About
Chris Hambleton resides in Denver, Colorado where he is employed as a software developer and consultant. He has authored more than a dozen books, as well as developed several websites, software applications, and written software-related articles. His other interests include hiking, studying the Bible, reading American history and politics, along with devouring good fiction books. Recently, he has been learning to enjoy classical music.
To learn more about Chris Hambleton and his other books, please visit his website at http://www.cwhambleton.com
Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness
Description
<p><b>The absorbing, definitive account of CrossFit's origins, its explosive grassroots growth, and its emergence as a global phenomenon.</b><br /> <br />One of the most illuminating books ever on a sports subculture, <i>Learning to Breathe Fire </i>combines vivid sports writing with a thoughtful meditation on what it means to be human. In the book, veteran journalist J.C. Herz explains the science of maximum effort, why the modern gym fails an obese society, and the psychic rewards of ending up on the floor feeling as though you're about to die. <br /> <br />The story traces CrossFit’s rise, from a single underground gym in Santa Cruz to its adoption as the workout of choice for elite special forces, firefighters and cops, to its popularity as the go-to fitness routine for regular Joes and Janes. Especially riveting is Herz’s description of The CrossFit Games, which begin as an informal throw-down on a California ranch and evolve into a televised global proving ground for the fittest men and women on Earth, as well as hundreds of thousands of lesser mortals. <br /> <br />In her portrayal of the sport's star athletes, its passionate coaches and its “chief armorer,” Rogue Fitness, Herz powerfully evokes the uniqueness of a fitness culture that cultivates primal fierceness in average people. And in the shared ordeal of an all-consuming workout, she unearths the ritual intensity that's been with us since humans invented sports, showing us how, on a deep level, we're all tribal hunters and first responders, waiting for the signal to go all-out. </p>
Story Behind The Book
I first took a passing-interest in Bible prophecy in 1996, and then in 1998 began to study it much more seriously. In 2006, I began writing "The Time of Jacob's Trouble", which was then published in 2008. Several years later in 2010, I was fortunate enough to visit Israel on a study-tour, and I saw for myself the miracle of modern Israel.
The brief tour of the Holy Land had a deep impact on my perspective of Israel, the United States of America, and the other nations involved in the lasting Middle East conflict. The guide for our group was phenomenal, and constantly taught us both Israel's Biblical history and her recent history over the past century.
When I reviewed my book after visiting Israel and learning more about the land and its people, I realized there were numerous inaccuracies that I felt compelled to resolve. Several reviewers also recommended that the original book be divided into three and expanded to focus more on the characters than the mere circumstances/settings of the End Times.
For those of you who have read the first edition of "The Time of Jacob's Trouble" – thank you! In this book and in the two books of the trilogy, you will likely encounter scenes, characters, and settings you might remember from the first edition. However, there are so many differences and enhancements that it's quite debatable whether this trilogy could be accurately called a 'second edition'.