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Double-under

What is a double-under?

A double-under is a jump-rope repetition in which the rope passes beneath your feet twice during one jump. Keep the jumps upright and turn the rope with compact wrist movements.

Exercise illustration: Standing rope preparation and a two-foot jump with the rope passing underneath.

How do you perform a double-under?

Set up

  1. Choose a rope that clears your body and an open area with room for its full arc. Wear footwear you can land in comfortably.
  2. Hold the handles beside your hips and start a few controlled single-under jumps to establish the rope path.

Execution

  1. Jump from both feet with enough clearance for two rope passes, keeping your body tall.
  2. Turn the rope twice while you are airborne, with your hands close to their starting position.
  3. Land softly on both feet and repeat only while the timing stays controlled.
  4. If the rope catches, stop its motion before stepping out and restarting.

Common mistakes

  • Tucking the knees to clear the rope

    Practice a taller straight-body jump instead of pulling your feet up behind you.

  • Spreading the hands wider each rep

    Bring the hands back beside your hips and reset the rope path.

Where it fits in a session

Practise the rope timing while your jumps are consistent, then use the skill in the session you have planned.

Keep early attempts short enough to land quietly and stay in place. Reset after a miss rather than forcing a tangled rope into the next jump.

Muscles worked

Front
Front — Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.
Back
Back — Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

Primary

Secondary

  • None listed in this guide

Select a muscle name to locate it.

Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

Variations

  • Two rear three-quarter anatomical illustrations of a woman jumping rope on a white background. In the left frame she is off the floor with her feet together and the rope arcing overhead; in the right frame the rope passes beside her body and curves beneath her feet. She holds one handle in each hand with her elbows slightly bent in both frames. The glutes, backs and outer sides of the thighs, and most of the calves are shaded red.
    Jump ropeThe basic single-under turns the rope once per jump.

Frequently asked questions

How can I learn the timing?

Practice single jumps, then one double-under at a time. Add another only when you can repeat the same upright jump and rope path.

Does a double-under count as two jumps?

It is one jump with two rope passes. Follow the counting convention specified for your workout.

Sources

  1. J. Gordon Betts et al.. Anatomy and Physiology 2e: Appendicular muscles of the pelvic girdle and lower limbs. 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/11-6-appendicular-muscles-of-the-pelvic-girdle-and-lower-limbs

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