Lesson 7
Shake It Up
Loosen your upper body with a shake-it-up warm-up to find the right jumping rhythm.
Lesson explanation
The explanation, video, full article and linked books are in English.
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Key points
- The movement comes from the elbow and shoulder, not just the hands.
- Drive the shoulder back and the elbow follows automatically.
- Stay loose and dynamic to prepare for tricks and variations.
- Body goes up while the hands shake down—the opposite directions.
- This counter-rhythm of body and hands is the foundation of skipping.
Full lesson · English
Shake It Up
This lesson is about freeing up your upper body before you ever pick up the rope. The focus is on the hands—but really, it's about the elbow. When you skip, you want to let yourself loose and shake off the tension. Think of it as a literal shake-it-up movement that warms you up and gets you in a relaxed, energized state.
Elbow and Shoulder Mechanics
Viewed from the side, you'll notice the elbow bends back, behind the body. Getting it there is simple: the elbow is connected to the shoulder, so when you draw the shoulder back, the elbow follows automatically. Don't force the elbow on its own. Move the shoulder, and the elbow naturally sticks out behind you. From there, you just shake.
A Dynamic Warm-Up
Alternate left and right as you prepare yourself, almost like getting hyped before a workout. Jumping rope should be a dynamic process, not standing stiff in one position. Because later lessons involve plenty of tricks, you need to be loosened up so those moves come with ease. Focus on the hands and elbows here—keep the legs casual and your mind relaxed.
Why It Matters
Keeping the elbow back makes your movement efficient. You don't want big, exaggerated arm swings—that's too much and wastes energy. With the shake-it-up motion, most of the movement is simply up and down.
The Opposite Rhythm
Here's the key feeling: as your body rises, your hands shake downward. They move in opposite directions. Picture an invisible rope—your body goes up while your hands go down. That counter-rhythm between body and hands is exactly what skipping requires, and it's the foundation for adding more variation later. Practice it until the timing feels natural.