Anyone else struggling with a skill that seems impossible to learn?

[jonathan_gale]

For me, it is bar muscle-ups. On and off for several years, I’ve spent countless hours and hundreds of dollars on virtual programs, clinics, lessons, and personal programming, and for the life of me I cannot to this movement on my own.

I have the strength and understanding of how it should be performed, but no matter what I try, I can’t get one.

My gym is full of well-intentioned, supportive people, but any time the subject comes up, I receive unsolicited advice and encouragement that isn’t helping at all. Lately I’ve been getting “Maybe it’s all in your head,” which to me seems like the worst problem to have.

Anyone else in this situation? How did you push through? Or did you decide that maybe it wasn’t going to happen for you? I’m at this crossroads now, feeling dejected and wondering if I should just move on to focusing on other skills.

 

[discolee]

@jonathan_gale Double unders, it’s one of those things that I just can’t wrap my head around, and I have pretty much managed to do all other non swing rope exercises.

 

[brambleclaw5]

@discolee Freaking same. I don't care what cute drills people have for me, I just can't physically move the rope fast enough.

 

[carolcole]

@brambleclaw5 What helped me was when a coach said if you barely jump high enough to clear a single and try to speed through them,, you will never get dubs. I started making sure to stay relaxed in my shoulders, pin elbows to my sides, and jump high whether I am doing singles or doubles. The motion of the rope is in the wrists and that's the only part of your arms that should be moving during double unders.

 

[mantius]

@carolcole This and it isn’t just spinning as fast as you can, there’s a slow then whip rhythm to it.

 

[yahwhshua]

@brambleclaw5 I also couldn’t do it and then just managed to get my first one using one of those ropes that’s like long beads on a rope? Then after that I could do it on any rope! Somehow just cracked it.

 

[fair2light]

@yahwhshua Thank you! I’m going to try this tomorrow. I got one of those beaded ropes ages ago and never gave a real chance. But after almost 100x single,single,double,stop in the Open, DUs are my main priority.

 

[twilighttom]

@fair2light Have you tried jumping and tapping your sides? That was my lightbulb moment. Just jump up and tap your sides twice. I was also trying to rush and had a buddy tell me to slow down. Made no sense at first, but once it clicked, I saw he was right. Go smooth, then fast. You'll get it!

 

[fair2light]

@twilighttom Penguin taps! Yes, I have tried them but probably not often enough. Thanks for reminding me

 

[yahwhshua]

@fair2light You got this! You’ll get one or two and then you’ll just start getting them more consistently. Seems the way with a lot of things.

Tbh I thought the beaded rope would suck and was gutted I got left with that one but then it all worked out well in the end!

 

[fair2light]

@yahwhshua Thanks for the encouragement! I knew only had myself to blame when I didn’t practice more consistently since the last Open, but maybe I needed to learn that hard lesson I’m bringing a rope on my upcoming road trip since I won’t be able to workout aside from hiking. Should help get the circulation going when I take a break from driving, and maybe being relaxed on holiday I’ll have a breakthrough

 

[jacktheconvict]

@yahwhshua I got them similarly. I was using a speed rope, then switched to a heavier rope and it helped me string them together. Still not great, but a lot better.

 

[chrisjune]

@yahwhshua Have you any idea why the beaded rope helped? I'm struggling to get even 1 DU. I know what to do, my body just won't do it. It's like my hands go into autopilot and fuck up every single time

 

[truevc_3rdostridge]

@chrisjune Because you have feedback on where the rope is, the heavier rope actually lets you feel it. Speed rope is great if you want to go fast and have the skill. It's terrible for learning though.

 

[yahwhshua]

@chrisjune As Haunting exchange said - I think it’s because it forced me to go slower. I had absolutely no rhythm and was just really going for it each time which was inefficient and never going to work! Used that rope and got one on my 3rd attempt.

My advice is just go slower. Get into a good rhythm of singles and then when you’re feeling ready for a double, start to jump a little bit higher (as you would for a double but keep it at singles still) and your body will naturally move slower and be more controlled. Keep at that pace for a few higher jumps. Then the next thing to change is just your wrist speed and movement for the double.

 

[cinnamint]

@brambleclaw5 I find moving slower helps! And believe me I’ve been trying since I started CrossFit in 2019 haha but what’s finally cracked it is using and SGF speed rope with the plastic rope protector on it- you can hear and feel that hitting the floor and it has made the WORLD of difference along with jumping high and slow- nothing like fast singles!

 

[chrissy34]

@discolee This is the tutorial that finally worked for me:

Now I’m working on volume because apparently distance running doesn’t translate at all to jumping rope, so now I end each minute of EMOMs with 10-20 dubs, as well as warmup and cool down with them.

 

[pnemartin]

@discolee I’m convinced double unders aren’t real/an optical illusion

 

[jonathan_gale]

@discolee It took me a while to master DUs! What helped was switching to a heavier rope, which gave me feedback on the timing. I also did a clinic with Molly Metz — after that it wasn’t long until they became one of my stronger movements. Keep at it!

 

[alwaysanxious]

@discolee Penguin taps are the magic tricks for dubs!! Keep trying my friend!! And like Guava’s comment, it helps to do single double combos. I would do 9 singles, then a dub, and gradually increase the frequency of sneaking in dubs. That plus penguin taps really helped me! Get really comfortable with singles first! And speed ropes definitely help.