Happy 4th

Half Dome Stone Lift

A great day marred by Tragic news

Yesterday I climbed Half Dome with some clients.

We heard this tragic news later:

Another Death on Half Dome

There were people still going up long after we were on the trail down. I know they close the cables off if it gets to dangerous but I don't know why they didn't do it on this day. It had all the signs of bad weather as well as they had closed it the day before. I know that ultimately it is your call but this seems totally messed up to me.

When we were coming down the cables there were two guys(I assume Rangers) looking for the pole with the missing cap used to hold the cables to the pole. It started to sprinkle when we got to the bottom of the cables. Surely they should have stopped people then and there.

They also had to escort another 30 people down.

I hope that the park does whatever they can and should do to make the hike safer for those doing it.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

OKC at the Arnolds

This past weekend I was at the Arnolds in Columbus, Ohio. I had a great time catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.

First and foremost thanks to all that organized and helped to run the event smoothly:Lorraine, Matt, Andrew Durniat, the AKC , the IKFF, IronworksFE, and the judges. I know I will have forgotten some but thanks all the same.

There were some inspiring efforts put forth by the competitors. One of which fellow OKC Instructor Nazo put an amazing 101 reps in LC with the 12kg! She is one tough competitor.

John was doing his trademark picking up people as well as other crazy feats! It is hard to be the short ugly one in the pic;)

It was great to see Catherine Imes. Needless to say that it was poetry in motion watching her technique!

I didn't wander round too much but there was a lot of freaky looking peoples there.

The results are on the IKFF page here: IKFF

I was thinking back to the last comp I had done in San Diego (2005?) with Catherine and Steve Cotter(Mike Mahler counted my reps!) The sport has grown ten fold since then and I feel very lucky to be a part of it. Some things never change and it was good to see so many people cheering on and giving advice to others so freely. It is very exciting to be a part of and I look forward to watch the continued improvement of all involved and the advancement of the sport in general.

I put my pics up here:

http://gallery.me.com/othersideofstrength#100046

A Good Cause

I received this in an email from my Mum(A Survivor) today:

The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on 'click here to give' --- 'donating a mammogram' for free (pink window in the middle).

This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Here's the web site: 

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

Please pass it along to people you know.

Orange Kettlebell Club Seminar

On February 28, 2009 The Orange Kettlebell Club will be conducting a beginner Kettlebell Workshop at Breakaway Performnce Center in San Francisco California. This workshop is designed to teach beginners the fundamentals of Kettlebell lifting as well as to help more experienced lifters master their technique.

Your OKC Instructors Will Be:

John Wild Buckley CSCS

John Wild Buckley CSCS is a competitive Kettlebell Lifter and a certified Kettlebell Instructor with The AKC, RKC, and IKFF. He is a Kettlebell instructor with Kettlebell Concepts, Kettlebell Athletics, Full Kontact Kettlebell and is the Founder of the Orange Kettlebell Club. He has studied under Honored Master of Sport (and several time world record holder) Valery Fedorenko, Steve Cotter, Ken Blackburn, Mike Mahler, Master of Sport (and American world record holder) Cate Imes, Pavel Tsatsouline, and others.

And me:)

The last seminar we did together was in Japan. It was the first kettlebell seminar of its kind in Japan and a great success. 

John's strength is insane!! Check out this recent video if him lifting Steve Cotter:

Here is the link for more information on the seminar! 

http://www.orangekettlebellclub.com

Don't miss out it will be an awesome day!

You Am I - Berlin Chair

A great Aussie band.

Happy New Year

It is always easier to follow others blindly than it is to think or walk your own. It takes guts and determination to make your own path. 

Be open to listening to others but keep a level head when doing so.  

Don't be scared of falling down or failing. 

It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.

No matter what you do forge your own path in 2009. 

It is yours for the taking.

You can see the rock better in this pic.

Volcanic rock is jagged! LOL

Fuji san

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,388 ft). An active volcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji straddles the boundary of Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures just west of Tokyo, from which it can be seen on a clear day.

This pic was taken on top of Mount Fuji. Most people just go to enjoy the view but I had other ideas. Find rock, lift rock!