# Difficulty
# General
Difficulty judges will award a level for each skill performed in Single Rope, Wheel and Double Dutch routines. A skill is defined as a motion of the rope and/or athlete, beyond a double bounce jump, single bounce or basic side-swing, that is assigned a level of difficulty. The starting levels of difficulty and modifiers are described in the paragraphs below and illustrated using tables/matrices.
At the top of each table/matrix column is the level of difficulty (0.5, 1, 2, etc.) with the skills in that level below it. Each row groups skills by element (multiples, power, rope manipulations, etc). If a skill includes two "starting value" skills, add the value of the skills together to get a total level of difficulty for the skill. A 0.5 level does not add difficulty to another skill/component.
During a routine, the difficulty judges mark the difficulty level of each skill successfully performed within the time limit of the routine.
# Repeated Skills
The Difficulty judges are responsible for counting exact repetitions of skills and make a "repeated skill" mark any time one is performed.
Any time an exact skill with difficulty level 3 or higher is clearly repeated during a routine the difficulty judge should NOT make a mark for that skill, and instead make a "repeated skill" mark. Variations that are not considered repeated:
- Changing the direction (forward vs. backwards)
- Different ways of entering or exiting a skill
Variations that are considered repeated:
- Performing a skill on a different side or with different arms
- Performing a skill in a different direction relative to the floor or rope (for example looking north, south, east or west)
- Performed by a different athlete (or different combination of athletes) in the routine
For the perspective of repetition in Double Dutch, it is helpful to look at the overall skill (the combination of jumper and turner activity) which is the entirety of a skill: the entry, exit, turner skills and jumper(s). Generally, what happens between two jumps. Any change in turner or jumper skill constitutes a different overall skill. Simply switching athletes but performing the same overall skill does is still considered repeated.
# Single Rope
The Single Rope freestyle skills and modifiers are grouped by elements below. For freestyle with more than one athlete, if different skills are performed simultaneously, award credit for the lowest skill completed. If one athlete misses during a skill, this skill does not count, and no difficulty will be awarded until all athletes have resumed executing skills.
| Starting Level | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiples | Single | Double | Triple | Quad | Quintuple | Sextuple | Septuple | |
| Power | Bubble (regardless of the number of wraps) | Basic power (not pulling rope): basic frog, basic push-up, butt bounce, back jump | Power pulling rope: frog exit, push-up, crab, two footed entry for frog | One handed power | Backwards power: examples- darkside, sunny D | |||
| Gymnastics | Cartwheel and round-off | Handsprings, kip, suicide | Flips | |||||
| Rope Manipulation | Side swing | Criss-cross, 180 on the ground | One hand restricted: toad (leg over cross), cougar (leg over), EB (one hand behind back), restricted side swing | Both hands restricted: AS, CL, TS, caboose, elephant, weave | ||||
| Releases | Basic release, inversed release, snake release, floater | Mic release, 2 handled rope release | Lasso (snake release above head, catching it out of the air) | |||||
| Scoops / Interactions | One athlete is scooped and basic wheel jumping, basic leap frog | Multiple athletes are jumped by scoop, Multiple ropes moving during scoop, leap frog (scoop) | Multiple ropes + multiple athletes moving during scoop | |||||
| Footwork | Footwork |
When scoring wraps, score an individual level of difficulty for every time the rope passes under the body or as a wrapped side swing (+1 level for jumping a wrapped rope, with each additional wrap around the body that is jumped adding a level, with a limit of +3).
When scoring releases, score the release as a separate skill unless the release is caught, and a skill is completed with it all in the air at the same time.
A multiple is when a rope makes more than one rotation around the athlete’s body while the athlete is in the air, if the multiple starts with a side-swing the athlete’s feet must have left the ground before the rope pass by their feet, similarly if a multiple ends with a side-swing the rope must have passed the athlete’s feet before the athlete’s feet touch the ground, otherwise those rotations are not counted and the skill is credited considering the fewer rotations.
In multiples: once a hand has been placed in a restricted position, it must change positions or exit and re-enter a restricted position before it will further increase the level of that skill. The hand restrictions are scored independently of each other. If a hand is left in a restricted position for more than one revolution of the rope without changing that position, no additional levels will be awarded to the skill for the restricted position. Examples:
- Quintuple AS (two versions) – Side, open (going into AS), AS, AS, AS = L6
- L4 for quint, L2 for two hands restricted in the first AS
- Quintuple AS – Side, AS, open, AS, open = L8
- L4 for quint, L2 for two hands restricted in the first AS, L2 for two hand restricted in the second AS because the first restriction was exited and re-entered
- Side-EB-CL = L4
- L2 for triple, L1 for restricting one of your arms behind your back during the side swing on the 2nd rotation of the rope, L1 for restricting your second arm behind your legs on the third rotation of the rope
For power skills the entry and exit are scored separately
The following modifications will add 1 level to the skill being performed (unless otherwise specified):
# Multiples
- Body rotation (at least 270 degrees in twist or flip direction): EK, BC, Full Twist
- An additional +1 level for every 180-degree turned in the air beyond a 360 when jumped ex. 540, 720, 900
# Power/gymnastics
- Criss-cross performed with power/strength skill and/or flips (criss-cross, EB, Toad…)
- Landing in push-up, split or crab position
- Landing in frog position (+2)
- Assisted flips interaction (unless one athlete is supporting an athlete all the way around in the flip, in which case, reduce the level by 1)
- An additional +1 level for every 90 degree turn in power when the rope is pulled
# Manipulations
- Switch crosses (AS×AS, criss-cross×criss-cross, AS×CL as long as the arm on top changes…)
- Go-go’s/crazy criss-cross (one hand crosses twice across body, leg or arm without uncrossing)
- Wraps (scored as explained above)
- Change direction of rope movement in the air (EK- rope continues in same direction: doesn’t count)
- Switching handles
- Transition jump (jumping a one hand restricted skill and in one jump, jumping the opposite side one hand restricted skill (such as crouger-crouger))
# Releases
- Catching a release in a restricted position
- Releasing a handle in a restricted position if, and only if, the hand is completely behind the body (behind the back or behind both legs)
- Catching a release with something other than a hand (such as scooping the rope, squeezing it with a body part, or landing the rope on a foot, shoulder or similar, jumping the rope with the rope caught on a body part)
# Negative modifiers/limits
- -1 level: Gymnastics with rope held with one hand
# Exceptions
- Kips and front handsprings with a whip (pulling the rope under before landing) are level 6
- The money-maker/kamikaze frog, back handspring pulling rope under before landing on hands are level 7
Example Skills and Explanation
The matrix is to be used as a baseline for determining the difficulty level of each skill completed. A single double under is considered a level 1 skill. If a restricted arm movement is added to the double under (ex: double under leg cross), a judge must then add the level 1 of the double under with the Level 1 of a restricted arm, thus the level the judge records is a level 2 for that skill. If the same skill is completed in a triple under, the level recorded would be level 3. Restricted arm cross is level 1, triple under is level 2, making a TJ, with a total level 3.
Several base skill levels can be added together to create a higher level for one skill. For example, a backflip that includes a triple under and an under the leg cross (TJ) would earn a level 6. Backflip is level 3, Triple Under is level 2, and an under the leg cross level 1.
Criss-Cross do not increase the level of difficulty in multiples, but it does increase the difficulty levels in power and gymnastics skills. A frog jumped in isolation is a level 2 for landing the frog with the rope pulled under. When a criss-cross landing is added to the frog, the skill becomes a level 3.
A judge must be familiar enough with jump rope movements and skills that they can easily determine the level of the skills as they happen and enter the correct level on the designated method of score collection.
# Double dutch
Double Dutch skills and modifiers are grouped by elements below. For Double Dutch pairs freestyle, if different skills are performed simultaneously, award credit for the lowest skill completed, unless the interaction is listed as a modifier.
Double Dutch skills are scored per snapshot which is the sum of the difficulty of the skill the jumpers are doing when a rope passes under their feet/hands added to the difficulty of what the turners are doing with that rope at the time. (For example, when jumping over one rope the jumper is transitioning from a upright jump to a push-up (L2), on the next rope the jumper is transitioning from a push-up to an upright jump (L2), one turner restricts this rope by an arm turned under the knee in a crouger position (+1) resulting in a Level 3 snapshot. This sequence would be scored Level 2, Level 3).
A difficulty level is awarded to all jumps where all athletes are actively involved with the skill (for example, assisting a flip into the ropes while standing outside the ropes is credited because the assisting athlete is actively involved in performing the skill. Similarly, turner involvement skills can be credited on its own as long as all the athletes who are not turning are jumping in the ropes).
| Starting Level | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiples | Single | Double | Triples and quads | Quints and sextuples | Septuples and octuples | |
| Power | Mountain climber, power without jumping the rope (ex: up the ladder push-up), piggyback | Frog, push-up, crabs, butt bounces, back jump, splits, leap frog, kip | Hand hops, two-foot frogs, v kick, backbends/bridges | |||
| Gymnastics | Cartwheel, round-off, 360-degree rotation of body | Handsprings, suicide | Flips | |||
| Turner involvement | Basic turning (backwards and forwards) | Going into Synchronized Wheel | Pinwheel, Going into Alternating Wheel, turner skills only involving one hand movement (ex: leg over, and criss-cross) | Turner skills involving more than one hand movement (ex: restriction of both hands, power skills, and gymnastics) | ||
| Releases | Helicopter, floaters | Mic, two handled release | ||||
| Switches | Basic switch (athlete does not enter with next turned rope) | Quick switch, Wheel switch, Exchange of handles during Wheel, any interaction between jumper and turner | ||||
| Footwork | Footwork |
A turner involvement skill will only add a level of difficulty when the turner(s) transition between turner skills. This means that a turner involvement skill will not continue to add a level of difficulty if the turner holds the skill for more than 2 jumps.
For turner involvement skills completed in wheel, judges should use the wheel difficulty matrix. Note that .5 skills do not increase difficulty levels of another skill or component.
The "starting value" of turner involvement skills is awarded per turner except for:
- Basic pin Wheel
- Basic Wheel
This means that if both turners restrict the same rope under one knee in a crouger position while in normal Double Dutch turning they are awarded +1 Levels each.
The following modifications will add 1 or more levels to the skill being performed (unless otherwise specified):
# Power/gymnastics
- An additional +1 level for every 90-degree turn in power when the rope is pulled
- One handed frog-type skills
- An additional +1 level for each 360-degree rotation of the body in a power or gymnastics skill
# Interactions
- Power skills done over another athlete, and an additional +1 level for each additional layer in a power skill
- +2 levels for flips over another athlete
- Assisted flips interaction (unless one athlete is supporting an athlete all the way around in the flip, in which case, reduce the level by 1)
# Wheel
When judging Wheel, judge every skill performed by each athlete, unless the athletes are in synchronized Wheel for single under rope manipulation or footwork skills. In this case, the athletes receive one skill mark and only the lowest level skill performed will be scored. Skills performed in a single rope fashion (where ropes are not shared between athletes) will not be scored. Wheel skills and modifiers are grouped by elements below.
| Starting Level | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiples | Single | Double | Triple | Quad | Quintuple | Sextuple | ||
| Power | Bubble (regardless of the number of wraps) | Basic power (not pulling rope): basic frog, basic push-up, butt bounce, back jump | Power pulling rope: frog exit, push-up, crab, two footed entry for frog | One handed power | Backwards power: examples- darkside, sunny D (if done by both athletes simultaneously) | |||
| Gymnastics | Cartwheel and round-off | Handsprings, kip, suicide | Flips | |||||
| Rope Manipulation | Side swing | Criss-cross, 180 on the ground | One hand restricted: toad (leg over cross), cougar (leg over), EB (one hand behind back) | Both hands restricted: AS, CL, TS, caboose, elephant, weave | ||||
| Releases | Basic release, inversed release, snake release, floater | Mic release, 2 handled rope release | Lasso (snake release above head, catching it out of the air) | |||||
| Scoops / Interactions | Switching places | One jumper is scooped | Multiple jumpers are jumped by scoop, Multiple ropes moving during scoop, leap frog | Multiple ropes + multiple athletes moving during scoop | ||||
| Footwork | Footwork |
Refer to Single Rope for further explanations of specifics.
The following modifications will add 1 level to the skill being performed (unless otherwise specified):
# Multiples
- Body rotation (at least 270 degrees in twist or flip direction): EK, BC, Full Twist
- An additional +1 level for every 180-degree turned in the air beyond a 360 when jumped ex. 540, 720, 900
# Power/gymnastics
- Criss-Cross performed with power/strength skill and/or flips
- Landing in push-up, split or crab position
- Landing in frog position (+2)
- Assisted flips interaction (unless one athlete is supporting an athlete all the way around in the flip, in which case, reduce the level by 1)
- An additional +1 level for every 90 degree turn in power when the rope is pulled
# Manipulations
- Switch crosses (AS×AS, criss-cross×criss-cross, AS×CL as long as the arm on top changes…)
- Go-go’s/crazy criss-cross (one hand crosses twice across body, leg or arm without uncrossing)
- Wraps (scored as described under Single Rope)
- Change direction of rope movement in the air (EK- rope continues in same direction: doesn’t count)
- Switching handles
- Transition jump (jumping a one hand restricted skill and in one jump, jumping the opposite side one hand restricted skill (such as crouger-crouger))
# Releases
- Catching a release in a restricted position
- Releasing a handle in a restricted position if, and only if, the hand is completely behind the body (behind the back or behind both legs)
- Catching a release with something other than a hand (such as scooping the rope, squeezing it with a body part, or landing the rope on a foot, shoulder or similar, jumping the rope with the rope caught on a body part)
# Exceptions
- Kips and front handsprings with a whip (pulling the rope under before landing) are level 6
- The money-maker/kamikaze frog, back handspring pulling rope under before landing on hands are level 7 Negative modifiers/limits
- -1 level: Gymnastics with rope held with one hand