Should I learn singles first?

Yes. If you can't do 100 unbroken singles with relaxed shoulders and a quiet jump, doubles will reinforce bad habits. Spend a week getting singles smooth before you start chasing doubles.

How does CrossFit BC coach this skill?

Skill progressions like double-unders get their own practice time at our Vancouver gym — they're not something we expect you to figure out mid-WOD. Most members get coached on doubles during the warm-up or in dedicated skill blocks. Read more about how we program skills .

How to Learn Double-Unders

How to Learn Double-Unders from CrossFit BC. How to do double-unders without wasting months. The 4-step progression we coach in class, the cue that fixes most plateaus, and a 10-min practice block.

Written by:: CrossFit BC Coaching Team
Section:: Training
Reading time:: 8 min
Topics:: skill-progression, double-unders, beginner, how-to
Published:: Monday, May 4, 2026
Last updated:: Sunday, August 23, 2026

How to Learn Double-Unders (The Cue That Actually Fixes It)

This article is part of the CrossFit BC journal, written by the coaching staff who run our classes in Olympic Village, Vancouver. We publish what we teach on the floor: training decisions, recovery, nutrition, and the honest tradeoffs behind them.

Common questions

How long does it take to learn double-unders?

Most beginners with a decent jump rope and 10 minutes of practice 3x/week land their first unbroken set of 5 within 2–4 weeks. Stringing together 30+ usually takes another 4–8 weeks. The biggest variable isn't athleticism — it's rope quality and how often you practice the wrist cue (not the jump).

What rope length should I use?

Stand on the middle of the rope. The handles should reach the bottom of your sternum (not your armpits, not your hips). Most off-the-shelf ropes are sized too long for double-unders. If you're struggling, your rope is probably too long before it's anything else.

Why do I keep hitting my shins?

Shin contact almost always comes from one of three things: (1) your hands are drifting wide instead of staying near your hips, (2) you're jumping forward instead of straight up, or (3) your rope is too long. Fix the hands first — pin your elbows close to your ribs and let the rope rotate from your wrists.