![[Rec] Challenge! A roundup of jump rope tricks and techniques](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bJkxoAPgjys/sddefault.jpg)
One exercise everyone is familiar with: jump rope.
Of course it’s a playground game, but since it’s also part of elementary school P.E.
classes, people of all ages have tried it.
That said, jump rope is also a prestigious sport with world championships.
Which means there are lots of so-called “tricks” as well.
In this article, we’ve compiled jump rope moves and techniques!
We’ve picked a wide range—from the most basic ways to jump to those that require quite a bit of practice.
It’s content we hope both adults and kids will try!
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[Recreation] Challenge! Jump Rope Skills and Techniques Summary (1–10)
monkey
The “Monkey,” with comically monkey-like movements that make a big impact, is a unique trick recommended for anyone getting bored with basic jumping.
Hold your rope-handling arms up and down, raise the leg on the same side as the rope’s rotation, and swing the rope under your raised leg through your crotch.
Finish by lifting the opposite leg and passing the rope through—then your Monkey is complete.
Because jump rope tricks involve lots of vertical motion, adding a move like the Monkey, which spreads sideways, makes a great accent when you perform a combo.
Why not master it as a savvy trick you won’t learn at school?
Peregrine falcon
The “hayabusa” is doing a regular forward jump (“maetobi”) and a cross jump (“ayatobi”) within a single hop.
Start by practicing without jumping: just hold the rope and swing it.
Once you can swing it quickly in a figure-eight motion, hold the rope in one hand and combine it with small jumps to get a feel for the movement.
Then it’s time to try for real! Bend your knees and jump high, focusing on making a big hand cross, and try for one successful jump.
After you land one, be careful not to drop your hips too low on landing, and then try for consecutive jumps.
double under (jump rope)
The “double under,” where you spin the rope twice for each jump, is a coveted skill for jump rope beginners! People tend to focus on turning the rope faster, but the real key to double unders is getting the timing right.
Hold the rope firmly as if gripping a remote control, and once you can keep doing basic forward jumps with proper posture, it’s time to try double unders! First, get a feel for the timing by practicing without a rope: do one jump while tapping your thighs twice.
You can also practice spinning the rope rhythmically with one hand.
Once you’re comfortable, combine the jump with the rope.
Practice each step without rushing, and you’ll master the double under!
back cross jump
The “behind-the-back cross jump,” where you jump with your hands crossed behind your body.
This skill tests both the flexibility to cross your arms firmly behind your back and the wrist mobility to turn the rope while your arms are fixed.
The key is where you cross your hands! You might feel it’s easier to swing the rope if you cross around the center of your back, but in fact, crossing lower—around just below the waist—makes it easier to maintain posture and to turn the rope.
It’s a tricky move that tends to shift your weight backward, but try incorporating mental imagery and practice steadily, little by little.
crisscross jumping rope
The cross-arm jump, known as “aya-tobi,” is one of the more approachable jump-rope tricks.
Before the rope reaches your feet, cross your hands and jump over the rope while keeping them crossed.
The key to aya-tobi is smooth wrist rotation.
If you can smoothly “cross your hands, then return them to the original position,” you’ll avoid getting caught and be able to jump continuously.
Start by practicing without jumping: just turn the rope and cross your hands.
When you cross, make sure to really cross your arms so the space you’re jumping through is as wide as possible.
arm wrap
“Bored with the basic jumps already?” If so, why not try adding an “arm wrap” to your routine? The arm wrap is a trick where you spiral the rope around your arm.
After you swing the rope and bring it in front, guide it to either the left or right side.
If it’s on the right, rotate your right hand to wrap the rope around that hand; if it’s on the left, do the same with your left hand.
You can use it as a finishing pose, or you can carry the wrapped rope to the opposite side and unwrap it to connect different tricks.
If you want to go beyond just clearing tricks and aim for style, definitely give it a try!
Criss-cross
Cross Cross is a move where you switch the upper and lower hands while doing cross jumps.
Do one cross jump, then before the rope comes around again, switch the upper and lower hands and do another cross jump.
Repeat this sequence.
The key points for Cross Cross are to switch your hands within the area from your chest to your belly button, and to make sure both hands are level at the moment you jump.
If you follow these, you can keep the rope from wobbling and jump continuously.
If your hand heights are uneven after switching, the rope will distort as it comes down and is more likely to catch.
So first, practice switching your hands while turning the rope without jumping to get the feel, then combine it with the jump.