Death By Jump Rope And Then Pull ups and Sand Bags

I've been doing CrossFit for about three weeks now and feeling it.

One popular CrossFit move is a double under. It's jump roping except the rope goes under you twice before you jump. Like this:

I am afraid of being anywhere near someone doing a double under.  Listen to the sound of that rope.

(if you are viewing this via Facebook, please "view original post" to see videos)

On the rare occasions I've jumped rope I typically jump twice. I don't think that's the "opposite" of a double under but I'm going to have to jump much higher and much spin faster (that's all in the wrists).  Easier said than done:

The "ah!" was because I tripped myself with the jump rope. I think it might have been caught between my toes (wearing Vibrams). Barefoot Double Unders. Oh, my poor calves. This is Thursday.

Crossfit involves a "WOD" (Workout Of The Day). On Friday, day after jump rope, the WOD was affectionately called "Death by Pull Up." In the first minute you do one pull up, the second minute two, and you work up as far as you can but then you have to work down (meaning, if I can't do seven pull ups in the seventh minute then the next round I do six pull ups, then five and so on). With the assistance of a band (an elastic band, not music from my i-Pod) I "died" at seven as per my example.

The next morning when I woke up my arms did not seem to hang straight down by my side. I opted not to go swing dancing that night although given that one's arm is rarely (ever?) supposed to be fully extended I wondered if this might help my form. The possibility of yelping out in pain during the first swing out kept me home that Saturday night (I did go dancing a few days latter and found myself grimacing every time my arms went over my head.  Sorry leads).

Monday's WOD involved holding a sand bag over your head and walking uphill 100 meters, doing 35 squats (with sandbag, though it can "rest" on your shoulders) and then walking downhill, doing 35 squats. Twice (some WOD's are "Do this much exercise, report how long it takes" versus "You have this much time, how many rounds can you do?). WOD's like the former will make me late for work.