MUSEUM OF APPLIED ARTS OF UZBEKISTAN

18^th of May International Museum Day was celebrated in Tashkent. All the museums prepared programs and opened their doors for guests.

I decided to go to the Museum of Applied Arts. It was the first time I was there. I didn’t know that the museum has such a long history. The first exhibition was held in 1927! But only in 1997 the museum was handed over to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Uzbekistan and received a status of the ‘State Museum of Applied Art’.

Nowadays there are priceless samples of applied art from the first half of 19^th century to the present time are collected in the halls of museum.

You can contemplate art works made by golden hands of masters while walking around the museum. Every hall has its subjects: clay, clothes, wood etc.

If you are tired you can have rest here. There are some benches inside the museum.

Prices are low, for locals price a little bit lower, than for foreigners. For foreigners it is about 1.5$. If you enjoy applied art you should definitely go to the Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan.

Find out more about the museum here: http://muzeyart.uz/

THE FIRST CROSSFIT BATTLE IN UZBEKISTAN

On the 3^rd of May 2016, the first CrossFit Battle in Tashkent was opened. I was very glad to be there, I like CrossFit and my friend was one of the participants in the competitions. There were 16 competitors and one track with tasks. The event was organized by Crossfit Club ‘Cross Impulse’, founded by Denis Chjen. Governmental organization supported the event.

First of all what is CrossFit?

CrossFit is functional training and competitive sport on the base of constantly varied and high intensity trainings. In another words CrossFit is meatgrinder of different sports: beginning from gymnastics’ exercises to weightlifting. The big advantage is that everything is functional and useful in everyday life. That’s why CrossFitters are hardy and are able to adapt to any obstacles.

Our competitors were supposed to show their best time on the track. By couples they went through 5 different stations: tire pull over, burpee-box (10), kettlebell (24 kg) lifting (10 each arm), sandbag (40 kg) throw over shoulder (5) and pull-ups (10). On the way back pulling over tire to the finish line. At first look it doesn’t seem hard but when I saw the process of doing it I understood that it was harder than it seemed to be.

Competitors had different fitness level and body type but everybody fought to the end and didn’t give up. 8 sportsmen who showed time within 3-4 minutes went to the semi-final. And again they repeated death track.

2 players met in final and one of them won. I think the toughest thing is going through the same distance for the 3^rd time but they did it. The first place took Kamil Burkhanov, coach in the gym.

In my opinion every participant is a winner. They won themselves accepting the challenge and did their best. I suppose, we ourselves are the strongest rivals in real life. So, become the strongest version of yourself.