the moves you see online. With our Skill Map, you will create your own style and learn the moves you like the most. In the programme section, you can learn the basics of jump rope in just six weeks.
Q: Where is it available?
Apple and Android!
Q: Is Fancy Feats suitable for new jumpers?
Absolutely! Brand new jumpers should start at the very beginning of the Skill Map and unlock moves from there. We start with the basic bounce – the first skill you need to master. Or you can complete the Beginner Crash Course from the programmes section.
Q: I'm already a good jumper - is it suitable for me?
100%. Once you download the app, mark the skills you're comfortable with as 'complete' then go from there. There are advanced skills and combos waiting to challenge you. Even the best jumpers will have their skills tested.
IMPORTANT: Always check your form against mine before you mark the skill as 'complete'. I point out common mistakes you might not be aware of in the skill tutorials.
Q: Do I have to commit to a long subscription?
Nope! If you choose the flexible monthly option, you’re free to cancel at any time. If you’d like to save some money, there are discounted 3, 6 and 12 month plans.
Q: How does the Skill Map work?
Except for the basic bounce, which is where everyone starts, every jump rope skill has one or more prerequisites you should be comfortable with before you attempt it.
This is what the Skill Map is built on. By mastering a skill (or multiple skills), you unlock new moves you can learn. Each skill is broken down into drills, meaning you build up your skill and technique over time.
Q: How long will it take to complete the Skill Map?
I’m going to regularly update the Skill Map with NEW footwork and armwork. Plus, you'll also work on combos alongside the Skill Map (which we'll also frequently add to). The idea is, you'll never run out of ways to progress!
Q: What makes Fancy Feats different to other jump rope apps?
Instead of jump rope just being one section of a huge fitness app, Fancy Feats gives our sport (and passion) the spotlight it deserves.
I've spent over a year building this app completely new from the ground up, mapping out the most fun and effective way to learn the skills you see online. The skill tutorials are incredibly detailed, but you'll find them so easy to follow and understand.
Plus, Fancy Feats is also completely unique thanks to our fun over fitness approach. Fitness is a lovely added bonus of jumping, but we do this for the love of jump rope! So while many of our community will use Fancy Feats to get fit, many also do it for fun.
Q: What ropes should I get?
All my ropes are available here. See below for a breakdown of each rope type and you can use code 'LAUREN' for 10% of all Dope Ropes products!
Beaded
Beaded ropes are the ropes I recommend for beginners or jump ropers who want to branch out into the world of tricks and footwork.
I learned everything on a beaded rope – including double unders.
Why are they so good? They’re easy to learn with. They hold their shape much better than PVC or wire and provide more feedback - giving you more control.
If you are looking to learn releases, a beaded rope is essential, in my opinion. To this day, I’m still my most versatile with a beaded rope.
PVC
PVC ropes are great for adding speed! I love 5mm PVC ropes because they’re light enough to get that speed, but still weighty enough to give you feedback. But If you like the properties of PVC and want something with more feedback, 6mm PVC is great option.
I can still do tricks with a PVC rope, but it took a lot of practice. It’s great for fast footwork combos!
You can learn with a PVC rope, but it tends to be much harder. Especially when it comes to releases. That being said, a lot of people get their first double under with a PVC rope.
Long handles
When the tempo is fast and there’s a lot of crossing skills or complex multiples, I sometimes use long-handle ropes.
If you're really struggling with certain skills, long handles extend your reach - giving you more room for error. For this reason, This also makes these ropes great for complex multiples.
It’s best to learn with short handles as it teaches you good form, but if you’re really struggling with mobility or want to attempt trickier combos at speed, you may want to consider long handles.
Equally, if you’re a ninja with short handles, you’ll be even more ninja with a long handle when it comes to speed.
Wire
Wire ropes should be avoided by beginners. They're also NOT suitable for tricks and footwork as they’re difficult to control.
Once proficient on a beaded or pvc rope, wire ropes can add a crazy amount of speed to simple footwork (basic bounce/speed step/run in place) and double unders. They’re often used in jump rope competitions and CrossFit for this reason.
I only use my wire rope for double unders in CrossFit. If you want to max out your double unders, I recommend nailing them on PVC before moving onto wire.
Now that you have access to both the ropes and the app, you will be jumping like a pro in no time!!
]]>Skipping can feel hard and quite alien when first starting and can cause frustration when tripping a lot. Following some of the below advice will help you to learn the best way possible and help you get off to great start with your jump rope journey.
1) Keep bounces low off the ground / bounce in one place
Only jump high enough for the rope to pass under your feet. only about 1-2 inches off the ground max. This lowers impact and reduces the risk of injury and fatigue. Also try to keep in the same spot when your are jumping and not stray sideways or forwards!
2) Stay on the balls of your feet / slight bend in the knees
You want to keep on the balls of your feet with your heels off the ground. This is called a bound and will use the correct muscle groups for skipping the correct way. Also you only need a very slight bend in the knees. Avoid bending your knees fully and flicking them back which many beginners have a tendency to do.
3) Hand positioning is key
You want to make sure your elbows are set back with you hands into your body next to your hips. This is called the home position. Many people jump with their arms wide and straight which makes things difficult even though it may feel natural. With the elbows set back, this engages the elbows to drive 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 meaning greater efficiency in rope movement.
4) Wrist Rotation
Make sure you are rotating those wrists and not leading the rotation with your arms.
5) Shorten your rope
Most beginners use a rope that is far too long for them because they think it's easier to jump over, this leads to poor form and hand positioning. We recommend shortening your rope as much as technique allows and continue to review and shorten with time. Shorter rope lengths lead to better rope mechanics and efficiency of rope spin leading to cleaner technique and execution of skills
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. You want to feel the weight of the rope as it spins around you. This is why you should get a beaded rope. Alternative a 5mm PVC rope. It is also the reason why CrossFit athletes should 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 feel and awareness gives you the best chance to learn and execute skills and improve your form.
7) Head Straight and Shoulders back
Make sure you maintain this posture as much as possible and stay relaxed.
8) Warm up, ease yourself in but keep going
Make sure you warm up a bit before diving in and keep it fairly light to start with. Doing basic bounce for 10-15 mins maybe 3 days a week is a good amount to get started with and slowly increase session length and frequency with time. Once you get used to it, you will be able to jump for hours but don't do too much too early.
Keep going and stay consistent. The more regularly you can jump rope the more natural it will start to feel.
9) Reflect
Literally! look at yourself in a mirror or video yourself. This will help you to diagnose your form and spot things you might be doing wrong.
10) Don't hesitate to ask questions
I am here to help with your skipping. So just send me an email at jump@doperopes.co.uk and I will be happy to offer advice
Thanks for reading!
Keon
Dope Ropes Founder
Shin splints and other injuries are common for beginners in the majority of sports, not just jumping rope. So here are some things you can consider in helping to prevent shin splits when starting your jump rope journey:
- Warm up! - this one is super important and will help reduce the risk of injury. See an example of a warm up we would recommend checking out from Jump Rope Dudes:
- Ease yourself in - don’t jump rope too much too frequently especially if you are new to it and new to frequent exercise more broadly. When starting out you should jump rope around 3 to 4 times a week max and you probably shouldn't do more than 30 mins per session. Even just getting 10-15 mins in at the start is fine! As you start to build up strength and get used to the movements and your form improves, you can then start to increase the frequency per week as well as the session length. It was only after about 12-18 months that I could start to jump rope 7 days a week and for 1-2 hour sessions. Essentially, listen to your body and don't do too much too soon!
- Use correct jump rope form - The main thing I see people do at the start is simply jump too high. You should only be bounding high enough for the rope to pass under you which is 1-2 inches max. Any higher than this and you will be impacting the ground much harder than necessary and engaging your leg muscles far too much. Also make sure you are bounding on the balls of your feet. Jump rope is very low impact if done properly so make sure those bounces are kept super low and you will prevent injury as well as being able to jump for longer.
- Surface type - are you using a mat or soft flooring? If you have a soft surface to jump on, that is going to really help to reduce impact on your joints and muscles. So avoid hard surfaces where possible. You can start to jump on harder surfaces over time when you are more conditioned and your form improves. Obviously, we know this isn't always possible but if you can then it's a good idea to invest in a mat. Thicker mats that are at least 6mm thick with shock absorbing foam are a good option and gymnastics mats are also good to add even more protection! We stock the ideal mat for jumping here!
- Footwear - Having appropriate footwear is another important factor. Ideally trainers that have a cushioned sole with good support. For example, I use basketball shoes which are a good option as are running shoes.
We hope the above helps and let us know if you have any questions relating to this!
]]>In this blog, I am going to run through my best tips and drills for learning and training double unders. Once you unlock consecutive DUs, it can really help to increase workout intensity and vary your rope workouts! Also see the video at the bottom of this post where a lot of these points are demonstrated!
1) Arms
- Have your elbows set back and tucked in - This allows you to engage the elbows to drive energy through the forearms to the wrists rather than it coming from the shoulders which will cause fatigue and strain in that area.
- Hands in next to the hips - This is facilitated by the elbows being set back. The benefits of this is that the compact positioning will allow you to have a shorter and more efficient rope loop and overall exert less energy per DU. This position also allows you to rotate the wrists and exert force downwards giving you maximum energy to explode vertically upwards.
- Wrist rotation - ensure the wrists are rotating. With the above set up, this should happen naturally. Your thumbs will almost be facing downwards in the rotation to ensure that the force is being exerted in that direction, thereby creating the necessary energy for the rope revolutions. DO NOT rotate your entire arm in circles!!
Note - shoulders should also be back!!
2) Legs
- Stay on the balls of your feet - explode from the balls of your feet to create a consistent and clean bounding motion.
- Legs Straight - there only needs to be a slight bend in the knee as you bound. There is no need to pike your legs forward or flick them back, this exerts unnecessary energy and is incredibly inefficient. You want to ensure all your energy is focused on exploding vertically upwards and not wasted in any way by wayward leg (and arm) movements.
In fact, your entire frame and body needs to be kept straight and with movement kept to a minimum to ensure maximum efficiency and to keep the motion clean and consistent.
3) Execution and drills
- Jump Higher - this will allow you to slow things down and give you more time for the two rotations to occur. This will overall give you more control!
Drill - Practise this without the rope. Bound as high as you can and tap your hips twice as you are airborne which mimics the 2 rotations. It's good to be able to do this before you introduce the rope. This also gets you into keeping you hands next to your hips and your elbows back! See video below where this is demonstrated.
- Ease in - practise doing singles unders followed by a double under rather than going straight for consecutive double unders.
Drill 2 - Peform 3 single unders followed by a double under then repeat. Also see video below for a demonstration of this.
4) The rope itself
- Shorten your rope - long ropes are less efficient and less aerodynamic. A shorter rope will also help with rope form as you will need to make sure your hands are in close to the hips and elbows back in order to create a big enough loop for the rope to pass overhead and under your feet.
This also helps with rope longevity as a shorter rope will barely brush the surface you are jumping on, causing less friction, impact and wear on the rope.
See our sizing guide for more info on progressive rope shortening. I am 6ft and my ropes are now around 7.5ft as an example. This has helped me increase efficiency and max DU sets.
- Use a heavier rope - most people make the mistake of learning double unders with a light speed rope. You need to use a rope with enough feedback so you can feel the rope around you. This will allow you to learn technique and form correctly. The best option is something around the 3oz range, so one of these from our range:
Signature Beaded, Cardio 2.0 or RX SmartGear with a buff cable
Only move to lighter cables when you can comfortably do 50+ DUs consecutively.
5) Video illustration
Here is a video that demonstrates a lot of the drills and tips mentioned above!
I hope you found this information useful! Let me know if you have any further questions and hope you get those DUs down!!
Keon
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1️⃣ Burn more fat, faster❗️10 minutes of jumping rope has been proven to be just as effective, if not more so, than 30 minutes of running, with the added benefit of being able to train anywhere, even at home.
2️⃣ Tones your whole body❗️It requires mostly leg strength, but you also train your shoulders, back, chest and abs.
3️⃣ Develop all round athletic abilities❗️Helps to improve your speed, hand eye coordination, timing, reflexes, balance and posture.
4️⃣ Low Impact❗️When performed properly by bouncing on the balls of your feet no more than 1-2 inches off the ground, has a lower impact than jogging or running on your joints, minimising ankle and knee injuries.
5️⃣ Effective and affordable❗️It can be performed and packed almost anywhere, so you have no excuses to miss a workout 💪🏻
6️⃣ It’s Fun!!! 🎉
]]>1️⃣ Burn more fat, faster❗️
10 minutes of jumping rope has been proven to be just as effective, if not more so, than 30 minutes of running. The study was conducted at Arizona State University and found an equal level of improvement in cardiovascular gain between 92 male athletes divided into two groups; one group jumped rope for 10 minutes a day and the other ran for 30 minutes a day over a period of 6 weeks.
2️⃣ Tones your whole body❗️
Jumprope activates the leg muscles, but it also tones your shoulders, back, chest, arms and abs. Each time you bring your foot off the ground, you’re engaging your core muscles without having to do one sit up or plank.
3️⃣ Develop all round athletic abilities❗️
Helps to improve your speed, hand eye coordination, timing, reflexes, balance and posture. Many athletes of other sports use jumprope to supplement their training because of this.
4️⃣ Low Impact❗️
Jumprope is actually used to help athletes recover from joint injury this is because skipping is a high intensity but low impact sport. When performed correctly, with low bounces from the balls of the feet, jumprope has a lower impact on your joints than jogging or running, not only minimising ankle and knee injuries but actually aiding them in recovery by building the muscles in the ankles and knees that support the ligaments surrounding the joint.
5️⃣ Effective and affordable❗️
A jumprope packs up small and a workout can happen anywhere from inside an apartment, to the sidewalk, park or gym. Jumprope is an affordable and inclusive workout designed for everyone, especially during uncertain times when the gyms are closed 💪🏻
6️⃣ It’s good for your brain ❗️
Having to coordinate so many different parts of your body increases the activity in your brain. Jumprope has been proven to improve memory, alertness, concentration and reading skills. Currently there are studies investigating the benefits of jumprope in staving off dementia.
7️⃣ It’s Fun!!! 🎉
Jumping rope is one of the most fun and creative forms of fitness available. It’s easy to do to your favourite music, with children, friends or even as a form of meditation. Most people report that they barely realise they’re working out!
]]>As many of you will be using your ropes outside and on harsher surfaces like concrete and paving, here is a list of useful ideas to help your ropes last longer. Enjoy and we hope this helps!
1) Rope Type
Different ropes have different levels of durability and so this is a factor to consider when purchasing a rope for the first time:
- Beaded ropes wear the best on harsh surfaces as the beads protect the cord. The cord never actually hits the surface. The beads we use are shatterproof plastic and so should not break and will last. Beads can be replaced and moved around easily as well to maintain the rope for even longer.
- Wire coated cables are going to be the worse affected as these are usually fast and thin. The coating is also thin and so will wear down quickly. So if you do have one of these try to use them interchangeably with a beaded or more affordable PVC rope so you aren't focusing all the exposure to one single cable.
So overall, we recommend beaded or affordable PVC ropes that can be replaced more cheaply than a premium speed rope. Don't despair if you have a speed rope, keep reading as we have some useful tips coming up for increasing rope life!
2) Invest in a jump rope mat
We recommend mats that are fairly thick so around 6-8mm, not only will this protect the rope but also add some protection for your joints. Check out our mats here!
3) Check your rope length
Now, the beginner recommendation from our partners at RX is your height plus 3ft. However, you should move down to shorter ropes with time and wherever possible. In fact, try to reduce the length of rope by an inch or 2 more than you are comfortable with. This will not only help with your jump rope form but will actually help with rope durability. The reason for this is that if your rope is too long, there will be a lot of excess rope. This will lead to the rope impacting the ground. Instead, if your rope length is shortened enough, the cable will simply brush the surface. This brushing is going to wear the rope far less than impact.
4) Storage
This is super important! Do not leave your ropes outside in a pile on the ground. Exposure to cold can lead to PVC ropes to snap easily. Make sure you hang your ropes over a hook inside in the warm where possible. Or use a jump rope bag and keep your rope in a neat loop. This will also help prevent kinking. RX users should prioritise making use of the RX Jump rope bags which maintain the loop and when hanging, hang by the handles and not the cable as this will also maintain the cable shape better.
I hope some of this helps and let us know if you have any rope care tips of your own!
]]>1) Bounce Low
2) Stay on the balls of your feet with only a slight bend in the knees
3) Hand positioning is key
4) Wrist Rotation
5) Shorten your rope
6) Use the correct rope type
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