How To Jump Rope

You will learn how to master the two basic techniques, as well as 15 additional jump rope techniques.

Proper Body Position

Hold your body upright and focus your eyes on an object straight ahead. Grip handles on foam cover with thumb and forefinger, in a firm but comfortable grip. Then wrap hands around handles. Your thumbs should now be pointing toward the end of the handle (not where the cord attaches). Keep arms close to your sides, with elbows at a 45-degree angle, while practicing making small circular motions with your wrists.

Proper Body Position

There are 3 phases to jumping; load, flight and landing phase. The main key is to remember to bend your knees just slightly and shoot straight up like a rocket with straight legs, lifting only an inch or less off the floor (unless doing double and triple unders), and then land lightly on the balls of your feet, again slightly bending your knees upon impact. Practice just bouncing on your feet, without the jump rope. Remember to wear shoes with good forefoot padding as jumping occurs on the balls of the feet. Just like a boxer dances around the ring on the balls of his feet, in a position of readiness, and not back on his heels. 

Shadow Jumping

1. Follow instructions for Proper Body Position. Then place feet together or a few inches apart, bend knees, keep upper body upright and reach forward with your jump rope handles. Practice swinging rope around the body, forming a nice and even arc. Repeat this motion until you feel comfortable and your arc is nice and even.
2. Read the instructions on Biomechanics. Now practice jumping without the rope, while turning the rope in one hand to the side of your body. This will practice your rhythm and timing. This learning phase can be repeated anytime that you add a new jump rope skill to your repertoire.
3. Add the jump rope to the mix. You are now combining a linear and rotary motion, one of the keys to jump roping’s many benefits.

Basic Techniques

The two basic and most important skills are the Basic Bounce and the Alternate Foot Step. These two techniques create the foundation for learning my system. 

Basic Bounce

Jump with both feet together. While simple to do, this movement is foundational to every other jump rope technique, so you’ll need to make sure you’re completely comfortable with it. Remember to keep thumbs on top and handles parallel with the floor.

Alternate Foot Step

Swing rope around and jump over it with one foot. Now, swing the rope around again and jump over it with the alternate foot. Continue alternating feet (lifting knees slightly as if jogging in place). Do not kick feet back. Landing on the right foot and then on the left foot completes one rep. Count right foot and multiply by two for the total score.

SKILL SET 1

High Step

Swing rope around and jump over it with one foot. Now, swing rope around again and jump over it with the alternate foot. Continue alternating feet (lifting knees to waist height, as if doing high knees). Do not kick feet back. Landing on the right foot and then on the left foot completes one rep. Count right foot and multiply by two for the total score.

Side Straddle

Begin with Basic Bounce, then jump with feet shoulder width apart. Alternate. Landing with feet together and then with feet apart, completes one rep. Count when landing apart and multiply by two for the total score.

Forward Straddle

Jump with one foot forward in a straddle position and alternate. Move feet only a few inches. Landing with right foot forward and then with left foot forward, completes one rep. Count when landing with right foot forward and multiply by 2 for the total score.

Skier’s Jump

Jump a few inches to the right, then jump a few inches to the left. Alternate. Keep feet together and torso straight ahead. The result should look like a skier’s slalom. Landing to the right and then to the left, completes one rep. Count when landing to one side and multiply by two for the total score.

Bell Jump

Jump a few inches forward, then a few inches back (the movement looks like the clapper of a bell). Landing first forward and then backward, completes one rep. Count when landing forward and multiply by two for the total score.

SKILL SET 2

Full Twister

Bounce jump and twist lower body to the right. Jump and twist to the left. Alternate. Landing to the right side and then to the left, completes one rep. Count when landing to the right side and multiply by two for the total score.

X Foot Cross

Begin with the Side Straddle. On the second swing, cross one leg over the other. Jump to Side Straddle again. On second swing, cross the opposite leg over the other. Alternate. Landing in a side straddle and then with legs crossed, completes one rep. Count when landing apart and multiply by two for the total score.

Forward Shuffle

Extend one foot forward a few inches with knees straight, alternating feet and keeping the upper body straight. Extending right foot forward and then left foot forward, completes one rep. Count when shuffling right foot forward and multiply by two for the total score.

Backward Shuffle

Extend feet back, bending knees at a 90-degree angle, alternating feet. The movement should resemble a low kicking motion. Landing kicking right foot back and then left foot back, completes one rep. Count when shuffling right foot backward and multiply by two for the total score.

SKILL SET 3

Arm Cross Over

Swing rope around and cross tightly at waist level. Uncross on second jump. Remember to keep thumbs on top and handles parallel with the floor. Alternate on every other jump. Landing with arms crossed and then with arms open, completes one rep. Count when landing and uncrossing, and multiply by two for the total score.

Side Swing

Swing rope to the right with hands together, then swing rope to the left, crossing the right arm over the left arm. Repeat. Practice this technique before attempting the Side Swing to Jump.

Side Swing to Jump

Swing rope to the right with hands together, then swing rope to the left, crossing your right arm over the left arm. Now, open rope by extending right arm to the right and jump through the loop. This complete one rep. Count when jumping over the rope and multiply by three for the total score.

Backwards Jumping

Jump with feet together, like in Basic Bounce, but turning the rope backwards. Keep arms close to sides, and hold chest out.

Power Jumping Techniques

Remember to always warm up before doing Power Jumps. Performing a Double or Triple Under without a proper warm-up is like preparing yourself for a torn calf muscle or Achilles tendon.

Double Under

Jump a little higher than Basic Bounce. Turn wrists quickly to allow the rope to turn twice in one jump. Keep head straight, core tight and torso relaxed for good jumping form. Each Double Under, completes one rep. multiply by two for the total score. You can also perform Double Under variations, which are Double Unders with different patterns: Double Unders (Side Straddle) Double Unders (Forward Straddle) Double Unders (Skier’s Jump) Double Unders (Bell Jump) Double Unders (Full Twister) Double Unders (X Foot Cross) Double Unders (Arm Cross Over) Double Unders (Backwards Jumping) Double Unders (360/moving in a circle)

Triple Under

Do not attempt Triple Unders until you can perform 100 consecutive Double Unders. Starting from Double Unders, jump higher than a Double Under. Turn wrists quickly to allow rope to turn three times in one jump. Keep head straight and torso relaxed for good jumping form. It is a good idea to practice this technique on a rebounding surface for developing kinesthetic awareness and extra “hang time.” Each Triple Under completes one rep. Multiply by three for the total score.