CrossFit: double unders, jump ropes and the evolution of Games events with David Newman
- Rx Smart Gear founder David Newman talks about double unders and the jump rope’s place in CrossFit Games
- A heavy Drag rope caused all kinds of difficulties for athletes during the first workout of the 2020 Games
Thirty men and woman, vying for the final five spots at the in-person finale in California, had to perform descending reps of GHD sit-ups, cleans and double unders with a jump rope at their home gyms all over the world.
The ropes used in the event, called Drag, were made by American company Rx Smart Gear, and provided athletes with a unique challenge most overlook: how to handle a heavy jump rope and figure out the timing for double unders (where athletes pass the rope twice around their body each jump). The ropes weight 10 ounces, have no swivels, and are seen as “old school style”.
The mastermind behind the piece of equipment, Rx Smart Gear founder David Newman, said he has been working on getting his ropes into the CrossFit Games for years. The company sells ropes and other workout equipment, and Newman himself has done CrossFit since 2008.