"I have 2 kids and I coach baseball & basketball. How can I expect my kids to perform or be healthy if I don't do those things myself? I had to get active and fit to show my kids what healthy living looks like."
Derrick is a 34-year-old father of two. After graduating from college, fitness took a backseat and he gained nearly 50 pounds.
“I didn’t gain the weight overnight. It was a very slow transition. I was working 60 hours a week out of college, and eating fast food just so I could eat.”
When Derrick saw 245 pounds on the scale, he knew he had to make a change. Someone challenged him that you CAN'T lose weight without working out. He started by changing his diet and reducing his carb intake and ended up losing 20 pounds. This motivated him to become more active, so he started running with colleagues.
“In the fall of 2015, a couple of my co-workers challenged me to do a 5k race. At the time a mile was tough and I'd never ran 3 miles at one time. I accidentally signed up for two races in one weekend. I trained hard and ran them both. Not wanting to lose momentum, I kept running.”
In 5 weeks, Derrick went from not running a mile to running 3 miles with ease. A month after his races, Derrick’s 9-year-old son, Grady, decided to run a mile with him. They ran 3 miles, and they decided that they would run races together. In 2016 and 2017 they ran several 3-mile races, two 6-mile races, a handful of different races.
From Running to Jumping
Over the course of a few months, Derrick lost a total of 40 pounds. He was running often and changed his diet to be healthier. However, after a while, he thought he hit a weight loss plateau because he wasn’t losing any more weight. He thought he was meant to stay at that weight, and nothing he could do would change that. He was also getting bored with running. He had to run for at least an hour to get a good workout, so he felt he should try something new to shake things up.
“After our half marathon, I stumbled across a 30-day jump rope fitness challenge from Crossrope. I signed up and jumped daily for 2 weeks until the challenge began. I really just accidentally found jump ropes and fell in love.”
Derrick found that jumping rope was efficient and fast. A 15 minute jump rope workout is all it took for him to really feel like he got a good workout in.
“I’d die after the 15 minutes. You couldn’t do that with running.”
At first, Derrick used a rope he got from Walmart. He had no desire to spend over $20 on his ropes. But then Derrick got some valuable advice from one of his colleagues:
“I was talking to a coworker. We were both getting into fitness and he said it best, ‘$70 is nothing if you're investing in yourself.’ It hit home and I ordered the ropes once I got permission from the boss, my wife Vanessa.”
After 2 days of the challenge, he ordered the Starter Set. He quickly realized that it wasn’t enough for him as he wanted more of a challenge. He immediately ordered the Premium Set I and he gave the Starter Set to his father.
“When we had the challenge, I was cheating myself by not doing what I was told to be doing. I wanted to keep up with everyone else and I knew they were getting more out of it than I was, so I got my Crossropes.”
Knowing the importance of investing in himself and his health, Derrick has a wide collection of Crossropes and has recently added the Get Fit Bundle to his collection. He continues to purchase ropes for his son Grady, and his family members so they can jump together.
The Get Fit Bundle is a powerful four rope training system that's ideal for all fitness levels.
Jumping has become an integral part of Derrick’s daily routine. Since he started jumping, Derrick has been able to keep up with everything. His clothes fit better, and he looks forward to jumping on most days.
“I lost 20 pounds that I didn't realize I could lose within 90 days of jumping.”
Paving the Way with Jump Rope Training
Jumping has even become a bonding experience between himself and his children, and particularly his son Grady.
Derrick loves to chase his kids around. He still runs marathons with his son and even serves as a coach on his son’s basketball and baseball teams. Derrick is a firm believer and doing the drills with the kids at practices.
“I do a lot of the conditioning with them. I beat them every time and I let them know it. It’s the best way to teach them that they can do anything they put their minds to. No excuses. I see parents at Grady’s soccer practice telling their kids to work hard. Meanwhile, we sit at desks all day. We should be their example. That’s why I jump; to show Grady how to work hard and be healthy.”
Derrick also focuses on keeping his diet clean. He counts his calories, tracks his macronutrients, and makes sure to cut out refined and processed foods like soda and junk food. Derrick has been living with Type 1 Diabetes for nearly 3 decades, so eating fewer carbs means that he needs less insulin which is best for his body. Eating a balanced and healthy diet is obviously important for Derrick’s body, but equally important for showing his children that a healthy life is a happy one.
Derrick's Advice
For anyone seeking advice on how to lead a healthier life, Derrick has simple yet effective advice.
“I always tell my kids to remember that if there’s something they can’t do, to always think ‘I can’t do that yet’. Thinking that way will propel you towards your goals no matter what they are.”
Jumping rope is something that anyone can do anywhere. That’s why Derrick carries his ropes everywhere he goes. He even keeps them at his desk!
“Jump anytime you can. Just improve every day. I started at a minute to being able jump half an hour non-stop.”
Another thing that really pushed Derrick to do better and reach his goals was the accountability that the Jump Rope Fitness Community creates. Seeing other jumpers working hard and reaching their goals made Derrick want to work harder.
“I was frustrated that I couldn’t do what they were doing, so I pushed myself to get to where they were.”
Jumpers like Hesham and Chad are a pivotal reason why Derrick is still jumping today.
“I sit at work seeing everyone jumping in different time zones. I have to get on it too. I know that if I don’t post, people will call me out on it. Chad would be in my inbox quick. You make friends on the internet and they care about your progress. Anytime I get tagged or a direct message, I know something is about to happen.”
Looking towards the future, Derrick is looking forward to being able to dunk a basketball. He also wants to continue to run races with his son and live an active lifestyle with his family.
Thank you, Derrick!
Thanks for sharing your story Derrick and for being a constant source of inspiration. We look forward to seeing you continuously hit your fitness goals.
Questions or comments for Derrick?
Please leave them in the comment section below!
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