3 Ways To Jump Rope - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Jump Rope PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Steve Bergeron

Last Updated: September 4, 2025 Fact Checked

PDF download Download Article
  • Jump by Yourself
    • |
  • Do Tricks
    • |
  • Jump with Rope Turners
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Expert Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Warnings
    • |
  • Things You'll Need
|Show more |Show less ARTICLE VIDEO X

This article was co-authored by Steve Bergeron. Steve Bergeron is a Personal Trainer, Strength Coach, and the Co-Owner of AMP Fitness in Boston, Massachusetts. With over a decade of experience, Steve specializes in educating, guiding, and empowering his clients to develop healthy habits and reach their individual fitness goals. He holds a BS in Exercise Physiology and is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS), ASCM Health and Fitness Specialist (HFS), Strong First Kettlebell Coach (SFG), and Certified Functional Movement Screen Specialist (FMS). AMP Fitness’ mission is to create a community that is inclusive and gives people the tools and support they need to succeed. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 794,681 times.

Jumping rope is a fun playground activity as well as a great way to get some exercise and impress your friends. Whether you just want to learn how to jump rope, pick up some new tricks, or want to double-dutch, you can follow these easy steps to achieve your goals.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Jump by Yourself

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  1. Step 1 Choose the right rope. 1 Choose the right rope. You should find a rope that reaches nearly up to your shoulders when it's folded in half. This will give you enough room to comfortably jump over it, but not so much that you trip over the rope.[1]
    • The rope should have handles that are easy to grip and shouldn't be too light or too heavy.
  2. Step 2 Stand up and pick up the rope. 2 Stand up and pick up the rope. Hold the rope's handles in each of your hands. Extend your hands and forearms at least a foot away from your body, at a 45 degree angle. This will create a larger arc for you to jump through. Advertisement
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Jump Rope 3 Step over the rope. The rope should hang behind you, so that the middle of the rope hits the back of your feet.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Jump Rope 4 Use your hands and wrists to swing the rope over your head. Don't move your arms -- try to keep the motion limited to your wrists.[2]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Jump Rope 5 When the rope is coming toward the front of your feet, hop over it. Stand on your tiptoes, and push off with the balls of your feet.
    • Try to keep the motion in your ankles. Bending your knees to jump will make the exercise a lot harder.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Jump Rope 6 Set a pace that works for you.[3] For beginners, it's best to move the rope slowly, so that you have enough time to take a small hop in between each jump over the rope. Maintain a straight back and keep your gaze set straight ahead as you fall into the correct rhythm. If you watch your feet as you jump, you'll be more likely to get off balance.
    • As your skill increases, you can swing the rope more quickly and eliminate the middle hop.
    • As you improve your skills, you can count how long you can go without messing up. A fun way to track your progress is to count how many skips you can do in one stretch, without fumbling.
    • Listen to your body. If you're feeling discomfort in your joints, it's better to decrease the exercise intensity. On the other hand, if you're feeling great and want to extend the exercise session, you can do that as well.[4]
    7. Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Do Tricks

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Jump Rope 1 Reverse the rope. When you get better at jumping rope forwards, try going backwards. Start with the rope in front of your feet and throw it over your head to the back. Jump over it before it hits the back of your feet.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Jump Rope 2 Do the "criss-cross" trick. To execute the "criss-cross" trick, all you have to do is cross your arms in front of you between each jump. It takes practice to get the timing right, but once you've fallen into a rhythm, you can work on alternating between crossing and not crossing the rope between each jump.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Jump Rope 3 Do the "side-swing." Fold the rope in half while still holding on to each of the handles. Then, move the rope by crossing your right hand over your left and moving it toward your left hip, and then cross the rope again, so the right hand returns to the right hip. The right hand will essentially be drawing a sideways "8" in the air.
    • The shape made by the jump rope will create an "X" shape in the air, or a shape that looks a bit like a squashed bow tie.
    • Sway your hips to get the momentum of the rope going.
    • Once you finish making this shape, bring the right hand up and over to create a shape, or a "rainbow," to jump through.
    • Jump through the shape, make the "X" shape again, and keep repeating the process.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Jump Rope 4 Combine the tricks. Once you've mastered a few of these tricks, you can combine them together. Try doing the "cross-cross," jumping, and then doing the "side swing," for example.
    5. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Jump with Rope Turners

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  1. Step 1 Choose a longer rope. 1 Choose a longer rope. This rope should be long enough to easily go over the head of the jumper or jumpers while the turners stand a comfortable distance apart.[5]
  2. Step 2 Jump after standing between the turners. 2 Jump after standing between the turners. Face one of them and place the rope to the right or left of your feet. Have them throw the rope over your head, and jump when it reaches your other side. Get the rhythm of this jumping pattern before moving on.[6]
  3. Step 3 Run into the turning rope. 3 Run into the turning rope. It takes some timing, but it can be done. Once you're comfortable running into the rope, you can practice jumping while looking between the turners instead of at them.
    • One or two other jumpers can join you as you run into the rope, but you should approach the rope one by one. Once one person finds a rhythm, the next person should jump in.
  4. Step 4 Jump double dutch. 4 Jump double dutch. For double dutch jumping, the two turners have a rope in each hand. The turners should turn one rope, and then turn the other in the opposite direction when the first rope is halfway through its arc.[7]
    • Once the ropes start moving, you should jump over each rope while still facing the turners. Remember that you'll have to jump twice as fast as you would with one rope, because you'll have to jump over two ropes in each jump cycle.
    • Double dutch is more challenging and more fun if there is more than one jumper.
    • You can even sing songs to count how many times the jumpers have jumped. One popular song begins, "Bubble gum, bubble gum, in a dish, how many pieces do you wish?" After those words, you can start counting, "one, two, three..." to mark how many times the person or people jumping have successfully jumped.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question How do you get better at jumping rope? Halle Payne Halle Payne Singer/Songwriter Halle Payne has been writing songs since the age of eight. She has written hundreds of songs for guitar and piano, some of which are recorded and available on her Soundcloud or Youtube channel. Most recently, Halle was a part of a 15-person collaboration in Stockholm, Sweden, called the Skål Sisters. Halle Payne Halle Payne Singer/Songwriter Expert Answer Once you get a trick down, like a criss-cross, try doing it while turning the rope backwards to improve your skill. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 20
  • Question Is jumping rope bad for wrists? Halle Payne Halle Payne Singer/Songwriter Halle Payne has been writing songs since the age of eight. She has written hundreds of songs for guitar and piano, some of which are recorded and available on her Soundcloud or Youtube channel. Most recently, Halle was a part of a 15-person collaboration in Stockholm, Sweden, called the Skål Sisters. Halle Payne Halle Payne Singer/Songwriter Expert Answer Your wrists may ache at first but will get stronger over time. People are often surprised by how much of the motion is really in your wrists. Especially if you're doing speed — where you move the rope as quickly as you can — your wrists will do a lot of the work. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 20
  • Question I am afraid while jumping the rope. What should I do? Community Answer Community Answer There's nothing to be afraid of. You can practice jumping without the rope. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 37 Helpful 66
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Video

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Tips

  • Try doing some interval training. Jump rope for anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute or two. Take a short interval and then repeat that a couple of times, depending on how long you have to exercise for that day.[8] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 2
  • Keep your eyes on only one thing. This will help you focus more and helps you to keep your balance. You can judge where the rope is without looking directly at it. Thanks Helpful 170 Not Helpful 41
  • Take small jumps -- it will save your energy and you will be able to jump for longer. Good jump ropers take such small steps that you can't see their feet moving. Thanks Helpful 161 Not Helpful 41
Show More Tips Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • Choose an open area to jump rope and be aware of who and what is around you to avoid whipping someone. Thanks Helpful 71 Not Helpful 15
  • A speed rope swung very fast can sting. Start very slowly. Thanks Helpful 68 Not Helpful 15
  • Jump ropes made out of plastic cords can damage floors. Use jump ropes made out of a soft cotton cord when indoors, and use the plastic cord ones for outside. Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 9
  • Be careful when you are doing things like the criss-cross trick mentioned above. The plastic-bead-like jump-ropes hurt if you make a mistake and you whip yourself, so start out slow! Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 3
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Things You'll Need

  • A Jump Rope
  • People (if having Rope Turners).

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.ntcc.edu/athletics/live-athlete/dr-toms-blog/jump-rope-training
  2. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/videos/how-to-jump-rope
  3. ↑ Steve Bergeron. Personal Trainer & Strength Coach. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ Steve Bergeron. Personal Trainer & Strength Coach. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/videos/how-to-jump-rope
  6. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/videos/how-to-jump-rope
  7. ↑ https://www.cisat.jmu.edu/kin/ejc/pdfs/Teaching%20jump%20rope.pdf
  8. ↑ Steve Bergeron. Personal Trainer & Strength Coach. Expert Interview

About This Article

Steve Bergeron Co-authored by: Steve Bergeron Personal Trainer & Strength Coach This article was co-authored by Steve Bergeron. Steve Bergeron is a Personal Trainer, Strength Coach, and the Co-Owner of AMP Fitness in Boston, Massachusetts. With over a decade of experience, Steve specializes in educating, guiding, and empowering his clients to develop healthy habits and reach their individual fitness goals. He holds a BS in Exercise Physiology and is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS), ASCM Health and Fitness Specialist (HFS), Strong First Kettlebell Coach (SFG), and Certified Functional Movement Screen Specialist (FMS). AMP Fitness’ mission is to create a community that is inclusive and gives people the tools and support they need to succeed. This article has been viewed 794,681 times. 2 votes - 100% Co-authors: 81 Updated: September 4, 2025 Views: 794,681 Categories: Backyard Games Article SummaryX

To jump rope, first hold the handles of your jump rope at your sides with them pointing away from you. Then, step over the rope on the ground so that it's behind your heels. Next, use your hands and wrists to whip the rope over your head in a circular motion. Hop over the rope as it comes down in front of you, then keep going. Continue swinging the rope around and jumping over it until you find a rhythym that works for you. Once you get good at jumping rope, you can incorporate some tricks into your jumping. To do the criss-cross, quickly switch your arms to the opposite sides while the jump rope is swinging over your head. To do the side-swing, pull the jump rope handles together while the rope swings over you and alternate between swinging it on your left and right sides while hopping. To do one-legged jumps, run in place as you're jump roping and hop over the rope with one foot. Keep reading to learn how to do tricks with your jump rope! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Anonymous

    Anonymous

    May 23, 2017

    "I like the way you make videos that show each step. Thank you!"
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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Steve Bergeron Co-authored by: Steve Bergeron Personal Trainer & Strength Coach Co-authors: 81 Updated: September 4, 2025 Views: 794,681 100% of readers found this article helpful. 2 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote Anonymous

Anonymous

May 23, 2017

"I like the way you make videos that show each step. Thank you!" Anonymous

Anonymous

Dec 24, 2017

"The method of jumping off your own helped me a lot. " Raj Kumari

Raj Kumari

Jun 30, 2017

"Nice explanation on the skipping and its techniques." Hamed J.

Hamed J.

Jul 8, 2016

"This article is amazing." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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