In this drill, you will learn to create a safe and controlled
environment in which to practice underbars of all types and sizes. By
using duct tape and playground bars, you can easily create an
artificial and adjustable obstacle to learn and refine underbar
technique.
Application
Duct tape underbars are great practice for all types of real underbars. Because the duct tape will break away upon contact, employing this method is a safe and smart way to practice. Messing up with a piece of duct tape or twine is much more forgiving than banging your body against hard metal railings, concrete, or rough tree branches!
Obstacle and Equipment Checklist: For this drill, you need playground bars and duct tape. Duct tape can be substituted with thin rope or other string-like material.
Preparation of Drill
Grab some duct tape and travel to a local playground with bars similar to the ones above.
Tear a piece of tape that is about six inches wider than the space between the two vertical poles.
At the desired practice height, stick each end of the tape to the vertical poles so that the tape is semi-taught.
Execution of Drill
Practice underbars through the space you have created between the horizontal bars and the duct tape.
Move the each end of the duct tape closer to the horizontal bar for increased difficulty.
Other Notes
Once you get the hang of this drill, gradually make it more difficult by seeing how small of a space you can cleanly underbar through.
In addition to drilling basic underbars, you can also implement this same drill to practice other underbar variations such as the 360 underbar or an underbar starting from a hanging position on the bar.
Be sure to always practice running into the underbar and stepping out into a run out of the underbar!
Video Example
Users' Comments
Display 50 of 53 comments
1.
01-04-2006 20:06
very helpful, thx a bunch! -zetti-
2.
02-13-2006 19:33
Thanks! I'm gonna try this next jam!
3.
03-27-2006 20:53
This idea really helped me. i was always scared to do an underbar... scared i would break my back or hit my face on the bar... but this helped... THANKS
4.
04-21-2006 13:24
that is a great idea, Ican't wait to try it thank you
5.
08-13-2006 02:13
This is perfect. Underbars were always something that freaked me out. I'll be sure to try this method out and get in lots of practice.
Thanks!
6.
08-23-2006 23:34
i tryed it to day for 2 hours thanks alot man!!!!!
7.
08-26-2006 10:49
thanks! i have been having trouble finding good underbars and this is a great idea i never thought about
8.
10-11-2006 00:45
But couldn't you do the same with string? That way you don't have to waste precious duct tape (if you use it for everything, like you should ) and the string can be used many times.
9.
11-02-2006 17:33
This is confusing. Im not horrible at underbars, and this clears it up a bit, but do you all know each other in Real Life? Like I live in the USA, and thought you guys would be in the US, so are you? If you are IM me on AIM (aol instant messaging) on 'not a satanist' Thanks!!
10.
11-26-2006 11:27
thanks my wories r ova but howd u get gud at hard vaults plz i need 2 no
11.
11-28-2006 14:25
I think the reason you wouldn't use string is that it isn't very visible. Duct tape is similar in width to a standard railing bar. I think that would help with the muscle memory / commitment issue. Just a thought.
12.
02-01-2007 19:12
by doing this (cuz there arn't that many places for me to practes under bars where I am)I got my under bar space to a 2ft hight!
13.
02-06-2007 17:44
your sorta near my house
14.
02-12-2007 16:15
This may be just what i need
15.
03-12-2007 08:45
Thanks for the tip I'm going to use it the next time I'm out training. Duct tape holds the world together.
16.
04-09-2007 11:03
Thanks, I will try this today! >.
17.
06-03-2007 16:37
just as you say...why the hell didn't I think of that?! I've killed by tailbone practicing on double rails with a 1.25' gap so many times ive been afraid to try them anymore. thanks
18.
06-20-2007 15:27
:-) thanks , should come in handy.
19.
07-02-2007 10:15
thanks so much ,alot like the othor guy i got a sore tailbone from trying learn this daunting task i am going outside 2 do it rite now .ty
20.
07-13-2007 20:53
Very good. Never woulda thought of that, even though you showed it to us in class =P. I'll try it next time.
Thanks Ryan.
21.
07-20-2007 23:30
how do I conquer my fear of the railspring?
22.
08-02-2007 19:57
Nice tip! i adjusted this to practice monkey vaults too. you just need to find a railing with a small break in it
23.
08-06-2007 18:14
Damn man. Thank you for this. It's great help.
24.
09-07-2007 08:31
Very useful!~ :-) Thx for this man.
25.
10-29-2007 15:51
you my friend are a DYI/household genius thanks
26.
12-03-2007 20:09
One safety concern about string or twine is contact area and forward momentum,Thin BAD,Wide SAFER.just an observation...
27.
12-03-2007 20:13
28.
12-07-2007 08:58
thx ill try that out when i get a chance.
29.
01-03-2008 18:01
i just started learning underbars today using those exact same bars you described, but i never would have thought of tape. youre a genius
30.
02-03-2008 07:22
Wow can't believe I didn't think of that, thanks for postin this, I just got into parkour and was scared to eat the rail with my back on an underbar...I'm gonna try this today..
31.
02-23-2008 20:44
I'm pretty hesitant about it cause I don't wanna nail my face (trying to get out of my braces faster), but I do have an idea. Take something like a thick blanket and wrap it around the upper bar (where your hands won't need to touch). Also, wear a mouthguard.
32.
02-28-2008 17:23
awesum thx
33.
03-19-2008 10:14
this is 2 years old but still the best fundamental way to work with underbars sickness times 12
34.
03-19-2008 20:50
Sweet! Now I can practice these and get better without killing my back!
35.
05-26-2008 11:53
thnx this helps out alot
36.
07-10-2008 02:06
This sort of helped after a long time but I after i realized that it wasn't as much as fear as no talent. Thx though.
37.
07-24-2008 20:17
duck tape is the answer to every thing
38.
08-27-2008 15:13
so simple yet so genious freakin awesome thanks
39.
09-26-2008 12:10
when i saw this i laughed at its simplicity....
40.
10-09-2008 12:54
alwys been to scared to do an under bar but i tried this and now im not
41.
10-11-2008 15:28
Ages ago I did this, then tried an underbar right next to it, managed to do it, then I did it again when my friend was watching, and I failed
42.
11-11-2008 16:20
Great idea! I've been wanting something like this to practice underbars, since not only have I hit my head on the bar, I've also injured my back as well. This is guaranteed to help.
43.
11-26-2008 20:03
you know, i have a friend that was practicing underbars with me. And when we went to our old elementary school , we found a really low with concrete stairs on one side and grass on the other. so he started running along the staircase and when he grabbed the pole he freaked out and beat his jaw against the metal and then fell and almost broke his back on the concrete angle.
44.
01-02-2009 11:21
Awesome demon. Im gonna try this at my park. thx 4 the help.
45.
03-15-2009 16:53
never thought of that thanks!
46.
04-01-2009 08:45
Thanx man, usualy people just run into underbars without practice, this is also a good way to no your limits.
47.
04-02-2009 16:20
These things are great to add to the Apk warm-up just add around 50 or more to the whole warm-up and ur arms will be pumping
48.
05-01-2009 11:17
Thanks gotta try this looks like a good way to practice underbars
49.
05-01-2009 18:52
Ingenuity at its finest.
50.
06-13-2009 07:39
Im going to start this right away! thanks man!
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