Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Happy Anniversary to Girya!








I can't believe it's been eight years since we opened the door at 136 Hamilton, Ave Palo Alto with a small space and a weird name, but a belief is this cannonball with a handle that went beyond all reason. I knew that kettlebell training was the coolest thing I had ever experienced in my almost 32 years of athletic training, competition and coaching and I didn't care if anyone could pronounce the name Girya or not.
They would know about it soon, that I was sure. And I was sure that this was the best thing for myself and my clients that I had come across and the world needed to know that. Who could guess where the kettlebell would be now in 2011 and that everyone would understand that this training is probably the most efficient and safest thing they could do for their strength and health.
A thank you so much to the clients that have supported me and stuck by me these eight years and to all that have passed through these doors to take a kettlebell for a test run. They are not for everyone to be sure but no one will forget their first experience with a kettlebell,even if it's their last.

We started out as Girya, The Art of Strength, the first kettlebell studio in the country. Three years later my wife Tracy lost 100 lbs with the magic of the kettlebell, got involved in the studio and we became Girya ,Kettlebell Training.
Then last year we got a makeover once more to prepare for HKC's and seminars and we evolved to Girya, Russian Kettlebells Palo Alto.
The only thing that did not change was Girya, Russian for kettlebell. For, as Pavel says, "when we say kettlebell we mean strength, when we say strength, we mean kettlebell".
As usual, Pavel takes the complex and makes it simple. Exactly Chief. Exactly.
Logos aside, looking forward to another 8 plus years of helping people learn the Art of the Kettlebell, Hardstyle!


17 comments:

guy said...

Congrats Sir! Many happy returns!

Jen said...

Congratulations you guys!! Always the leaders of the pack! We know that you'll keep going strong and setting the standard for excellence!

Yahoooo!!

Juci SFG said...

Congratulations, Sir!
This is only the beginning :)

KBNN said...

Congratulations! And thank you to you and your wife for helping advance kettlebell training!

www.kettlebellnewsnetwork.com

jockeRKC said...

Congrat to you Sir
may 2011 be even better than 2010

Keep going strong

Mark Reifkind said...

thank you all! I really can't believe after all this time preaching about the magic of the kettlebell it's finally getting traction.

The only way to not get what you want is to quit, and I don't quit.

Tracy Reifkind said...

sweets,

I remember painting that studio for the first time....up and down that ladder, all 250lbs of me! And meeting some of your clients for the first time at that weight.

The next time any of them saw me I was at about 190lbs. I had also just painted the Studio, again, yellow, for our "second" open house....I looked like a different person, and I felt great, even though I was still 50 lbs to my goal weight!

Now my DVD play in the front window!

I never thought in a milloin years that I could be your partner in this buiness. Your passion for training rubbed off on me in a big way! Lucky me

jockeRKC said...

Tracy
And Mark is lucky to have you ;)

Anonymous said...

Congrats to you and your partner's!
Rock on for the next 8 years ;-)

Mark Reifkind said...

my love,

I could never have gotten Girya together if it weren't for you and your exquisite sense of design and color. Plus you could paint like nobodies business, any any weight!

And having you as my business partner only makes having you as my life partner that much sweeter :))

Mark Reifkind said...

Joakim

thank you and yes, I am :))

Mark Reifkind said...

thanks Judit, that is so true, just the start.

Mark Reifkind said...

bruce

thanks for your support man, it is appreciated, Guy, you as well. It doe not go unnoticed :))

Mark Reifkind said...

Jen

you know how much Tracy and I love and appreciate you and Greg. thanks

Roland Denzel said...

Happy anniversary. You (both) have been an inspiration, even from a long distance. I look forward to meeting you both one day.

Congratulations!

Roland

sztheomo said...

Dear Mark and Tracy,

Congratulation and keep going to continue inspiring others as you did with me even over several thousand miles. :o)

Boris T said...

A little late but congrats none the less!

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