How to Master Double Unders
DOUBLE UNDERS. The art of skipping a jump rope TWICE under your feet.
Double unders are an AWESOME skill to have under your belt. When you replace your single unders with dubs in a workout, it gets saucy REAL QUICK.
I filmed a full video on Instagram & Facebook to run through the progressions to get you from a single under to a double under - so check that out when you have a moment! When I was learning how to get dubs, that is the process I took to get me to where I am now. And I can tell you dubs are my JAM nowadays. I have trouble remembering how to do single unders!
Step 1
Get yourself a solid jump rope! This will make a huge difference when you are trying to get comfortable with jumping rope. The key here is to get a jump rope that is sized to your height. Standing in the middle of the jump rope with both feet, you want rope handles to come right to your armpits. Some people like their ropes a little longer or a little shorter, but this is a good baseline when choosing a rope. RPM Training Co., Rogue, and Double Under Wonder have some really great ropes if you are looking to purchase one!
Step 2
Tear up those singles! Strength and stamina is the goal in step 2. You need to have strong calves to be able to withstand the double under movement, and the stamina to be able to recycle them. Build up to doing 200-250 consecutive single unders. If you can make it through this many single unders without your calves being completely shot or being completely winded, you are ready for the next step!
Step 3
POWER JUMPS. The key to mastering double under timing is learning the correct kind of jump. This is very important, so don't skip this step. Throw your rope aside, you won't need it for this! Here you are going to practice a power jump, which ultimately is a higher jump than a single under jump. You are also going to learn how to absorb the landing correctly, so that you can easily rebound into the next jump. I added "penguin taps" to these power jumps so you can also get the feel of the sound of the rope going twice under your feet. This helps me understand the rhythm of the rope for double unders. You are going to jump vertically while also tapping the sides of your thighs twice, as if that was the rope going under your feet. Jump, tap twice while in the air, absorb the landing, bound back into the second jump, tap twice while in the air, absorb the landing, etc., Check out the video I posted on social for details of this movement.
Step 4
Now that you have your power jumps down, you are going to grab your rope and focus on big singles in this step. Since by now, you are able to do 200-250 single unders, you are familiar with the pace of those single under jumps. In Step 4 we are going to slow that pace down, utilize our power jumps, and jump over the rope once. Here you will probably be jumping higher than what your actual double under jump will be, but doing the big, slow single unders will get you comfortable with the rhythm of the jump where in the next step the only thing you will need to adjust is your wrists. Video has more details on this movement!
Step 4
In this step we are going to try our first double under!! Are you ready?! Here we are going to do the repetition scheme of 5 single unders, then 1 double under. I want you to focus on your wrists in this step. Try to do your first 5 singles with that big single under jump we used in step 4. Then when you are ready to do your double under, the only thing you are going to change is the speed of your wrists. Don't try to jump higher, just spin your wrists faster to try and get that rope to spin twice under your feet. This step is important! Don't skip it and try to recycle your dubs right away. This will help you hit your first rep of your double under and get comfortable with the jumping and wrist movement.
Step 5
Feeling comfortable with 5 singles and 1 dub? Well good! Time to cut that down a bit. Now lets try 3 single unders and 1 double under. We are slowly working on your jumping momentum to get you more and more comfortable with this movement. 3 big singles, 1 double under. Remember - focus on your wrists! Don't try to over-jump the rope.
Step 6
Getting closer and closer y'all! Now that you are comfortable with a few sets of singles before you hit that double, now it is time to cut it down even more. Let's try 1 single under and then 1 double under. This is going to be faster than the previous steps, so be ready! WRISTS. WRISTS. WRISTS. You are familiar with the rhythm of both types of jumps, the transition will just be quicker since you are doing the singles and doubles back to back. Once you are comfortable here, you are READY to recycle those dubs!!
Step 7
We made it! Last and final step. The one you have all been waiting for. Here is where you are going to string those double unders together and do them unbroken. Start with just a few in a row - aim for two. You will quickly realize there is a big difference between landing and rebounding back into your second unbroken rep, compared to when you were rebounding in the single-double drill. Focus on jumping with control and composure. Control your landing, keep your toes pointed down and your calves engaged the entire time. This is a BIG transition from the previous steps, so be patient with the process! Once you have strung two dubs together, you have taken the biggest leap forward. Continually try to build on those reps until you are doing 10, 20, 50 or 100!
Happy Friday! Full video is up on my social channels for reference. Let me know if these cues help you get your first double under! XOXO
