Celebrating 31 Years of Competitive Double Dutch

Basic Training Skills

As a coach, you must teach your jumpers the fundamental skills and strategies necessary for success in jumping rope.  If you do not know the basics, you can learn by reading the rule book of the American Double Dutch League, attend training workshops and competitions and watch videotapes.

1.    Turning Skills

a.    Ready the ropes

i.    Turning partners face each other holding the end of a rope in each hand.  The turners should be spaced apart until the rope is taut.

ii.    Hold the ends of the ropes:

iii.    Make sure the knots of the ropes are on the outside of the fist and both turners are holding the ropes in the same manner.  Do not wrap the ropes around the hand (Competition Violation)

b.    Begin Turning

i.    Turners stand with back straight and legs shoulder length apart.  Avoid leaning forward which causes slacking in the ropes (or the ropes to be too big) or leaning backwards, which causes the ropes to rise up off of the floor.

ii.    Keep wrists locked and thumbs up (but folded down in a fist position) when the ropes begin turning.

iii.    Turners should always start the rope closest to the jumper to enable the jumper to enter the rope as the first rope rises.

iv.    Turn the ropes inward in small circles by rotating the right forearm counter clockwise and left forearm clockwise.

v.    Avoid crossing the midline of the body with hands while turning the ropes (this causes collapse or kissing of the ropes).

vi.    Establish a rhythm for the ropes by counting ONE-TWO, ONE-TWO.  This helps control the tempo of the ropes as they alternately hit the floor.

c.    Changing the Rope Speed

i.    Slow the rope speed by extending arms straight at the elbow to the sides, making larger circles and turning slower.

ii.    Increase the rope speed by bringing arms closer to body, making smaller circles and turning faster.

2.    Entering Skills

a.    Jumper Position

i.    The jumper stands next to a turner and faces the other turner.

ii.    The jumpers legs should be in a scissor position with the leg closest to the turner behind the turner – away from the rope and the other leg closer to the rope in front of the turner.

b.    Jumping In

i.    Enter the rope as the turner hand or the rope closest to the jumper passes the jumper’s face.

ii.    Take a big step and a big jump and leap in the middle of the rope with the leg that is closer to the turner hitting the floor first (as soon as entering).

iii.    Begin jumping using the two-foot basic marching jump.  If the jumper does not know how to jump, use the single bounce jump.

3.    Jumping Skills

a.    Marching:  a march like jump that is utilized in Double Dutch competitive jumping (Speed and Compulsory) where the jumper’s knees should be moving up and down to the front.

b.    Single Bounce:  a bouncing up and down movement is utilized mainly for freestyle jumping.

4.    Exiting Skills

a.    Anticipate the exit

i.    The jumper must decide when to exit out of the rope and exit near the shoulder of the turner.

b.    Cue the Jumper

i.    The exiting cue is given on the back rope or the rope on the opposite side that the jumper is exiting when that rope is hitting the floor.  The cue is SLOW IT – DOWN – AND – OUT.  (The jumper can also exit when the rope is going up on the side that they are exiting.)

c.    Turners Move Rope Away

i.    Turners can help the jumper exit by turning the rope away from the jumper.