Archive for June, 2010
2 YEARS! Who would have thunk it?
Today, June 30th 2010, marks the 2 year anniversary for World Camp Fitness! I want to take this time to personally thank everyone who has been a part of this dream and helping to make it a reality. World Camp was founded on the principles of providing the highest quality coaching and training in the area, and that will continue to hold true for many years to come.
Just to think, 2 short years ago, one trainer decided to go out on his own and rent a 900sq.ft. retail unit in order to create an environment to train clients using methods that would fit them best. Today we has seven highly qualified coaches and play around in almost 8,000sq. ft. We not only provide the same quality training to the general public but to sports teams and professional athletes alike. It is my opinion that the success of World Camp has to do with the community that it keeps. The people that train here may be from every different background know but all are like minded when it comes to their training. This "common ground" perspective is what makes World Camp so unique and inviting!
To everyone who has played a part in this, THANK YOU! Just know that none of this could have been possible without your hard work and support. I will be forever grateful to you all for allowing me to be able to unlock these doors every morning.
Posted in 
Time for Technique
(5pm group working on Med Ball Cleans)
Taking time out of your day to work on technique and fundamentals is the key to getting better! Playing both high school and college Basketball, I lived for the games; however,the smell of the gym, the crowds and competition would not be near as enjoyable if I hadn’t put in work leading up to that point. Practice everything but punish your weakness was and is still the mentality we should have in sport and in life. Here at World Camp, we program for our people to get better, “Better than Yesterday” we say. Not all workouts are magical but all are practical. Thank you all for the hard work that you put in each day!
“When people ask me now if I miss coaching UCLA basketball games, the national championships, the attention, the trophies, and everything that goes with them, I tell them this: I miss the practices.”
- John Wooden
I am WOMAN, hear me ROAR!
(Rio during the Tire Pull/Carry competition in Dahlonega)
In my profession, I get the opportunity to work with a number of people from all walks of life. From men to women, Pro’s to Joe’s, teens to seniors, all have graced the doorway of World Camp CrossFit. Out of all types, women are the ones that fascinate me the most.
Women, for the most part, are very aesthetically driven, meaning they are concerned more with looks and beauty than performance, and there is definitely nothing wrong with that. The desire to look good and feel beautiful is a natural emotion inside us all that we cannot fight off, no matter how much we don’t care about what others think. With performance being the main measuring stick in my book, the women that I train realize and find comfort in knowing that with better performance comes fat loss and muscle tone. However, there is a vicious rumor out there that I plan to expose in this column and I hope this clears up any grey areas that you women may have on the topic of strength training.
When sitting down with a female client for the first time, the one question that is sure to pop up will be, “Will lifting weights make me look like a man?” Well, out of the respect for the new client and whoever planted that seed in her head, I reassure her that there was no possible way for this to happen.
Strength training for women is a great way to lose weight, tone up and get fit. Many women are hesitant to start a training program in fear that they may end up looking like a male bodybuilder with huge muscles and oversized shoulders and legs. The truth is, a female does not have the chemical make-up or the ability to produce the large amounts of testosterone needed to build those large muscles. This could only happen if the woman in question chooses to use an illegal substance such as steroids. On the other hand, a woman who is an avid trainer and on a healthy diet plan will simply develop a well sculpted body that looks and feels great!
With about 65% of my clientele being women, I have come to the realization they truly are from Venus and I am a few thousand light years away trying to imagine life in those “to die for” jeans that they are just shy of getting into. Being married for only 5 years, I still have a lot to learn. Jerry Seinfeld once said, “Women are the only people who can pour boiling hot wax on their upper thigh, rip the hair out from the root and still be afraid of a spider”. I have however, come to appreciate these angelic creatures that tend to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Women not only have to deal with the stresses of day to day life and motherhood, they are expected to hold to the pre-conceived image of what a woman is supposed to look like. This is really unfair seeing how every woman is different just as every woman’s body is different.
Increased metabolic rate and bone density, a decreased risk of Coronary Disease and injury prevention are just a few of the benefits seen in women on a vigorous training program. Aside from all the physical benefits, strength training can make a woman more confident, feel better about herself and look great in the process! Strength training has been proven in every study to burn more body fat than just cardio alone. With this being said, your daily walk/ run around the neighborhood is not going to get you the results that you long for.
I hope this has laid to rest any questions or concerns you ladies may have had on the subject of strength training.
Super Saturday
Good looking group at World Camp this Saturday! Great job to everyone who showed up this morning. Keep in mind that every Saturday is FREE for anyone who would like to come out and participate.
If you are interested in doing the Triathlon at Lake Blacksheir August 14th, please contact Shelby Levy through Facebook or at the gym.
The Breakdown of Dahlonega
(3 sweaty chics hugging; only here would this appropriate)
The results are posted for the event last Saturday in Dahlonega, Ga. You can click here to see how the standings ended up. Congratulations again to all the competitors and a big GREAT JOB goes out to all that had a hand in making it happen!
(Cristy in the Tire Drag/Carry event)
An unfortunate decision; How I got Fired from The Herald
“The secret of success is constancy to purpose.” — Benjamin Disra
Most of you know by now that around April of 2009 I created a Fitness Column for the Albany community that was published each Sunday in The Albany Herald. The sole purpose of the column was to shed light, give ideas and motivate Albany to be in better physical shape. I did my best each week to be as unbiased as possible for fear of the column coming off like an advertisement and loosing credibility. I don’t believe that fitness is something that you have to sell…
Over the last year and a half, the fitness column has taken on a life of it’s own. I receive e-mails, and even letters from time to time, both asking for fitness advice and telling stories of accomplishments people have in relation to their fitness levels. People have come to expect it each week to the point that as I write this post, I have already received several E-mails wondering what happened this past Sunday and why the column was not printed. It is with a saddened heart that I must inform you that the fitness column will no longer be (well, not written by me at least).
Last Monday I received the following E-mail from the Editor of the Herald:
“Kris,
While I’ve enjoyed running your weekly fitness column, I’ve decided that we need to part company on this.
Late last week, I got a call asking me if I had seen the “Ask the Experts” feature on our competitor WALB’s website. I said I hadn’t and took a look. I was later told that you’re doing TV spots with WALB as well.
When we started this, I agreed to not allow your competitors to produce a similar product in our feature columns. The fact that you are engaged on a competitor’s website gives me little choice except to immediately sever our relationship.
Good luck with your business.
Jim”
You are probably thinking the same thing I was at the time. I volunteered a service to the paper for well over a year and they decided that an e-mail would be the best way to go about dealing with this issue! Although, what is stated is true, I have been running spots for WALB’s “Ask The Expert” as another avenue of service for the Albany area, I felt like this could have been handled differently. You see, knowledge is power and I believe that if I can get the knowledge to the area about being fit, people would be able to empower themselves. The decision to become “The Expert” for WALB had this theory in mind. My first request before even agreeing to do the “Ask The Expert” spot was that it is to viewed at as a “go to” for information on exercise and NOT an advertisement!
Getting back on the topic at hand, several e-mails went back and forth about the decision to can the column but there was nothing resolved. Whether or not The Herald decides to continue the column but written by someone else or just take it out all together; I will continue to write and keep helpful fitness tips on this website. Feel free to check back everyday if you like but the column will be posted here on Monday mornings. Thank you for your time and patronage, I am sorry for the way this situation was handled.
Bringing Home the Hardware!
(Over 100 athletes in attendance. Shown here doing Burpees to start the first WOD)
The event in Dahlonega, hosted by CrossFit Dahlonega, was just about as much fun as you can have doing Burpees, Clean and Jerks, Box Jumps and Tire flips under the Southeastern Sun! I am pleased to announce that World Camp had a GREAT showing! Along with a First and 2 Second place finishes overall, each athlete from our little community did an outstanding job!
Even though the events were catered more toward endurance athletes, each one of our men and women rolled with the punches and had a very successful day! I am so proud of everyone who went for o job well done! You can see pictures of the grueling 12 hour day here on Facebook. Thanks to CrossFit Dahlonega for putting on a great event and all the hard work that made it that way!
Dead Bug
(Jennifer is happy to be doing Dead Bugs!)
A group of us will be leaving Friday after the last workout heading to Dahlonega, Ga. to compete in a “Games” like challenge! Athletes will be tested with 4 WODs throughout the day. I will do my best to keep everyone updated through Facebook. The workouts have not been posted but hopefully we will know something before we get there.
World Camp MMA!
World Camp CrossFit is proud to announce the birth of it's own Mixed Martial Arts academy! Beginning June 22nd, we will offer 3 two hour classes per week. Each class will include instruction, conditioning, and close coaching with an experienced coach. Whether you are an avid Mixed Martial Artist, would like to learn how to defend of a predator or you just want another avenue to keep you in shape, World Camp MMA is the right place for you! Come join our community to practice and learn in a safe and CLEAN environment. Regular class times: Tuesday 6pm- 8pm Thursday 6pm- 8pm Sunday Afternoon (TBA) For more information contact evan@worldcampfitnesstraining.com or simply stop by the gym during regular class hours.
Perfect Practice
(Saturday Crew hammering Deadlift Technique before the WOD)
High School Coaches used to say, “practice makes perfect.” Well, we believe that perfect practice, makes perfect! This is why, before every workout, we drill the technique of even the simplest moves. We do this because we want to be crisp, precise and powerful with each move we make! We want our Power Output high and or mistakes minimal. We want to be as perfect as we can be that day, today.
Why Train at WCCF?
(Click image to enlarge)
“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”
- Thomas A. Edison
Why do YOU?
(Early morning Sled work)
Great job to everyone, the last few days have been doozies! Please come out and support your fellow World Campers, the Lee County Volleyball Team, this Saturday as they are trying to raise money for the upcoming season. The team will be holding a carwash at Walgreens/Mike’s Country Store on Slappy from 9am until!
Why do YOU train at World Camp CrossFit? Post to comments, Facebook or E-mail
More Coaches = More Knowledge!
(Level 1 Cert in Decatur)
A big CONGRATS goes out to Cristy Morrill and Chris "Bill" Harris for making it through their Level 1 this past weekend! This now gives us 7 highly knowledgeable Coaches on staff so you are sure to get the most comprehensive workout program in the area! Also, a huge THANK YOU goes out to Evan for holding the fort and the 29 that showed for the workout down by himself this past Saturday!
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Why do YOU train at World Camp?
E-mail me, post to comments here or on our Facebook page the reason you train at World Camp. If your idea is used, you will get a FREE T-Shirt! I look forward to seeing YOUR reasons!
What tha Hook gonna Be?
"You must do what others won't, to achieve what others don't."
-unknown
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The Hook Grip defines the method in which an athlete grips the Barbell which is first gripped with the thumb, then the remaining fingers grip both the thumb and the Barbell. It can be used in multiple weightlifting events such as the Clean and Snatch. Use the Hook Grip so you can relax your forearms and avoid pulling with your arms. The hook grip is more efficient and allows you to lift much more weight without the use of straps. __________________________________________________________ You wanted it so you got it! There will be an ON RAMP program starting on June 7th. The class is for beginners that are wanting to learn the CrossFit method before jumping into a current group WOD. The class will be held at 9am Monday – Thursday and will last for 4 weeks! This will be a great way to get into the game without the pressure of jumping into an established group. Athletes will not only learn but get one heck of a workout, all while having a blast!
This grip is a little tough to master, but it is well worth the pain. As you grasp the barbell with a pronated grip, the thumbs wrap around und the bar first, and then the first two or three fingers on each hand wrap over the thumbs (as opposed to the traditional grip in which the fingers wrap the bar first and then the thumbs wrap around on top of them). You have more control with the hook grip because twoor more fingers are holding on to the thumb, rather than one thumb holding on to two or more fingers. It's a little painful at first, because the thumbs need to stretch quite a bit and the fingers compress them. Start out by lifting lighter weights and let your thumbs adapt. In a short while you will impress all your friends with the weights you can lift without straps.
