As a child, Anesia “Sonny” Smith despised jumping rope.
“My older sisters never let me jump Double Dutch with them, so I was always given the boring task of being the rope turner.”
But Sonny was never one to just stand by and watch, so she picked up a basketball, went to play with the boys, and never looked back.Sonny’s dedication and skill on the basketball court landed her a full athletic scholarship to the University of Maryland, where she picked up the nickname, “Sonny”.
“As a competitive athlete, my fitness goals were never centered on diets or weight loss, but rather striving to reach peak physical performance.”
Her unstoppable drive, as well as her nickname, stuck with her after college, where she continued to live a very healthy and active lifestyle.Nowadays as a working mom with two young kids, the stamina and discipline she gained from her college years really come in handy.
“My day is non-stop from the second I wake up until the second my head hits the pillow. I’m making breakfast, packing lunches, dropping kids off at daycare and working a busy job as an intelligence analyst. It’s hard to come up for air sometimes!”
But in spite of her busy schedule, Sonny has always made working out a priority.
“Some evenings, I don’t get around to my workout until 9 or 10 at night, but it’s important for me to dedicate some time each day to my physical well-being so I can be the best, healthiest version of myself.”
Sonny started entertaining the idea of jumping rope last October, when she picked up an old rope she had in storage.
“One day, I randomly came across an old jump rope in my basement and thought, ‘Why not?’ Oddly enough, I only planned to use it for a quick warm up but ended up jumping for 40 minutes without even realizing it!”
Gone were the days of watching her sisters have fun jumping rope from the sidelines. Now, it was Sonny’s turn to have fun.
As an intelligence analyst, however, Sonny wasn’t about to leave her new-found hobby to chance. A random YouTube search led her to a Crossrope video.
“Because of my hectic schedule, I was very intrigued by the notion of burning 300 calories in 15 minutes. I was also drawn to the color and sound of the 1-lb orange Intensity Rope in the video. I loved the bright colors and the cool ‘swooshing’ sound the ropes make!”
Tapping into her professional background as an analyst, Sonny completed extensive research on Crossrope – reading through dozens of articles and stories from other customers. At the end of her research, she concluded that Crossrope was “it” for her.
“It became very clear to me that they’re more than just ropes. Crossrope truly is a training system. It is the full experience.”
Sonny quickly purchased every set she could get her hands on, including the Plus Set and Bolt Set.
“I was so excited to start this new exercise routine – it felt like Christmas when the ropes arrived!”
The Get Fit bundle features 1/4 LB, 1/2 LB, 1 LB and 2 LB ropes for the full Crossrope experience and best possible workout.
Shortly after starting her Crossrope circuits, Sonny started noticing improvements in her strength and endurance. She also enjoyed the convenience of having a portable workout system.
“I love that I can take the ropes to the park and workout while my kids play. I have everything I need to stay fit without ever setting foot in a gym.”
Late in 2016, Sonny suddenly wasn’t feeling like her usual, energetic self. Even though she was eating a healthy diet and sleeping more than usual, she was still too drained to work out.
“It was really scary because I was struggling to find the energy to get through the day and forgetting basic things, like people’s names and where I put the keys. It was so unlike me.”
On Christmas Eve, an excruciating migraine landed Sonny in the emergency room where she was informed that she had severe Vitamin D, B12 and magnesium deficiencies.
Despite treatment, relentless headaches and fatigue kept her out of work for a month, and unable to be physically active.
During this tough time, Sonny was especially grateful for the kind words and motivation offered by members of the Jump Rope Fitness Community.
“The community is very supportive, caring and inclusive. It was awesome to have people notice that something was going on with me and reach out.”
Once Sonny regained some of her energy, she slowly started up her Crossrope routine to rebuild her stamina. She also realized that enduring this struggle and not being able to workout for awhile renewed her love for jumping rope, and made her even more grateful for all the mental and physical benefits.
“Crossrope is so different from other workouts because it uses so much of your brain, and it actually helped my brain start firing again. It ultimately helped me get back to ‘me’ – which leads me to believe it is the most powerful, yet most underestimated, fitness tool out there.”
It’s also a tool she plans to use for the rest of her life.
“I always try to be better than I was the day before. You only get one life, and I want to be healthy and instill good habits in my kids. It’s an awesome way to spend time with them while setting a good example. I want my kids to see the lengths I go to make fitness a priority; I want them to see that even after long, busy days, mommy makes time.”
Sonny with her kids.
What’s Sonny’s advice for others struggling with motivation?
“Fitness is very personal. So many people focus on wanting to look like [x, y, z] or wanting to be like [x,y,z]. But understand that the journey is your own. The only one you’re competing against is yourself. Put on workout clothes and do something active, until it becomes something you can’t stop doing. And it will. You just need to commit.”
Sonny loves her Crossrope system, but admits she still hasn’t opened the 3 LB Titan rope.
“It’s in the original packaging… and it terrifies me.”
But she knows one of these days, she’ll break it out and, for old time’s sake, invite her sisters over for some heavy rope Double Dutch.
Note from Crossrope: Thanks for sharing Sonny! We’re very proud of you. Keep crushing and inspiring. If you want to see Sonny in action, make sure to join our jump rope community. She’s always sharing some of the coolest workouts we’ve ever seen. Thanks Sonny!
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