Meet Tim Haft

We recently connected with Tim Haft and have shared our conversation below.

Tim, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?

I grew up surrounded by generous people, particularly my mom, who was constantly giving to those who were less fortunate. And as a young child, I learned the importance of sacrifice and servanthood from spiritual leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. As I became older I decided I didn’t want to live in a world where the playing field was slanted. I love the idea of everyone having equal opportunity. To achieve that goal, it’s essential to be generous. That said, there are times when I want all the vegan chocolate to myself.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I use play-based movement to help folks get fitter, healthier, and more connected. I’ve been doing this for more than 25 years. Punk Rope is the best-known of my initiatives because it’s the most unusual. It’s a blend of jump rope, creative calisthenics, and fitness games fueled by raucous themed playlists. The fitness games are designed to break down barriers, both physical and social. In modern society, group exercise is often a microcosm of the way we live our lives outside the fitness studio. People work out in silos with minimal interaction. The focus is inward. In my opinion, this is not particularly healthy. Fitness should be fun, interactive, and social. It should be a launching pad for friendships and community initiatives. Punk Rope is exciting because the possibilities are endless. There are countless different jump rope steps which is a huge contrast from running for example. We play many different types of games. Some are quite goofy while others are fairly athletic. We choose our music from roughly 60 different themes. What will we listen to this week? How will the music or theme inspire us? In terms of new products, we’ll be adding a heavier jump rope to our current line of ropes very soon. Heavier ropes are excellent for beginners as they make it easier to establish your timing and rhythm. We also hope to launch more classes as we train more instructors around the world. And finally we look forward to Punk Rope Games XXI, our annual fun and friendly competition held in New York City.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

From my perspective—others might disagree—it’s been my creativity, willingness to take risks, and humility that have led me to this moment in my career. I think it would be presumptuous of me to offer advice to other folks who I don’t know. Everyone has different goals and everyone approaches those goals with different skills and experiences. That said, I do think it’s important for most people to not take themselves too seriously. And also to ask yourself what’s the worst thing that will happen if you take a leap of faith? The outcome is rarely as catastrophic as you might think. I remember a colleague telling me that “as long as you’re not turning blue or bleeding out things are gonna be ok.” Yeah, she was a nurse but I think she’s on to something. The other thing that folks might find helpful is to remember that rarely are you on your own. It may not take a village but it usually takes a team to succeed and in my book it’s essential that you give credit where credit is due and that you’re kind to and generous with your teammates. Lastly, when you’re early in your journey, take some chances. You never know where they might lead.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I’ve always dreamed that incorporating more genuine play into our lives can lead to a happier, healthier, and more peaceful society. It would be awesome to team up with folks who share that vision. For example, imagine Palestinian and Israeli children jumping rope side by side and with each other and having a good time in the process. I may be overly idealistic and naive but I think such a breakthrough is possible. So if anyone wants to kick around ideas with me about how to incorporate more play (as opposed to sports) into schools, community centers, and just life in general please email me: punkrope@gmail.com.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://punkrope.com
• Instagram: punk_rope
• Linkedin: tim-haft
• Youtube: punkropenyc

Image Credits

Thomas Egan
Emma Rose Milligan