7 Steps to Mastering Double Unders
Whether you're brand new to CrossFit or you've been training for a while, we can all agree on one thing: double unders are not an easy skill to learn, and they're REALLY frustrating.
Let's take a look at some important keys to mastering double unders:
- Correct jump height.
- Rotate the rope in a controlled manner.
- Keep your arms alongside your body.
But the key is to be able to do all three at once, correctly. A common mistake I see athletes make is trying to do more than they can handle when it comes to the learning process.
They walk into the gym, pick up a jump rope and start swinging it, hoping that somehow they'll magically start doing double downs.
This is exactly what you should not do. Not only will you frustrate yourself, but you may also develop bad habits (donkey kicks, single-double "hell", wide arms, etc.)
Learning the double under doesn't have to be a rocket science, but there does need to be a strategy and intention behind how you learn it. Let's break down the progression of a double under and explain how to learn it step by step.

Double Unders Progression: Breaking Goals Down into Small Steps
Step 1: Simple abs.
Quick note: Single unders consist of passing the rope under your feet once, while performing a normal height jump.
Step 2: Power jump.
Practice what I like to call the "power jump," which is a jump higher than a normal underhand jump. Power jumping also involves learning the ability to absorb the landing properly, so that you can then bounce back easily into the next jump.
Practice power jumps to become familiar and comfortable with the movement of not pausing between each jump. Just like a pogo stick, you should get up immediately after landing, without any hesitation.
Step 3: A double under.
Make sure you are using a rope that you are familiar with. Do a few warm-up jumps using big singles first.
"Big singles":
Step 4: A double under, with more rotations.
This will help you move from an uncontrolled jump to being able to land and control your bounce jump, while still rotating the rope. Eventually, you will be able to do five singles, one double, five singles, one double, etc.
Step 5: single under - double under.
If you can comfortably move in this cadence, it means you have the jumping endurance, rope control, and jump height to start chaining double-overs. Woohoo!
Note : Many people get stuck here. It's easy to think that this is "enough". Don't get stuck here!
Step 6: Double down without interruption.
In other words, working on double unders without interruption does NOT mean you should immediately try to do 10 in a row. Keep it simple, and instead start with a goal of two without interruption. Just two!
The biggest difference between the two is your landing position between jumps. If you don't land normally (flat-footed, off-balance, jumping forward or backward, etc.), you're going to have a hard time getting back up to the right height for the second double exercise right away (and you'll probably end up tripping over your rope).
Common causes of a weird landing are donkey kicks or pike jumps. We have a full article on how to fix your jumps here.

Step 7: 50 DU without interruption, each time.
It may be harder than you think to maintain your form and control your breathing for longer sets... but keep practicing. Continue to progress by following the process outlined above, without skipping any steps. Before long, your double unders technique will be flawless and 50 reps will feel like a rest!
In other words, follow the path to mastery and you will soon see major improvements in your double under game.
Other tips for beginners on the double under
Buy your own jump rope! There are plenty to choose from – and for another great read, we even have a full article on how to choose the right one.
Since we're talking about jump ropes, I also recommend trying a heavier cable rope.
Listen to the "click click" of your rope. This may sound weird, but when working on double under exercises, try to listen to the click of the rope on the floor with each rotation. This will help you find the right rhythm.
Movies don’t lie . If you don’t have a coach to help you, or you have no idea what you’re doing wrong… set up your phone and take a quick video. Chances are it’ll reveal things you’re doing that weren’t even on your radar!