The criss-cross is one of the most popular jump rope tricks — and one of the most satisfying to nail. You cross your arms in front of your body while the rope passes under your feet, then uncross on the next jump. It looks impressive and builds upper body coordination.
How to do criss-cross
- 1
Start with a few basic bounces to establish your rhythm.
- 2
On one bounce, cross your arms at the elbows while the rope is overhead.
- 3
Your right hand goes to your left hip and left hand to your right hip.
- 4
Jump through the loop created by your crossed arms.
- 5
Immediately uncross your arms on the next bounce.
- 6
Alternate: bounce, cross, bounce, cross — maintaining your rhythm.
Common mistakes
Not crossing enough
Cross past your hips — if you only cross to your center, the loop is too small to jump through.
Crossing at the wrists
Cross at the elbows for a wider loop. Wrist crosses create too small an opening.
Slowing down before the cross
Maintain the same rope speed through the cross. Hesitation breaks your rhythm.
Pro tips
- ✓Practice the arm crossing motion without a rope first to build muscle memory.
- ✓Start with every other jump as a cross — basic, cross, basic, cross.
- ✓Once comfortable, try consecutive crosses for a more advanced challenge.
More jump rope techniques
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