We wish you and your loved ones all a very happy and safe holiday season.

One of the most popular fitness trends of the 21st century, Crossfit is now practiced in over 9,000 licensed gyms worldwide. If you’re unfamiliar, the general principle is that a varied mix of aerobics, flexibility, and weightlifting can get better results than just one workout at a time. Classes are high-intensity, with participants shifting from station to station quickly.

BVM Crossfit in Austin draws raves from devotees for a personal touch. Owners Valerie and Brent Hunt are both gifted personal trainers who really know how to get the best out of their students. A wide variety of people work out here, encompassing all ages and body types. Classes typically last for an hour and transition from warm-ups to skill development, a high-intensity exercise, and then a stretching period. As always, consult with your physician before embarking on a new exercise regimen.

BVM Crossfit
6711 Burnet Lane
Austin, TX 78757
(512) 779-2113
www.bvmcrossfit.com
www.yelp.com/biz/bvm-crossfit-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/josiahmackenzie

Kitchen knives are a necessity for just about any type of cooking, but they can also be quite dangerous if used incorrectly. By learning the proper knife techniques, you can master the art of chopping, dicing, and slicing without risking injury.

1. Start with a clean knife. Although you may think that cuts are the only dangers caused my knives, bacteria is also incredibly hazardous to your health. Be sure to clean your knife with hot water and dishwashing soap before using.
2. Keep knives sharp. In order to guarantee fast, accurate cuts with minimal effort, you'll need to keep your knives sharp. You can do this by using a sharpening stone or by taking your knives to the store where you purchased them for sharpening.
3. Learn to chop. Chopping involves roughly cutting a food item into pieces, and it is likely the most common cutting technique. To properly chop something, grip the knife securely and place either the knife's tip or the corner closest to your hand firmly against the cutting board. Use your wrist as a fulcrum to pull the rest of the knife up and down, keeping that end against the cutting board the whole time.
4. Research other techniques. Dicing involves cutting into small, uniform pieces, while a chiffonade is how you properly cut herbs. You should also practice peeling things like apples or potatoes with a sharp knife.

Knife Skills: Different Types of Cuts [The Culinary Cook]
Top 10 Knife Skills [How Stuff Works]
Perfect Your Knife Skills With This Chef's Guide to Knives [Lifehacker]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Joy