Meet Kara (@Karajumps), one of Crossrope's “Model Jumpers” from spring 2024. We had the opportunity to get to know Kara and discovered she had an amazing story that goes far beyond being the face of Crossrope.
Where did you grow up?
I moved around a lot as a kid. Mostly, I lived in Leland and Wilmington North Carolina but later moved to Maricopa Arizona, and Denver Colorado before moving to Greensboro NC.
What are some of your hobbies or interests?
Jump rope is my main interest. But I like textile crafts a lot (like hand embroidery, knitting, and hand sewing). I also like to bake, make budgets and plan things.
Did you play sports or was fitness part of your youth in any way?
As a smaller kid, I played just about every sport there is and was good at almost all of them. However, my parents noticed early on that I preferred non-contact recreational sports like bowling and figure skating. In my early teen years, I found I loved cardio so I got briefly into running with my dog before starting to jump rope.
How has Crossrope helped you physically?
I had really bad pain in my knees before jump rope came into my life. I think jumping strengthened different muscles in my ankles and legs and took some of the pressure off my knees.
When did you first start using Crossrope?
When I got my first job at 15, I didn’t know what I wanted to spend my first paycheck on, but I wanted to make it special and something I could use. I had a PVC rope that was good, but I really like the idea of a speed rope. The bolt series from Crossrope was the first jump rope I bought with my own money.
How often do you use Crossrope?
Anywhere from 20-30 days a month. I take breaks, but I am very consistent so my break is just scaling back how long and how intense I jump rope but still doing it.
How do you feel while using/after using Crossrope?
While jumping, I feel like a total badass, like a champ or entirely zoned out. Mentally, I feel a lot better after jumping. I’ve had to face a lot of body image issues that border on the line of bulimia and a long state of depression, but the Jump Rope community has been so positive and helped me find a balance that is healthy. I really like Dan from Jump Rope Dudes. He changed the way I think about food and exercise by saying the common sense approach of eat when hungry, don’t when not, and if you are feeling like you don’t want to work out, do it anyways - even if it’s just 5 min. Just get moving!
Has Crossrope helped you excel in the other forms of exercise?
Crossrope has built my endurance from “wow, that girl is not going to make it out alive if she needs to take a break after running 10 ft” to now where it’s like “okay, she might be able to get away!”. Crossrope paired with weighted floor exercises definitely helps with sports and athletic performance when it comes up.
Do you feel like Crossrope has an impact on your daily activities?
Definitely! My brain is screwed without regular exercise. Like I get really emotional and angsty when I don’t exercise for more than a few days. Then I jump rope and my brain is back to normal.
Have you ever taught your after-school kids how to jump rope?
Yes! I’ve taught many kids how to jump rope and how to do some basic tricks.
How do people usually react when you tell them about Crossrope?
A lot of people will say they wish they could workout but can never find the time, so I will invite them to try jumping with me. Then they will make excuses so I will give them a challenge and loan them a Crossrope ¼ rope and send a bunch of videos until they crack. Then they think it is awesome and are happy when results start showing.
Want to be our next “Model Jumper”? You could be next to win a trip to the Crossrope HQ, join our photoshoot & tell your story. Email us a video of you jumping and share a bit about yourself. How has Crossrope made an impact on your life? And how can your story inspire others? We can’t wait to hear from you.
Submit your story here.
Related Articles
