Double unders are the skill that frustrates more athletes than any other. They look simple: the rope passes under your feet twice per jump. But most people spend months whipping their shins because they skip the basics. This guide is the exact progression I use with my athletes, from the first single to unbroken sets.
Key takeaways
- The jump barely changes from a single under. Your wrists spin the rope faster.
- Get to 100 clean single unders before you start practising doubles.
- Single-single-double is the drill that unlocks your first reps.
- Practise 3 times a week for 8 to 10 minutes while you are fresh.
What a double under actually is
One jump, two rope rotations. That is it. The secret is that the jump barely changes. Beginners try to jump higher to “make room” for the second turn. Good jumpers jump only slightly higher than a single under and let the wrists spin the rope faster.
Step 1: Set up your rope
- Length: stand on the middle of the rope with one foot. The handles (not the cable) should reach roughly your lower chest. Shorter ropes are faster but less forgiving, so start a little long and shorten it as you improve.
- Type: a light speed rope with a thin cable and bearings in the handles. Heavy or beaded ropes are fine for singles but make doubles harder to learn.
- Surface: rubber gym floor or wood. Concrete eats cables fast.
Step 2: Get the position right
- Hands: slightly in front of your hips, a little wider than your body, elbows close to your sides.
- Wrists do the work: the rope turns from small, fast wrist circles, not big arm swings.
- Body: tall chest, eyes forward, slight bend in the knees.
- Feet: together, on the balls of the feet, toes pointed slightly down. Do not kick your heels back or pike your legs forward.
Step 3: The drills
1. Clean singles (prerequisite)
Before you try a single double under, you should be able to do 100 unbroken single unders with quiet, consistent jumps. If singles are messy, doubles will be messier.
2. Pogo jumps without a rope
Jump on the spot for 30 seconds with stiff ankles and minimal knee bend, staying light on the balls of the feet. Then do the same while clapping your thighs twice per jump. That two-claps rhythm is exactly the timing of a double under.
3. Single-single-double
Do two singles to find your rhythm, then one bigger, faster turn for a double. Back to singles, repeat. The singles give you a reset between attempts so you are not chasing the rope.
4. Consecutive doubles
Once single-single-double feels consistent, start linking: 2 doubles, then 3, then 5. Stop each set before you miss. Quality reps teach the pattern; ugly reps teach the mistakes.
A 4-week double under progression
Practice 3 times per week, 8 to 10 minutes each time, after your warm-up while you are fresh.
| Week | Focus | Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singles + rhythm | 5 × 50 single unders, 3 × 30 sec pogo with double thigh-claps |
| 2 | First doubles | EMOM 8 min: 10 single-single-double cycles |
| 3 | Linking | EMOM 8 min: max consecutive doubles, stop before failure (aim 3 to 5) |
| 4 | Volume | 5 sets of 10 to 20 doubles, rest 60 sec, plus one max-effort set at the end |
Some athletes get there in two weeks, others take two months. Both are normal. Consistency beats long, frustrated sessions.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Donkey kicks (heels flying back):you are trying to make room by bending the knees. Squeeze your legs together and think “stiff ankles, bounce from the calves”.
- Piking (feet kicking forward): usually your hands are too far in front. Bring them back beside your hips.
- Big arm circles: tired shoulders after 10 reps is the giveaway. Pin your elbows and turn from the wrists.
- Jumping too high: you will burn out in seconds. Your jump should be only a little higher than a single under.
- Hands drifting apart or up: the rope shortens and catches your feet. Film yourself; this one is hard to feel.
Double unders in WODs and Hyrox training
In workouts, break your sets before you start missing. Planned sets of 20 or 30 with a 5-second reset are faster than going unbroken until you trip and then fighting through single reps. If doubles are still new, it is fine to scale to 2 to 3 single unders per prescribed double while you keep practising them fresh.
Want this built into your training?
At Train Gritty, every athlete gets a program built for them, delivered daily in the app, including skill work like double unders until they click. Learn more about how we coach.
