In the 2007 CrossFit Journal article “Jump Rope Basics,” Buddy Lee, also known as the “Jump Rope King,” praises the skill of jumping rope for its “key advantages in developing dynamic balance, speed, quickness, agility, coordination, concentration, and cardiorespiratory efficiency.”
When most people think of a jump rope, images of childhood games and playgrounds come to mind. But in CrossFit, this simple tool has undergone a dramatic transformation — from an implement to master basic skills to a critical test of athleticism on the sport’s biggest stage. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in athletes’ fitness, and the jump rope has evolved to become a symbol of skill progression, coordination, and competitive separation.
The Early Days: Introducing Double-Unders
The jump rope first appeared in CrossFit.com programming in the early 2000s. The double-under — where the rope passes under the feet twice with each jump — quickly became a hallmark of CrossFit training. Double-unders require coordination, balance, and accuracy — three of the 10 general physical skills. Frustrating for some, the double-under is undeniably effective at improving cardiorespiratory endurance and stamina.
In 2009, double-unders made their competitive debut at the CrossFit Games in Aromas, California. Athletes were caught off guard by their inclusion in the final event, and many struggled to string reps together under fatigue. It was a pivotal moment, marking the jump rope’s shift from a warm-up tool to a skill worth mastering at the elite level.
Mainstay of the Open
When the CrossFit Open launched in 2011, double-unders immediately found their place in the very first workout. Since then, they’ve appeared in the Open more than a dozen times, solidifying their status as a core CrossFit skill. Over the years, the expectation has risen — while 30 unbroken reps were once impressive, athletes can now routinely hit 100 or more without breaking.
For everyday athletes, double-unders became a benchmark of progress. Gyms erupted in celebration when someone finally got their first rep, and they became a standard in programming for those looking to advance their fitness.
Testing the Limits: The Crossover
In 2022, the CrossFit Games team stunned the field by introducing the crossover. Single-under and double-under variations appeared in CrossFit.com programming and the 2023 Quarterfinals. Then at the 2022 Games, the double-under crossover was programmed in Event 2, Skill Speed Medley. Most competitors had never practiced the movement. Only a few managed to complete reps, but Nick Mathew outshone them all with large sets that led him to an event win. The event became one of the most talked-about challenges of the Games that year. The jump rope had officially gone from a test of coordination to a separator of elite skill.
Who’s Been Practicing?
In CrossFit, you can guarantee you will be challenged with a skill time and time again, and it is also certain that if you put in the work to improve, you will, through practice, patience, and perseverance.
In Individual Event 2 of the 2025 CrossFit Games, All Crossed Up, athletes faced a brutal mix of double-under crossovers, wall walks, dumbbell shoulder-to-overheads, and toes-to-bars. But this time, they came prepared. With three years to level up, the skill gap vanished, and the field rose to the challenge with many athletes flying through their reps with confidence, turning what was total chaos in 2022 into a showcase of skill mastery.
Aussies Tia-Clair Toomey and Ricky Garard won the event with smooth transitions and near flawless execution on the crossovers. Hot on Toomey’s heels was Danielle Brandon, who won the event in 2022 and earned second place in this year’s event. Two-time Games champion Justin Medeiros took second in the event, losing the win to Garard by mere tenths of a second.
One thing’s undeniable: today’s Games athletes are faster and more skilled than ever before.