About
It’s not an exaggeration to say that jumping rope saved my life in 2003.
At the time, my work consisted mainly of coaching beginning runners who were training for various long-distance races. For fun and fitness I was playing soccer, touch football, and basketball. My social life and identity were wrapped up in coaching and playing sports.
Then—in winter—I tore up my knee, badly. I could no longer run. I couldn’t play sports. Even walking was extremely painful, especially when my knee locked up, which happened all the effing time.
Eventually I had surgery which helped alleviate the pain, but running and sports were out. I was 43 years old and I became extremely depressed.
As I was going through rehab, my physical therapist suggested I try jumping rope. She thought it might be a good way for me to ease my way back into shape. So I picked up a rope and gave it a whirl. Surprisingly, I had no pain and it was really fun. After a few months, the lightbulb went off. Why not create a jump-rope based exercise program? And just like that, Punk Rope was born in 2004.
What I love about jumping rope are the incredible variety of steps and endless speed, endurance, and coordination challenges as well as the fact that such a simple and inexpensive activity can improve so many aspects of fitness and health including…
• Cardiovascular conditioning
• Bone density
• Lower body strength
• Coordination
• Agility
• Hand and foot speed
• Rhythm & timing
• Body composition
Some of the greatest athletes of our time—Serena Williams, Steph Curry, Saquon Barkley, Sue Bird, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Megan Rapinoe, and Cristiano Ronaldo—have incorporated jump rope to get a leg up on their competition.
Punk Rope blends jump rope, calisthenics, and fitness games and is set to high energy music of many genres, not just punk. It’s designed for all fitness and skill levels. Students range in age from 8 to 89.
Join us for Punk Rope every Wednesday at 7:30pm at the 14th Street Y in New York City.
Want to start your own Punk Rope class? Consider becoming a certified jump rope instructor.
Although learning to jump rope can be intimidating at first, a good coach will set you at ease and put you on the path to success. Our 180+ YouTube video tutorials might also help.
In addition to Punk Rope classes, we offer:
• a jump rope instructor certification
• jump rope clinics, seminars, and workshops
• private jump rope lessons
• the annual Punk Rope Games
For more info, email or call 646-263-9128.
Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter for exclusive discounts and content.
Jump Ropes
Our versatile 5mm PVC jump ropes are rated 5 out of 5 stars by the American Council on Exercise and Jump Rope Veteran.
The 5mm cord is hefty enough to provide good sensory feedback and stability, but light enough for you to generate some serious speed.
Our ropes are available in 5 sizes to accommodate jumpers up to 6’ 4”, but can be easily shortened via the included snap lock.
Order 10 ropes or more and get 25% off with the code BULKDISCOUNT.
In the early days of the pandemic lockdown, I happily purchased my first Punk Rope jump ropes. I learned how to jump using these ropes. The Punk Rope videos taught me the basic steps and, eventually, the double under. Jumping completely changed my body. I jumped for a few years and then thought I was so advanced that I needed professional grade ropes. I splurged and purchased a Crossrope set. I jumped for a year with these ropes and have the scars to prove it—on my knuckles, back, and legs. When I jumped with these expensive ropes, my hands hurt and I stopped doing crosses and double unders. Some of the early joy of jumping rope was gone and I stopped jumping every day. I recently decided to buy a Punk Rope jump rope again, this time in a bright color that screamed fun. My first session with that rope brought back the joy I had lost. Now I’m back to jumping on a daily basis and couldn’t be happier. — N. Cooper
I just ordered my 3rd or 4th Punk Rope! I’ll be buying from them as long as they’re around. I have some $100 weighted ropes from a different company, definitely not a necessity. This rope is all you need I promise!!! Anytime I recommend a rope to someone it’s always Punk Rope. Best value for the money! Fast shipping! —M. Wright
Certification
We’ve certified more than 1,300 Jump Rope Instructors in 26 countries. Among them are personal trainers, group fitness instructors, physical education teachers, and coaches.
Created in 2005, the Jump Rope Instructor Certification is the ideal credential if you want to launch a jump rope class, offer private jump rope lessons, and/or level up your own jump rope game.
Through the certification you’ll learn how to teach the basics of jump rope including proper grip, timing, turning mechanics, injury prevention, rope sizing and selection, plus how to perform 15 of the most effective jump rope steps to improve fitness.
We offer a self-paced home study option ($199) and an in-person option ($249). Most candidates complete the home study option in less than two months although time-to-completion varies from one individual to the next.
Both the home study and in-person options include .9 CEUs from the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the Athletics and Fitness Association of America. Successful candidates are entitled to a free listing on the Punk Rope website.
For information on hosting an in-person certification, contact Tim Haft at 646-263-9128 or punkrope@gmail.com.
There are no certification renewal requirements or certification maintenance fees.
Our Team
Tim Haft
Tim is the founder of Punk Rope. He’s certified as a personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise and holds additional certifications from Precision Nutrition, USA Track & Field, USAFIT, TRX, ISCA (kettlebells), and Resist-A-Ball. Since 1998, Tim has been offering one-on-one and group fitness training to a diverse group of clients.
Shana Brady
Punk Rope's director of training since 2005, Shana holds a BS degree in exercise physiology plus certifications from the American Council on Exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and Functional Movement Systems (FMS). She has extensive experience training active older adults well into their 80s.
Big thanks to:
• Heather Wagner for graphic design
• Tom Egan for photography
• The Source Unlimited for printing
• Cheapest Buttons for pins
• Econo Graphics for t-shirts
