Movement Tip: The Rope Climb (Basket)

In today’s video, CrossFit Seminar Staff member James Hobart demonstrates the basket rope climb. This is similar to the wrapping technique we looked at last week, in that the feet lock the rope tight so that you can ‘stand up’ without relying on the arms to pull you up the rope.

This method of locking the rope between the feet is slightly different, however. The rope simply rests across the foot of the dominant leg (running from the inside of the knee to the outside of the ankle) – then use the OTHER leg to pick the rope up, wrap it around the foot and clamp it down.

Tip: If you bring the dominant knee up as high as possible and then tip the leg slightly outwards, the rope will naturally fall so it lies inside the knee and outside the ankle.

Points Of Performance

  • Grip the rope overhead
  • Knees move to the chest as close as possible
  • Cross feet
  • Keep the rope longitudinal along the center of the body
  • Uncross feet to twist and wrap the rope with both feet
  • Pull with the arms while extending hips and legs
  • Reach arms overhead and release the wrapped rope to repeat
  • Spread feet to slide down