Jump Rope Your Way to Health

The Jump Rope

The jump rope can save your life! Yes, that's a bold, strong statement.  And yes it's true. 

I have jumped rope for 40 years and the health affects are profound.  

From helping me overcome asthma to maintaining my weight and fitness throughout my life. 

The rope is just for boxers or professional athletes, we can take our simple skipping in school jump rope days and apply to our everyday fitness regimen. 

The $2 vinyl jump rope will transform your health, wellness, and life. 

How?

First, let's get the excuses out in the open.  I'm out-of-shape, uncoordinated, lazy, sick, and the list goes on. We can all jump for 30 seconds or 1 minute.  We must begin.  Beginnings are powerful. 

Take the first step.  And I have a secret that will make the rope more enjoyable, less intimidating, and more accessible than you can imagine. 

Take that $2 rope and simply cut it in half.  Yes, just cut it in half.  Now you can get all the benefits of jumping rope without the hassle of fancy footwork or frustration in timing the jump.  By jumping in rhythm with the sound of the rope whooshing by you ears you will activate your biggest muscle, your HEART and soon feel the blood coursing through your veins. Your lungs will pulse with life, oxygen with fill your blood, and your every muscle of your body will flex in delight. 

The rope can be done anywhere and anytime.  indoors outdoors. No special clothes, shoes, or equipment.  If you can, jump outdoors in the soft sunshine. The fresh air filling your lungs is invigorating!

Just you and your rope on the way to a new you and a new life!

Godspeed!

To Your Heath,

Coach K

Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer is a champion golfer. But more importantly a Champion person.

Arnie was the early Tiger Woods.  His charisma was contagious.  He introduced golf to the general public when TV first came to the world of golf.  Arnie captured the public's imagination with his swagger, style, and swashbuckling go-for-it golf mentality.  His play and his personality endeared him to the public in a way that led fans to create Arnie's Army, a fan club that followed him on the course and cheered him onto victory.

While Arnie went on to win 6 major in the 60's and 70's he earned a pittance compared to today's modern golfer and athlete.  Today's golfers earn millions often while never winning a tournament in their careers.  Arnie, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, and Tiger Woods paved the way for today's golfer to enjoy fantastic paydays.

Despite Arnie's relatively modest golf earnings, he went on to become a multi-millionaire with his charismatic personality, personal connection with the fans, and his phenomenal ability to treat each individual with dignity and respect.

Arnie's connection with the people with each individual was what made him unique, special, transcendent. Arnie's popularity and success transcended sports, business, and culture.

But what was Arnie's secret? Why did he captivate us, why did we cheer for him and want him to succeed.  Surely, they were other more talented golfers, plenty of other golfers were friendly and connected with the fans. 

What was his IT factor?

It''s hard to know but we can guess.  He connected with the individual, the working man, the everyday man.  The common man.  For he was one himself.  He grew up in a working class family, and was raised by parents, and a father that showed him tough love when necessary.  His father worked in golf and Arnie was taught humility and respect for every individual from a very young age.

He never forgot his humble roots even when he became The King of Golf.  He always remembered where he came from when he was on top of the world.  He was true to himself and people wanted to see him succeed, cheered for him to succeed.

Arnie always appreciated his supporters, but not just his supporters every person.  He would respond to fan requests with hand written notes, and took the time to be kind and respectful of everyone he met.

Arnie was one of the founders of the Golf Channel.  Success seemed to follow him wherever he went, and he shared his success by founding the Palmer Children's hospital in Florida and many other philanthropic endeavors.  He shared his success and helped others on their own journey.

Arnie's claim to fame?

He was a lover of people.

With Love,

Coach K

You Are Loved

Acknowledgement

What a powerful and universal force we all have at our fingertips.  The ability to empower someone with a simple kind word, a smile, a compliment. 

We all have this innate ability as human beings and yet all too often we hold back as if we're afraid we'll run out of this wonderful universal energy, or we are sadly afraid to show our humanity, our kindness for fear of appear weak. 

Our culture promotes strength, courage, and achievement, all noble traits. But how to we develop, nurture, and encourage these traits in our children, youth, employees, leaders, and families.

How to we develop these essential character elements in each and more universally our society? In a word, genuine praise.  The simple act of acknowledging someone for a job well done, an act of kindness, or selflessness.  We see these acts happen in every moment of our daily lives, and too often we ignore them and let them blithely pass by.  

But they are oh so powerful! We just have to tune-in and pay attention.  The negativity promoted in our culture can be overwhelming, debilitating, and even devastating.  We have been conditioned to tune-in, watch, and absorb all the "bad news" that is going on around us and  think that we will be the next victim.  What nonsense and total rubbish!

You can Empower everyone around you, especially those in your family, work life, and circle of life-

friends by just showing a little kindness, a little encouragement, eye contact, a hug, a pat-on-the back, a THANK YOU! Of course, it's just as powerful on people you encounter in everyday life that you don't even know.  For we are all, 8 billion of us, connected by the divine energy that courses through life. 

When you Acknowledge someone, you empower them, you inspire them, you are letting them know that they are valuable, worthy, and deserving. 

And when we acknowledge, appreciate, and empower others we are really just

Empowering ourselves.

With Love,

Coach K

Rudyard Kipling - Keep Your Head

During these challenging times, we are continually inundated with bad news, negativity, and dire warnings.  We can take solace in how past generations have overcome similar challenges whether is was the Great Depression or World War II, it can be helpful to look back at history and find comfort in those that have survived tough time, displayed incredible resilience, and come out stronger and more committed to accomplishing their goals.

The great English poet, Rudyard Kipling who said, "that if you can keep your head when all those around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same; yours is the earth and everything that's in it".

And here now today we have such a moment. A historic defining moment in history. The whole world is threatened by a global health pandemic. Will we keep our head, stay calm, and weather the storm. Or will we succumb to fear, the doubt, and the uncertainty. 

Now is the time to show our resolve, to test our mettle, and to meet the challenge.  

We will overcome this impostor disaster with calm, perseverance, and equanimity. We will look out and care for our fellow man. 

We will carry on, we will persist. 

And with God's grace

We will thrive!

With Love,

Coach K

The Rower

I love how real life intersects with spirituality, and when we are tuned in it's surprising how often this happens.  That's why our attitudes, thoughts, and dreams our so important.

My bride has been asking for a rower for several years as that was her preferred mode of exercise, and being the frugal guy I was searching for just the right one! The new rowers go for around a $1000, and just like the other equipment after of few months of use it becomes a clothing rack.

So, my mission was clear. Find a good functional rower that represents good value, or to say it another way is Cheap.  Of course, I went to my favorite source Craigslist.  I know many folks have had mixed results with CL, but my experiences have been great.

So a week before Christmas, I zeroed in on a $500 (bristle) rower that was 5 miles from home.  Of course, as I headed out to see the rower it was already sold.  Oh well, the perfect Christmas gift will have to wait.

It was Thursday a few days before Christmas, and I decided to type rower in CL to see what was available, and to my astonishment THE rower came back four miles from our home and at giveaway price.  I contacted the owners and told them I would be there at 6:30pm that evening to pick it up.

And then the fun began. After coming home from a day of shopping, our daughter calls as says her ride home canceled and could I pick her up from school during rush hour. After making the round trip hair-raising one hour drive, I arrive home at 7:30pm and ask the boys to come with me to help get the rower in the car. They were well into their merry-making and couldn't be bothered, so off I went into the night to pick-up the rower.

I knew the town well but the house was located off the beaten path.  Traveling down a long driveway, I came upon a lighted garage and there she sat in the glowing darkness my special gift a 15 year old Concept rower in outstanding shape.  The monitor was not working but after a few rows I knew she was golden.

I hid the rower in the garage and slipped it under the tree on Christmas morning with the whole family watching I covered my bride's eyes and unveiled the vintage gift. She smiled and laughed thinking the gift was a trip to Italy!  And the rower has become a fine addition to the living room.  Very chic decor!  I changed the batteries in the monitor and she's good as new.

Another Christmas miracle courtesy of my friends from CL.

Infinite patience brings immediate results.


With Gratitude,


Coach K

EGOless Leadership

Effective leaders simply put the interest of others before themselves.  If you are responsible for others, or manage a group or team, you must have their best interests at heart if you are to achieve success. The team comes first.

My recent experience comes with managing a technical team responsible for maintaining operations at 24/7 manufacturing facility.  Prior to joining the group, the team suffered with low morale, poor performance, and high turnover.

We discussed our objectives and began tracking those objectives on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.  We would celebrate our incremental improvements, and continually communicate our progress.

The acknowledgement and gratitude of  team members or personal relations is of the utmost importance! We all have a human need to feel connected, recognized, and loved. When your team knows that you will do anything for them, they will produce results that will simply amaze you and everyone involved.

Our team went from consistent under-performance, to excelling on a regular basis.  Outstanding monthly performance is now the expected result.  The team has gone from never attaining the monthly metric to now exceeding the number for 24 consecutive months.  Simply tremendous performance!

But Why?

What is the difference in essentially the same personnel?  The answer of course is Leadership.  Leadership without the EGO is the key.  When the leader ensures the team that is doing the work receives the praise, acknowledgement, and rewards, the whole group and organization will flourish.

Let go of your ego.  Put your people first, champion them, celebrate them, and watch them
work wonders.

To your Success,

Coach K

Happiness Got Nothing To Do With It

Duty

Often times our own personal happiness comes in direct conflict with our sense of responsibility and duty.  In this time of self indulgence and instant gratification, we lose sight of our higher calling. 

We see it today in the family unit.  More families are being torn apart because one of the parents are not happy or have lost that loving feeling.

Fiddlesticks!

Happiness has nothing to do with it! Think of that for a moment and let it sink in.  Our human nature seeks pleasure and self gratification. And while children do bring us happiness it can be demanding and arduous at times. The idea that it's too hard or too tough and I'm not happy is part of the bargain.  There is no turning back once the child has arrived.  YOU are responsible and that responsibility comes first.  Your happiness or comfort takes a backseat.  And let's not be pretentious with "I only have one life nonsense".

When we decide to have children we are also deciding to put their interests before our own.  We are giving up a part of ourselves for the sake of our children.  For they are of us, they are our legacy.  We all know of relationships that are not a good match and parting ways is the best for everyone involved, but the epidemic of marriages dissolving because of unhappiness has become too convenient.

Welcome to the world of parenting which is sometimes tough, challenging hard work, but anything worthwhile involves sacrifice and commitment.  And is there anything more important that raising our children, the next generation of leaders and parents.  

More importantly, our children are learning their parenting skills from us. Which leads to the next generation of broken families.  And for those pulling the cord because of unhappiness, don't delude yourself the family is not the same when a parent leaves the house

The theoretical notion of having children is much different than the reality of caring for children, and nothing can quite prepare you for having the complete responsibility of caring for another life, for someone that is totally dependent on you. Sometimes you just don't know how you will be until you experience it firsthand.

Raising and loving our children is one of our most important responsibilities, and the family unit is fundamental to strong societies and civilizations.  The task is hard and the sacrifice is great but the reward, well the reward -

Is our Legacy.

With Love,

Coach K