Skipping rope

"Jump rope" redirects here. For other uses, see jump rope (disambiguation).

Skipping rope

A Ghanaian boy playing with a skipping rope
Type	toy
Availability	16th century–present

Boy jumping a long rope in Virginia

A child playing with a skipping rope in Japan

A skipping rope (or jump rope) is equipment used in sport and play that involves rhythmically jumping over a rope swung underfoot and overhead. The activity is practiced recreationally and competitively, with disciplines such as freestyle routines (featuring creative, combination techniques) and speed events (maximum jumps within timed intervals).

Accounts from the 16th century describe vine-jumping among Indigenous peoples, and by the 17th century, rope skipping had spread in Europe.^{[citation needed]} Once treated as a gendered pastime, it became widely popular; in the 19th century it flourished in urban settings and children's street culture. Today the sport is overseen internationally by organizations such as the International Jump Rope Union (IJRU). Skipping rope is often used for cardiovascular fitness and coordination.

History

1800 illustration of a woman with a skipping rope

Explorers reported seeing aborigines jumping with vines in the 16th century.^[where?] European sources report boys skipping in the early 17th century. In many communities the activity was initially considered improper for girls, who were discouraged from exposing ankles; participation grew in the 18th century, along with the development of skipping-rope chants and games organized and led by girls, including rules about turn-taking and entry to play.^[1][2]

In the late-19th century in the United States, smooth sidewalks and dense neighborhoods made group play easier.^[2] In the mid-20th century, educator Lucy Nulton documented rhymes that American children chanted or sang while jumping rope.^[3][4]

Techniques

A wide range of techniques can be performed individually or sequenced into routines. Common examples include:

Basic jump technique

Alternate foot jump technique

Criss-cross technique

Leg over technique

Basic jump (easy jump)

Jump with both feet slightly apart as the rope passes underfoot. Often the first technique learned before moving onto more advanced techniques.^[5]

Slow (double bounce)

Turn the rope slowly and add a light bounce between jumps.^[6]

Alternate foot jump (speed step)

Alternate feet while jumping. Frequently used in speed events and can increase jumps per minute relative to a basic jump.^[7]

Criss-cross

Also known as crossover, cross arms, or a cross. Cross the forearms in front of the body while performing a basic jump.^[8]

Side swing

Swing the rope beside the body without jumping it, often as a transition.^[9]

EB (front-back cross or sailor)

A criss-cross with one arm behind the back.^{[citation needed]}

Double under (DU)

Complete two rope revolutions per jump with a higher, faster turn. Turning the rope three times is called a triple under. In competitions, participants may attempt quadruple (quads) and quintuple unders (quins) using the same method.^{[citation needed]} The Guinness World Record currently belongs to Kirato Hitaka, who has managed to do 8 revolutions in one jump.^[10][11]

Boxer step

Shift weight between a forward and back foot, allowing brief rest on the trailing leg and promoting endurance.

Toad / inverse toad / elephant

Variations of the criss-cross performed while threading an arm under or around a leg; combinations create more complex crosses.

Leg over

Also known as a Crougar.^{[citation needed]} Hook one arm under the adjacent leg while performing a basic jump. Some find the non-dominant-leg version easier.^{[citation needed]}

Awesome Annie (swish)

Alternates a leg over and a toad without an intervening open jump.

Frog (donkey kick)

From a handstand, return to the feet, and clear the rope. A more advanced version turns the rope during the descent.^{[citation needed]}

TJ

A triple-under combination where the first 'jump' is a side swing, the middle jump is a toad, and the final jump in the open.

Mic release / mamba release

One hand the handle for side swings and recatches. Continuous side-to-side releases form the mamba patterns. First demonstrated by Mike Fry in 2004.^{[12][unreliable source?]}

Mamba release

One hand lets go of the rope, which is swung on one side, then pulled over to the other side, and back and forth. After a number of swings, the rope is recaught. Jumping can continue throughout. ^[13]

Competition techniques

Advanced competition technique

Double Dutch competition during a steel beach picnic on the ship USS Saipan (LHA-2)

In competition, participants are required to demonstrate competence using specific techniques. Required elements and scoring vary by judging system and country, but typically assess difficulty, execution, synchronization (for teams), and speed.^[14]

Health effects

Skipping is an aerobic exercise comparable to running or cycling at moderate to vigourous intensities.^[15][16] Weighted skipping ropes can increase resistance, and in turn difficulty and effectiveness, of training. The activity is accessible to a wide range of ages and fitness levels and can be performed indoors or outdoors.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as gyms closed and lockdowns kept people in their homes, skipping gained popularity as a space-efficient home workout.^[17]

Competition

International

The world governing body for the sport of jump rope is the International Jump Rope Union (IJRU), , formed by the merger of the International Rope Skipping Federation (FISAC-IRSF) and the World Jump Rope Federation (WJRF).^[18] FISAC-IRSF previously held biennial world championships, whereas WJRF held annual world championships.^[19] IJRU held its first world tournament in Colorado City, Colorado, in 2023 and a second took place in Kawasaki, Japan in 2025.^[20][21][22] In 2018, IJRU received GAISF Observer status, a step toward recognition within international sport governance.^[23]

The International Rope Skipping Organization (IRSO) re-emerged in 2019, and coordinates with national and regional groups outside of IJRU's structure. ^[24] The organization is headed by Richard Cendali, who is referred to as the grandfather of the sport of jump rope.^[25]

World Inter School

The first World Inter-School Rope Skipping Championship was held in Dubai in November 2015.^{[26][27][28][29]} Subsequent editions took place in Eger, Hungary (2017), Hong Kong (2018), and Belgium (2019), organized by the World Inter School Rope Skipping Organization (WIRSO).^[30][31]

Locations

United States

Historically, two organizations—the more stunt-oriented International Rope Skipping Organization (IRSO) and the aesthetics-oriented World Rope Skipping Federation (WRSF)—merged in 1995 to form the United States Amateur Jump Rope Federation, later renamed USA Jump Rope (USAJR). USAJR has hosted national tournaments and educational programs since 1995 and participates in the AAU Junior Olympic Games. The "American Jump Rope Federation" (AMJRF), founded in 2016 by former WJRF members, is recognized by IJRU as the U.S. governing body.^[32][33] The National Collegiate Jump Rope Association formed in 2019 to support college-level clubs and events.^[34] Few U.S. schools field formal jump-rope teams, and state-sanctioned elementary programs are uncommon.^{[citation needed]}

Types of jump ropes

• Speed ropes are made from a thin vinyl cord or wire and are primarily used for speed jumping or double-unders. They are best for indoor use, because they will wear down fast on concrete or other harsh surfaces.
• Licorice ropes are also made from vinyl cord or PVC and are primarily used for freestyle jumping due to their flexibility and control.
• Beaded ropes provide audible feedback as the beads strike the ground, and are commonly used in rhythmic skipping.
• Leather ropes are thicker and less prone to tangling; they wear down more slowly outdoors.

See also

• Chinese jump rope
• Double Dutch (jump rope)
• Skipping-rope rhyme
• Jump Rope Challenge

References

1. Robert-Shaw, Scott. "The History of Skipping". Retrieved 6 December 2017.
2. "The Jump Rope Book". HistoricalFolkToys.com. 1996. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
3. "Children Create Own Folklore in Jump Rope Rhymes". The News and Observer. 16 May 1948. p. 43. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Nulton, Lucy (1948). "Jump Rope Rhymes as Folk Literature". The Journal of American Folklore. 61 (239): 53–67. doi:10.2307/536973. ISSN 0021-8715. JSTOR 536973.
5. Heumann & Murray 2015 p. 5
6. Heumann, Cristin J.; Murray, Steven Ross (2015). "Jump Rope: "Tricks" of the Trade". Strategies, A Journal for Physical and Sport Educators. 28 (5): 4. MR 3005523.
7. "3 Methods for Increasing Your Speed Skipping Scores". Elite SRS. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
8. Heumann & Murray 2015, p. 7
9. Heumann & Murray 2015, p. 6.
10. "Most revolutions in a single skip - rope skipping". guinnessworldrecords.com. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
11. "Japanese teenager leaps into record books with impressive jump rope feat". NBC Boston. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
12. "Tutorial including origin of name". 10 February 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
13. "Mamba Release Tutorial". YouTube. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
14. "Rule Books". IJRU. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
15. Gina Shaw. "Jump Rope Workouts". WebMD. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
16. "Jumping rope has physical and mental benefits. Here's how to do it safely and effectively". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
17. "Why The Jump Rope Workout Is Everyone's New Fitness Obsession This Quarantine".
18. "IJRU". IJRU. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
19. "2019 World Jump Rope Championship & Camp". IJRU. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
20. "WC 2018". FISAC-IRSF. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
21. "2025 World Jump Rope Championships". IJRU. 27 July 2025. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
22. "IJRU 2023 WC". IJRU. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
23. "Media Content". IJRU. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
24. "Home – International Rope Skipping Organization". ropeskippingsport.org. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
25. "Richard Cendali Interview – International Rope Skipping Organization". 19 July 2020.
26. "Video of the Week — Chinese Student Displays Insane Skill at World Inter-School Rope Skipping Championships". 16 June 2021.
27. "On the ropes: Hong Kong skipping champ felled by mainlander, 11, vows revenge". South China Morning Post. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
28. Webster, Nick (28 November 2015). "UAE pupils skip to keep fit and win". The National. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
29. "World Inter School Rope Skipping Championship 2015 witness Cecilian Prowess". www.cecilia.in. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
30. "Home – WIRSO". interschoolropeskipping.org. 13 January 2020. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
31. "4th World Inter-School Rope Skipping Championships" (PDF).
32. "AAU Jump Rope Home". Retrieved 1 April 2014.
33. "Home". American Jump Rope Federation. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
34. "About". NCJRA. Retrieved 24 April 2024.

Further reading

• Peter Skolnik (1975). Jump Rope. Workman Publishing Company. ISBN 0-911104-47-X.
• Elizabeth Loredo and Martha Cooper (1996). The Jump Rope Book. Workman Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7611-0448-8.
• Edward Jackowski (1995). Hold it!. Fireside. ISBN 0-671-89077-8. Compares jumping rope to other exercises
• Buddy Lee (2010). Jump Rope Training. Human Kinetics Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7360-8159-7.

External links

Media related to Jump ropes at Wikimedia Commons