Setting up your ropes:
Find two sturdy anchor points between ten and eighteen feet apart (or about 3 to 5 meters). These can be trees, columns, walls, rafters, etc. but must be solid and strong enough to hold many times your weight safely. The area also needs to be clear of obstructions such as furniture, swinging doors, uneven ground, rocks, and railings.
You will need 40 to 75 feet of rope at least 7/16" in diameter. Nylon works much better than hemp, polypropylene, or cotton. Although more costly, larger diameters up to ¾" are easier to learn on and more comfortable. Double braided polyester provides a superior grip and has less stretch than nylon.
Devise a means of tying rope to the uprights. This can be large, heavy duty steel eye bolts screwed into the wood, or several wraps of tubular climber's webbing with a carabiner, which reduces the amount of rope you will need to as little as 35 feet. If the rope itself is tied off securely on the supports and padded against abrasion, you will need a lot more of it. Set the height anywhere from as high as you can reach while standing on your toes, to as much as 18 inches higher. The higher you go, the easier the moves become. (Note that the competition rules call for a height of only 2 meters.)
Knot the rope at both ends of the span in such a way that weight on one length will not pull through to the other. Set the tension so that the center hangs to about the level of your naval when pulled tight. You may need to retighten the knots after initial use to make up for stretching and loosening.
Put some type of padding under the ropes, such as a mattress, gym mats, foam cushioning, hay, loose sand, etc. With practice and experience you will learn to keep your grip on the ropes when a move fails, but initially you will take some unexpected falls. Padding on your body also helps, as you get used to the ropes. Try using heavy canvas pants, thick fleece, tight fitting gloves, and/or pipe insulation.
Periodically inspect your rig to ensure that it remains reliable. If noticeable wear has developed, creaking noises have increased, or the apparatus has been used for other unintended purposes, replace or redo any weak links.
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