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
The background for The Donkey and the King is Lorilyn visited the Wilderness of Judea in Israel and was inspired by the landscape. The plot is based loosely on the story of Onesimus from the book of Philemon in the Bible.
Reviews
<em>This is a sweet story of Jesus' love and forgiveness. The little animal characters show each other kindness and love. The story tells of the changes in your life when you ask for forgiveness and believe in Jesus the King. My daughter liked finding the "good" hidden on each page. This is a positive life lesson. This book opened alot of conversation between my children and myself. My family loved the very colorful and creative illustrations, they brought true emotions into the characters of this sweet story.</em> C. Hasko<br /><br /><br />
