Jump Rope - Double Under

ExtrasRopeBW

The rope passes under the feet twice per jump, requiring greater jump height, faster wrist speed, and precise timing. A CrossFit and jump-rope-sport staple that dramatically raises the conditioning demand versus a single bounce.

Demo: Jump rope training channel

Sets

5

Reps

20-30 reps or 30-45 sec unbroken

Rest

45s

Contraindications

Avoid on hard surfaces with existing shin splints or Achilles tendinopathy. Progressive skill acquisition needed — expect early attempts to be inconsistent.

Setup

Stand as with basic bounce; anticipate needing roughly double the airtime and wrist speed.

Execution

  1. 1Begin with a slightly higher jump than the basic bounce (6-8 inches)
  2. 2Snap the wrists quickly to send the rope around twice per jump
  3. 3Keep the legs relatively straight, kicking slightly forward if needed for clearance
  4. 4Land softly and immediately prepare for the next rep
  5. 5Keep elbows pinned close to the body for a tight, fast rope path

Key cues

  • Jump a little higher, not a lot higher
  • Quick wrists, not big arm circles
  • Kick the feet slightly forward for clearance
  • Keep a tight rope arc close to the body

Common faults

  • Jumping too high, throwing off timing and wasting energy
  • Using the whole arm to spin the rope instead of the wrists
  • Whipping the rope too wide, catching the feet
  • Losing rhythm after a few consecutive reps due to fatigue

Tweaks

  • Practice single-double-single transitions before stringing many doubles together
  • Use a weighted rope to build wrist speed and forearm endurance
  • String doubles into unbroken sets of 10-50 as skill improves

Regressions

Progressions

Muscles

Primary: Calves, Forearms

Secondary: Shoulders, Core, Hip Flexors

Notes

Primary energy system: lactic (glycolytic) once strung together for volume. One of the more technical CrossFit gymnastics-adjacent skills — worth dedicated practice time separate from conditioning workouts.

Sources

Attribution: CrossFit Journal