MovementsConditioning
Single-under
Also known as: Single Under
The plain skip: one rope turn per jump. It is where rope work starts, and it is the honest substitute whenever double-unders would turn a workout into a rope-tripping competition.
Single-underConditioning
The standard
A valid rep passes the rope beneath the feet once during a single jump, with the rope turned by the wrists rather than the arms.
How to do it
- 01Hold the handles just in front of the hips with the elbows close to the ribs.
- 02Turn the rope with the wrists, keeping the upper arms almost still.
- 03Jump only a few centimetres, landing on the balls of the feet.
- 04Keep the jump the same height every rep so the rhythm holds.
- 05Stay tall through the torso rather than piking at the hips.
Common faults
- · Swinging the whole arm to turn the rope, which tires the shoulders and wrecks the rhythm.
- · Jumping far higher than needed and burning the calves early.
- · Kicking the heels back so the rope catches the feet.
- · Looking down at the rope instead of ahead.
Scaling & progressions
- · Practise the rhythm with no rope, or with the rope in one hand.
- · Break a long set into blocks and reset the rope quickly after a trip.
- · Substitute line hops or ankle bounces when there is no rope.
- · Progress to double-unders once a hundred unbroken singles feel easy.
Coaching tips
- · Three singles usually cost about the same as one double-under, which is the standard swap.
- · Rope length matters: standing on the middle, the handles should reach your armpits.
- · Relaxed shoulders are the whole trick.
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