I have conquered double unders (DU’s). I haven’t yet mastered them but I know that I will in time.
Six week ago I started Crossfit and couldn’t do any DU’s. I was skipping again for the first time since grade school – it was just like riding a bike. Slowly, I tried to get just one DU. It came, slowly. Then progressed to consistent DU’s with a single skip in between… DU-SU-DU-SU… on and on. So much wasted effort when only counting the DU’s.
Last week was *the* week of DU’s. Tuesday and Wednesday featured them – I couldn’t master them. On Wednesday I jumped in with the 5:15 class on their second WOD to practice – 10 minutes, 7 burpees on the minute, rest of the time DU’s – score is number of DU’s (I skipped, no burpees). In practicing, I got up to 4 in a row – and just barely. I managed, 2-2-3-3-4 – and with crazy welts on my right arm from every time I messed up. Ouch!
Yesterday I came into the box and again saw DU’s on the workout – 50! of them – times three. I was early so I grabbed the rope and tried to at least match my best of 4 in a row – I hit 7. And not just once but a few times. New goal was 10 but every time I started to get close I’d trip up just thinking about it. Oops. Focus. Didn’t get there – 7 was the max. Still, a huge jump in just one week.
What I struggled with the most in getting DU’s was the rhythm. I was stuck in the 2-1-2-1 pattern that I’d gotten so used to - it was a hard switch. BUT… I found that once I was able to make the switch something just clicked and it became easier to knock them out. Still required lots of focus though. Lots and lots of focus.
During the WOD I knew 50 DU’s would be hard but just went for it. I was able to knock out between 10-13 (new max!) on the start of each set and at times also in the middle. Once I got going I knew it’d be better to just squeeze one.more.in. knowing I’d be that much closer to finishing. Just one more. There were times I started to get frustrated, really frustrated – knocking out only one before tripping up again but I kept at it. This is what makes us better – pushing through things when we are tired – makes it that much easier when we’re not – these are the moments that we learn so much more about our capabilities. As much as I wanted to revert back to SU’s I kept at it. I was determined. DU’s would be mine. And they were. I did the entire WOD on DU’s. Yes, it took me a lot longer but I’m okay with that. I achieved a new skill. A new success. I got better today.
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