We are now running several classes a day at our new location! We are now located at 16720-16722 Oakmont Avenue (behind Potomac Kennels) in Gaithersburg, MD. Although we're only a couple hundred yards from our old location it is a huge difference! Come check it out for yourself!
In order to get everything done by the end of the year we are going to throw the switch on the new location a couple days early. We are going to have our last class at the current location at 0500 PM on Wednesday 12/28/11 (we're cancelling the 0630 PM class so plan accordingly) and start moving over the KB's and Olympic Plates and bars after the WOD. The remaining equipment and mats will be transferred over on Thursday and Friday. We'd love to have you come out and do the final WOD at our current location then help us load up and make a quick run to the new location!
BTW - I'll be looking for some hardy volunteers to help out with pulling the mats out of the current location and transferring them to the new one. We've got a little over 40 mats to move and it shouldn't take long if we've got a couple trucks and several strong backs! It looks like Thursday morning is going to work for most people so we'll pick a time and start making runs then.
In case you missed it before our new address is 16720-22 Oakmont Avenue. We are in the Oakmont Center (behind Potomac Kennels).
Kettlebell RX is an excellent resource for anyone that is interested in learning a safe and effective method for using Kettlebells. Well written and superbly illustrated, it is a book that you will find yourself referring to over and over again.
All experience levels will benefit from Jeff’s experience and insight into training with Kettlebells:
Kettlebell RX is an outstanding resource for all levels of Kettlebell users and should be required reading for Coaches and Trainers. I will be purchasing several more copies of this book and passing them on to my friends and training partners so that they too can benefit from this book.
NOTE: Jeff is the Subject Matter Expert on Kettlebells for CrossFit and he devotes a whole section of Kettlebell RX to applying Kettlebells in the CrossFit training environment. This section alone is worth the (very reasonable) cost of the book and will be invaluable to anyone trying to integrate Kettlebells into their CrossFit “box”. Kettlebell RX can be purchased through Jeff's website - http://www.tacticalathlete.com
Take a few minutes to read this article by Chris Shugart on the t-nation.com website. In it Chris takes a look at CrossFit from the outside-in and makes some interesting and valid observations.
All in all he states that while CrossFit won't improve your effectiveness in any given sport, it will make you stronger overall. I can't really agree with that observation based on my own experience training people here at CrossFit Koncepts. What I can say, and in this I agree with Chris, is that CrossFit is not perfect but it is very good at creating a well rounded athlete. I don't think you'll ever get a double-bodyweight deadlift by just doing WODs, but you will fill in the gaps in your movement that otherwise would be left open. Still loooking for that heavy deadlift or snatch? Great - just add a couple sessions of specific training to your schedule and given time and good coaching you'll be well on your way!
This is a great video on the benefit of exercise. Nothing high-tech and no drugs involved - just the simple reminder that moving will improve your life in so many ways. Want to reduce your blood pressure - move. Want to reduce the effects of depression - move. Want to reduce chronic pain - move. Get the idea?
Not to sound like a total "fan-boy" but Dan John is one of my favorite coaches. He is smart, insightful, and irreverent - which makes everything he says even more interesting to hear! Here's a quote from an article just published on the Dragon Door wrbsite:
"So, if you have a simple goal, like fat loss or throwing the discus far, focus more on simply getting stronger and we can improve your chances of getting there."
To read the complete article go to the Dragon Door website or, if you are interested in reading more wisdom from Dan John, go to his website.
It was only a matter of time before the identity of the SEAL team members that took part in the takedown of Osama Bin Laden were revealed to the public. While the actual team members that took part in the raid has yet to be leaked (they are all still operational and releasing their idenities to the public would compromise their safety and the safety of their families) the commanding officer on the raid has now been recognized by Time Magazine as a runner-up in their person of the year issue.
(Read the complete article here.)
Watch the following video and let me know what you think. This is very similar to the technique that was demonstrated by the master-trainers at the Kettlebell Concepts certification I went to a couple years ago. The trainer was demoing with a 25 lbs kettlebell and when I asked him to demo the same technique with my 53 lbs kettlebell he declined. Go figure...