Bouncy singles
The rhythm every double is built on: small, quick, and the same every time.
3 × 45 seconds, 30 seconds rest
How to learn double unders, step by step
Single unders vs double unders: see the difference before your first transition drill.
Em português: Como fazer duplos na corda: primeiros passos.
En español: Cómo hacer dobles de comba: primeros pasos.
Auf Deutsch: Double Unders lernen: die ersten Schritte.
Almost everyone stuck on double unders skipped a rung — chasing ten in a row on a bounce that cannot hold one. So here are 11 rungs, each with a number on it you can count. Hit the number, climb.
Already doing some of these? Skip ahead. A rung further up counts for the ones below it — nobody needs to prove a hundred singles once they have ten doubles.
Before the first rung: check your rope length. Choose a rope type for your rung. A rope that is too long makes every rung harder than it needs to be.
- 1Rope on30 singles in a row
- 2Bounce100 singles in a row
- 3Pop10 penguin tap jumps in a row
- 4The first one1 double under
- 5Single, single, double5 single-single-double cycles in a row
- 6Back to back2 double unders in a row
- 7High five5 double unders in a row
- 8Ten10 double unders in a row
- 9Twenty-five25 double unders in a row
- 10Fifty50 double unders in a row
- 11Century100 double unders in a row
1. Rope on
Find a rhythm with the rope at all.
Move on at: 30 singles in a row.
Side swing and jump
Hear the rhythm first: the rope slaps the floor, you jump. No rope to trip over.
3 × 30 seconds
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
2. Bounce
Singles so easy you could hold a conversation.
Move on at: 100 singles in a row.
Bouncy singles
The rhythm every double is built on: small, quick, and the same every time.
3 × 45 seconds, 30 seconds rest
Pocket singles
Singles with the hands pinned where a double under needs them.
3 × 45 seconds
Also good here: Pogo hops
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
3. Pop
The double-under jump and the double-under wrists, without the rope.
Move on at: 10 penguin tap jumps in a row.
Penguin taps
A double under's timing with no rope to trip on: one jump, two taps.
3 × 10 in a row
Power singles
Double-under height with single-under wrists, so the jump is ready before the wrists are.
3 × 15
Also good here: Pogo hops
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
4. The first one
One double under. Just one. It counts.
Move on at: 1 double under.
One and done
Your first double under, with nothing after it to worry about.
10 attempts
Penguin taps
A double under's timing with no rope to trip on: one jump, two taps.
3 × 10 in a row
Also good here: Power singles
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
5. Single, single, double
Doubles inside a rhythm, not as a one-off.
Move on at: 5 single-single-double cycles in a row.
Single, single, double
The classic bridge: two singles to reset the rhythm, one double, and round again.
5 × 5 cycles
Fast wrists
The second pass of a double comes from the wrists speeding up, not the arms.
3 × 40 seconds
Also good here: Pocket singles
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
6. Back to back
Two in a row, which is harder than it sounds.
Move on at: 2 double unders in a row.
Double, single
One single between doubles: nearly unbroken, with a breather built in.
4 × 10 doubles
Single, single, double
The classic bridge: two singles to reset the rhythm, one double, and round again.
5 × 5 cycles
Also good here: Doubles ladder
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
7. High five
Five unbroken. The rhythm starts carrying you.
Move on at: 5 double unders in a row.
Doubles ladder
Builds unbroken sets one step at a time, and every rung is a win.
Up to 10 minutes
Double, single
One single between doubles: nearly unbroken, with a breather built in.
4 × 10 doubles
Also good here: Towel tuck
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
8. Ten
Ten unbroken, landing quietly.
Move on at: 10 double unders in a row.
Doubles ladder
Builds unbroken sets one step at a time, and every rung is a win.
Up to 10 minutes
Double, single
One single between doubles: nearly unbroken, with a breather built in.
4 × 10 doubles
Also good here: Pogo hops
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
9. Twenty-five
A set you could use in a workout.
Move on at: 25 double unders in a row.
Every-minute doubles
Makes doubles a thing you do tired, which is when they matter.
6–10 minutes
Doubles ladder
Builds unbroken sets one step at a time, and every rung is a win.
Up to 10 minutes
Also good here: Fast wrists
Doubles in today's WOD? Here's how to scale them, or scale Annie and other double under workouts round by round.
10. Fifty
Doubles as something you do tired.
Move on at: 50 double unders in a row.
Every-minute doubles
Makes doubles a thing you do tired, which is when they matter.
6–10 minutes
Fast wrists
The second pass of a double comes from the wrists speeding up, not the arms.
3 × 40 seconds
11. Century
A hundred unbroken. Congratulations — you are now the person people ask.
Move on at: 100 double unders in a row.
Every-minute doubles
Makes doubles a thing you do tired, which is when they matter.
6–10 minutes
Something specific going wrong?
The faults dulike can see on a video, in the order worth fixing them.
- Not enough air for a double — “One big pop, two fast flicks.”
- Kicking your feet up — “Pogo stick, not a frog.”
- Hands flying out wide — “Hands in your pockets.”
- Hands creeping up — “Thumbs to your pockets.”
- Parking on the floor — “Hot floor. Quick feet.”
- Knees coming up — “Tall like a pencil.”
- Folding forwards — “Eyes on the horizon.”
- Wandering — “Own your spot.”
- Jumping higher than the rope needs — “Jump the rope, not the moon.”
- Uneven rhythm — “Same bounce, every bounce.”
Every drill
Bounce:Bouncy singles · Pogo hops · Tall singles · Line hops · Wall singles
Timing:Penguin taps · Power singles · Side swing and jump
Hands:Pocket singles · Towel tuck · Fast wrists
Doubles:One and done · Single, single, double · Double, single
Volume:Doubles ladder · Every-minute doubles
Not sure which rung you are on? Film 10–30 seconds of skipping and dulike will count it, name the one thing tripping you up, and hand you the drill for it.
Or find your starting rung from the counts you already know — no video needed.
Like a date in the diary? Try the 30-day double-under challenge.