Double unders may look simple but in fact, are a very technical movement requiring precision, accuracy, endurance, and skill. If you're struggling to get a double under or struggling to string them together, check out this blog.

Like any other movement, progressions are important. Double unders are no different. Thus, these steps will help you achieve double unders.

  1. Single unders
    • Let's get you comfortable with jumping rope. Work on being able to do a single jump with a single rope rotation; rather than two jumps for every swing.
  2. Jump without a rope
    • Once you've mastered single unders, bring it back. Double unders do require a higher jump with two rope turns. This movement can be frustrating so, to save yourself from constant whacks from the rope- try power jumps (do a higher jump with no donkey kick- think pogo stick) and penguin claps.
  3. Master 1 double under
    • Jump as high as possible and get one rep. Land on the soles of your feet. Let's boost your confidence. However, do a couple of warmup repetitions before the attempt.
  4. Keep rope spinning
    • After you get your first DU, keeping the rope spinning will dial down the craziness of it; make the rope seem more controllable. Thus, after your DU, let's hit a single jump.
  5. Decrease amount of single unders
    • Now, let's string single unders and double unders in a set; hitting multiple repetitions.
  6. 2 unbroken double unders
    • Focus on 2. Walk before you run. Land in a way where you're able to get another jump- no donkey kicks. Balanced. Build up repetitions one by one.
  7. Consistent unbroken DU

After reading the progression chart, where are you at? Wherever you put yourself, be patient. Practice every day and it'll come.

But, what do you do if you've been stuck at one of the steps for awhile? This is when small finetunes come in.

  1. Sloppy Rope Syndrome
    • When jumping rope, the rope should move in a symmetrical circle around the body, looking like a U shape above the head. To identify the problem, try these two steps
      • Take a video of yourself
      • Throwing the rope/grip
        • When the rope is spinning, are you physically pushing/throwing the rope forward and backward with your thumbs? This creates slack. Instead, think "thumbs out". They shouldn't move. Flick your wrist and have your index and middle fingers on top of the rope. The rope should move in a circle and handle be in the tips of your fingers.
  2. Arm length
    • As you're jumping, what do your arms look like? Essentially, your arms should be at your hips and not wider. The higher and more straight your arms are, the higher the rope will go- making it very difficult to jump.
  3. Hearing the rope
    • When jumping, you should hear a click as it touches the floor. If not, it's not making contact. Thus, lower the arms.
  4. Overspin
    • You may not know it but with every double under attempt, instead of 2 spins, you may be doing 2.5 spins.
      • Get a heavier rope
      • Slow down the spin to time with your jump
  5. Bad jump
    • Donkey kicks and pike jumps are in this category. A double under requires your jumps to be fluid and consistent. To fix this problem, think "pogo stick" with your jumps being straight up and down. You should land on the soles of your feet and be able to maintain a smooth rhythm.
  6. Wide feet
    • Feet are important. The wider your feet are, the harder the jumps will be. Instead, your feet need to stay closer together. Try jumping in a small box, just wide enough for your feet.

Hopefully, these tips helped you and can assist you with your double under journey. For more information, check out WODprep's YouTube page. Their site has great information for all things CrossFit.

~Coach Karina, BS-Kinesiology, USAW Sports Performance Coach, CF L1 Trainer.