Monday, August 23, 2010

Flash WOD begins

I'm starting this site/blog to test a theory I have about creating an intersection where three current social trends meet: (1) the hyper-growth of social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp, (2) athletic-minded people's desire for outside and interesting fitness (Tough Mudder, Metro Dash, Go Ape), and (3) the feeling of camaraderie and community that people experience from working out together (CrossFit, all team sports).

What is Flash WOD? It's the combination of Flash Mob, where people meet up in groups for an activity through the use of current technological devices: cell phones, FaceBook, Twitter (and there are many more to come, I am sure!), and the WOD, or Workout of the Day, which is popular in the CrossFit world.

How will it work? Flash WOD will work like this - I will use Twitter to post the time and place for a workout. Since I live in DC, these will mainly be in the DC metropolitan area. The hope is to recruit other trainers to participate so that this can go on daily. The workouts will be scalable, fun, and challenging.  The places will be all over the city so that everyone who lives or works in the city will ahve a chance to participate.

While coming up with the idea, I realized that there are other businesses operating in a similar manner in Washington, DC - the mobile food trucks like the Fojols Brothers are one example.  The Washington City Paper recently wrote an extensive piece on these mobile food units and the reason they exist (as well as the opposition for they shouldn't).  One of the main reasons for existence is that regular "bricks and mortar" businesses have such a high cost to start (buildout/advertising/equipment/etc.) As an entrepreneur, I personally welcome all start-up businesses - this is capitalism, after all...but I will restrain my political side for now!

On the Flash WOD site I will list the locations with maps and directions.

First post done...first workout is October 2.