Mic Releases
Mic releases are skills the jumper releases one handle and turns the rope with one handle airborne. The rope makes a C-shaped arc as it rotates at the jumper’s side, before the jumper catches the handle again and jumps the rope. The Mic Release was popularised by Mike Fry in the mid-2000s at a jump rope summer camp, from which a whole new style of jump rope was born.
Coach Chris’s Top Tips
✅ Focus on the upwards energy of the rope during pop/throw
✅ Feel the feedback or ‘tug’ in the rope as you turn
✅ Use a toe catch to help you find your feet after the catch
‼️ Try without jumping first, but then don’t forget to add the bounding later
‼️ Avoid letting the momentum die after the catch before you jump
In this guide:
1️⃣ Mic Release (wrist pop method)
2️⃣ Mic Release (tissue box method)
3️⃣ Open Release (no Swing)
4️⃣ Reisig Release (half-Swing)
5️⃣ Step-Through Release
6️⃣ Leg Over Release
7️⃣ Mic Release to Cross
8️⃣ Mic Release to Toad
9️⃣ Mic Release to Leg Hook
In this guide:
1️⃣ Mic Release
2️⃣ Mic Release (wrist pop method)
3️⃣ Same-Side Mic Release
4️⃣ Same-Side Mic Release (wrist pop)
5️⃣ EB Mic Release (behind the back)
6️⃣ EB S.S. Mic Release
7️⃣ EB S.S. Mic Release (wrist pop)
8️⃣ Step-Through Release
9️⃣ Mic Release to Leg Over
Double Under Mic
Imagine taking the two biggest jump rope goals for most new jumpers when learning freestyle and merging them together. A double under mic release is the first level up from the standard mic release which itself is a single under skill. Catching the handle here is quite important. Find below a series of progressions for this skill.
Coach Chris’s Top Tips TO DO
✅ Step over the rope with the leg you would’ve jumped on
✅ Wait for the rope to pass over your head in front of you before exiting
✅ Try your best to keep the rope travelling vertical at all times
‼️ Avoid letting the rope touch your legs as it passes in between them
‼️ Avoid letting your unrestricted hand pass over your head
In this guide:
1️⃣ Mic Release + toe catch
2️⃣ Mic Release (single under)
3️⃣ Mic Release + OO after
4️⃣ Mic Release + OO exit
5️⃣ Double Under Mic + Open after
6️⃣ Double Under Mic + OO after
7️⃣ OO + Double Under Mic + OO after
Leg Releases
When performing releases, we can release the handle not just at our side in a Swing, but from or in any cross placement around our body, such as the leg or ground crosses in this guide. Afterwards, we catch the rope back at our hips and jump the rope in an Open. One of the most common examples of this is the Leg Over release shown below.
Coach Chris’s Top Tips TO DO
✅ Step over the rope with the leg you would’ve jumped on
✅ Wait for the rope to pass over your head in front of you before exiting
✅ Try your best to keep the rope travelling vertical at all times
‼️ Avoid letting the rope touch your legs as it passes in between them
‼️ Avoid letting your unrestricted hand pass over your head
In this guide:
Toad Release
Inverse Toad Release
Leg Over Release
Inverse Leg Over Release
Leg Over Step-Through Release
Leg Over Step-Through S.S. Release
Toad Step-Through Release
Toad Step-Through S.S. Release
Releases with Crosses
Like with the leg releases, we can also catch the rope in any cross placement around our body, whether that be a body cross, leg cross or ground cross. The timing for these is super critical, as is catching the handle.
Coach Chris’s Top Tips TO DO
✅ Step over the rope with the leg you would’ve jumped on
✅ Wait for the rope to pass over your head in front of you before exiting
✅ Try your best to keep the rope travelling vertical at all times
‼️ Avoid letting the rope touch your legs as it passes in between them
‼️ Avoid letting your unrestricted hand pass over your head
In this guide:
Mic Release to Cross
Mic Release to EB
Mic Release to Toad
Mic Release to EB Toad
Mic Release to Leg Over
Mic Release to Leg Hook
Mic Release to Inverse Leg Hook
Mic Release to AS
Mic Release to Caboose
Releases with Turns
Turning during a release demonstrates a high degree of rope control. As you rotate your body in the turn, the path of the rope must remain uninterrupted moving directly up and down, not diagonally. Adding a release to this makes the rope path unstable so it requires a far more control from the jumper. Excellent timing of the release and body awareness as you turn are key.
Coach Chris’s Top Tips TO DO
✅ Step over the rope with the leg you would’ve jumped on
✅ Wait for the rope to pass over your head in front of you before exiting
✅ Try your best to keep the rope travelling vertical at all times
‼️ Avoid letting the rope touch your legs as it passes in between them
‼️ Avoid letting your unrestricted hand pass over your head
In this guide:
Mic Release 180
Same-side Mic Release 180
Backwards Same-side Mic Release 180
Backwards EB Same-side Release 180
Backwards Step-Through Release 180
Archer Release
Leg Hook 180 Release
Leg Hook 360 Release
Basic 360 EB Swing Release
Wrap Releases
Turning during a release demonstrates a high degree of rope control. As you rotate your body in the turn, the path of the rope must remain uninterrupted moving directly up and down, not diagonally. Adding a release to this makes the rope path unstable so it requires a far more control from the jumper. Excellent timing of the release and body awareness as you turn are key.
Coach Chris’s Top Tips TO DO
✅ Step over the rope with the leg you would’ve jumped on
✅ Wait for the rope to pass over your head in front of you before exiting
✅ Try your best to keep the rope travelling vertical at all times
‼️ Avoid letting the rope touch your legs as it passes in between them
‼️ Avoid letting your unrestricted hand pass over your head
In this guide:
Mic Release 180
Same-side Mic Release 180
Backwards Same-side Mic Release 180
Backwards EB Same-side Release 180
Backwards Step-Through Release 180
Archer Release
Leg Hook 180 Release
Leg Hook 360 Release
Basic 360 EB Swing Release
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