Long Rope Front Door and Back Door Entries
A progression to learn the two ways into a long rope: front door, when the rope comes down toward the jumper, and back door, when it rises in front of the jumper's face. It builds rhythm awareness, anticipation, and coordination of running and jumping.
How to play
- Make 5 groups of 5 with a 13-16 ft long rope: two turn and three wait in line about 6 feet away, at an angle next to a turner. Turners rotate every 4 minutes (2 min).
- Front door: the rope comes down in front of the jumper and sweeps away along the ground. The group says "Go!" when it hits the ground and the jumper runs in right after, chasing the rope (3 min).
- Practice: enter the front door, take 3 jumps, and exit at an angle on the opposite side. Each clean entry earns a point (5 min).
- Back door: from the other side, the rope comes toward your feet and rises in front of your face. Run in as it passes overhead and jump right away, because it's coming straight at your feet (5 min).
- Challenge: 10 entries in a row, 5 from each side, switching sides after each; a miss resets the count. To finish, each group shares its best tip (5 min).
Rules
- Enter at an angle and exit on the opposite side, never straight at the rope.
- Turners let go if someone gets tangled.
- Wait your turn outside the rope's path, about 6 feet away.
Variations
Easier
Turners swing the rope side to side without going overhead, and the group calls "One, two, go!"
Standard
Practice both entries with 3 jumps inside and an angled exit.
Harder
Enter, do 5 jumps with a half turn on the third, and exit through the same door.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: turn a rope tied to a post or call the group's "Go!"
- Shy students or students with autism: use a fixed turn order and a first entry with the rope swinging.
- Fitness level: strong jumpers coach the group; students who struggle use a longer rope, which turns more slowly.
Learning goals
- Read the rope's rhythm to choose the moment to enter.
- Tell apart and perform front door and back door entries.
- Support the group by calling the rhythm out loud.
Equipment for a class of 25
- long rope: 5
Teacher tip
The most common mistake is waiting for the rope to be at the top before going in the front door: stress chasing it as soon as it hits the ground. Coach the turners first: without big, steady turns nobody gets in.
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