Chinese Jump Rope Tricks

Everyone has seen a typical child's jump rope--a long rope with handles for turning over a single jumper's head and under the jumper's feet in succession. Chinese jump rope is a little bit different. That's because it is a long, continuous loop of a rope. It requires three children to play. Chinese jump rope has been played in China for almost 1,600 years. Historically, Chinese people called jump roping the game of "jumping one-hundred threads." Jump ropes could be made out of many materials, including cloth covered elastic, ribbon and weaved grass. The modern Chinese jump rope can be rope, plastic or elastic. It requires high jumping and dexterity of the feet.

Things You'll Need

• Chinese jump rope (10 to 20 feet of rope tied in a loop)

Instructions

1. Ready the game by putting the rope around the ankles of two children. They stand far enough apart that the rope becomes taut, and it should be ankle-height above the ground. Feet in the ropes are shoulder-distance apart. The jumper--the third person--stands next to the rope, ready to jump in. You should take on the role of the jumper.

2. Jump in the rope with both feet. Jump out of the rope, one foot straddling each outside rope. Jump to the side of the rope, straddling one side of the rope. Then straddle the other side of the rope. Then jump on the rope, one foot on each side. Then out again. Then take the rope. Cross it with the feet, so that the feet are inside of an X. Jump out and straddle the rope. With each jump, the two kids holding the rope call out: "in, out, side, side, on, in, out."

3. Jumper is out if she lands on the rope when she's not supposed to, or if she is supposed to land on the rope and misses. If the jumper gets through the routine without missing, the rope is moved up the legs and the jumper gets to try again at this higher and harder level. With each success, the rope gets moved higher and higher up: the knees, the waist, under the arms, up to the neck.

4. Try a shorter trick variation. Start with both feet inside the rope. Jump, putting both feet outside the rope. Jump with both feet back in. Jump with one foot landing on the rope and the other jumping outside of it. Jump so both feet land on the rope. Move the rope up the legs of the other players and try again. When the jumper misses, she switches places with one of the rope holders.

5. Play "Mississippi." The jumper spells out Mississippi as she jumps. With M, jump into the center. With I, jump both feet outside of both ropes. With S, jump to straddle the left side of the rope. With the next S, straddle the right side of the rope. With I, jump both feet outside again. With the double SS, repeat the same S jumps. With I, outside both ropes again. With PP, step on both sides of the rope with a double jump. Finish with I by jumping outside both ropes again. Move the ropes up the body as the jumper successfully finishes a jump round.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are by yourself and want to practice, use two chairs spaced apart and loop the ropes around the legs of the chairs, pulling the rope taut. If you have two players and are lacking a third, use a chair to substitute for the third player.

Resources

• People Demonstrating Chinese Jump Rope