RICHMOND, Va. -- Women taking part in the 40+ Double Dutch Club's Richmond subchapter said jumping rope weekly helps them destress and "deal with all kinds of situations."
"The 40 Plus Double Dutch Club is a group of women who get together on a weekly basis to jump double Dutch, to play hand games, to play single rope," Theresa Shackleford, the captain of the Richmond chapter of the 40+ Double Dutch Club. "We play jacks. All of the games that we used to play when we were kids."
Joining is easy. You just have to be "40 and beyond," Shackleford explained.
The group was the brainchild of Chicagoan Pamela Robinson.
"Double Dutch provided an opportunity for me to connect with a group of women who also have been going through things," she said.
Robinson's mission was to appeal to women of a certain age.
"Women over 40 are resilient," Robinson explained. "We've been through a lot, all of us. We don't have the same story, but we all have a story."
Since 2016, the national club has opened doors to members worldwide.
“We have some sub clubs and over 100 cities, 30 states, we have a subclub in Germany, we have a subclub in Canada and Israel,” Shackleford said.
The Richmond subclub formed in 2020, has attracted dozens of members. In fact, Shackleford said there are currently about 75 members with 25 active members taking part each week.
The group meets Thursdays from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at Richmond City’s Hickory Hill Community Center.
“No men, no children, no pets, no nothing," Shackleford said. "Any woman 40 plus of age can join."
Every official member is asked to purchase a t-shirt with their name and ages on it. From 40 to 100, members come to stay fit and de-stress.
“You know women in this age group deal with all kinds of situations," Shackleford said. "They're taking care of their homes, they're taking care of their children, they're taking care of their pets, they're under stress."
Shackleford said your skill level is not important.
"It doesn't matter if you can jump or not we will teach you to jump, just come try us,” Shackleford said.
Click here to learn more about the 40+ Double Dutch Club.
