Steve Gaspard: Finding Happiness With Jump Rope Training

“I looked at pictures of myself in high school and I felt sad. I remember looking at myself and I didn't recognize myself. The person I saw wasn't me. The struggle came from there to start doing something, anything.”

Steve Gaspard is a 39-year-old father of two from Texas.

When he was in college, he ran track and played football. He was as active as they get. But as often happens in young adulthood, it became more challenging to stay active after college and after going six years without exercise, Steve could no longer recognize himself.

This is a story of how he re-built his body and found happiness

Steve decided to make a change.

“I started running, and I did lose weight. The problem with that was that I was so getting so slender. I didn't have a figure. I lost fat, but I also lost my muscle mass. I didn’t want a slender runner’s body.”

Though his activity levels were back up, his diet was still sub-par so while he managed to build his strength and gain some muscle, his body wasn't what he wanted it to be.

But then the accident happened.

The Accident

Steve got into a bad car accident after he fell asleep at the wheel.

“I wasn't drinking, but I went to the doctor and they said I developed sleep apnea. They said I could die if I didn't get it resolved.”

After consulting with his physician, Steve narrowed down his options. He could either sleep with a sleeping mask, get surgery, or lose weight to restore his health.

“I wasn’t about to put up money for surgery, and the sleep mask was so clunky it felt like I was dying. I decided to get serious about losing weight. That's when my fitness journey really began.”

Steve decided to get back into running. He ran a couple of marathons, it still wasn't enough for him. His snoring got better, but it was still not where he wanted to be.

“I ran quite a bit. I was really trying. I slimmed down but I wasn't shapely. That's not how I wanted to look so depression set in again.”

Steve looked at alternates. He got into P90X, weightlifting, and tried different programs.

“I stopped doing the programs because it wasn't the same feeling like the first time. Listening to a prerecorded message didn't have the same feeling after a while. It got boring pretty quickly. I stopped weightlifting because I didn't want to bulk up. My goal was to trim down.“

In December 2016, Steve found a cheap $10 rope. He started doing some basic workouts and was enjoying it. He found the Jump Rope Dudes online and started following their workouts regularly, but felt like his rope was holding him back.

“It was fine, but the ropes that I had weren't doing it. They were very light speed ropes. I noticed 3 videos when they were using Crossrope. that's when they said to look into crossrope for a better jumping experience.”

Soon after his plastic rope broke, he decided to invest in the Crossrope Premium Set.

“The difference is the weighted rope system. If you really want to burn fat at a high rate, you need to get the weighted ropes. Weighted handles are a no unless you want really strong and bulky wrists.”

It took Steve some time to pull the trigger. While the reviews were all positive, he wanted to be sure that the system was right for him. What finally convinced him was seeing that people were consistently getting result beyond the first review.

“I definitely stand by these ropes. I pretty much own all the ropes now, and they are worth every penny. I don’t see myself straying from Crossrope ever.”

The good news is that it worked.

Within a year of jumping with Crossrope, Steve has lost a total of 67 pounds and has re-built the body that he's always wanted. His mood improved as well.

“I was never grumpy or angry, but I'm less stressed. I like who I am now. I feel comfortable with myself. Before I didn't go out, I wore baggy clothes. I didn't want people to see who I was. My wife is a physical therapist, so she had a better physique. I felt like I was one of her patients. I felt that big. The biggest I ever got was around 260 lbs, but I felt like I was 300.”

Besides his weight and his newfound happiness, Steve’s diet has changed quite dramatically. He started experimenting with the intermittent fasting diet and keeping his snacks in check. He also walks about 27 miles a week, usually after his jump rope workouts.

“I love the scenery, it's around a lake. Sometimes I'll go people watch, sometimes I watch sporting events at the high school, or watch people at the lake fishing or hanging out. It's a great way to clear your mind.”

Finding a Community

A big turning point for Steve was finding the Jump Rope Fitness Community.

“In the beginning, I was a lurker. I didn't know if it was for beginners or advanced jumpers so I was just watching videos and reading posts. I felt like an outsider but I quickly realized that the community is for people of all fitness levels. I felt it was great having all kinds of people in there so you could see it's not just for elites, athletes, or experts.”

Steve loved seeing people post about their short workouts, or people posting about their workout post-accident or surgery.

“It’s so diverse, you could relate to someone in Japan and see that person is just like you, trying to get healthy and feel better.”

Even though the community has over 50,000 members, it feels like such a tight group that Steve has become close to a lot of the members.

“It’s incredible. You could be on the internet and never meet these people, but they’re your friends and you look forward to seeing them jump and reach their goals every day. I've become close to a lot of people, including Jane Jaenke, Jennika Landon, Chris Nugen, Michael Villanueva, Chad Gonzalez, Brandy Gibson, Brandy Friend, Camerly Rose, and many more!”

Steve's Advice

For anyone looking to lead a healthier life, Steve has simple yet effective advice -

“If you're tired of not seeing results, buckle down and get it done. You're the only person who can do it for you.”

Simplicity is key which is why he loves jump rope training.

“There are time constraints with working out at the gym. Programs can be repetitive and boring. With jump rope, you can do whatever you want, whenever, and wherever. No special skills required.”

Steve also thinks that a lot of beginners tend to get intimidated by jump rope tricks.

“Don’t get me wrong, jump rope tricks are great. But if your goal is to lose weight or get stronger, tricks aren’t going to get you there. Just focus on jumping. Clear your mind and don't think about anything else. Live in the moment. I trip up all the time, but keep going. Listen to music, get lost in it, have fun with it.”

These days, Steve is looking forward to being able to continue being happy and a peace with himself. He wants his happiness to help others reach their goals, which is why he's started hosting small jump rope meetups in Texas.

Check him out with his crew here -

His goal is to one day fill a stadium with jumpers.

“I want to get more people jumping and host more live events. I hope everyone is happy. life is too short, go out and have fun. Hopefully while jumping rope.”

Thank you, Steve!

Thanks for sharing your story Steve and for being a constant source of inspiration. We look forward to seeing how far you go. Have questions or comments for Steve? Please leave them in the comment section below.