BTSCF Newsletter - January 2019
Welcome to 2019 and the new BTSCF Newsletter! We are excited to bring you recaps, news, and previews of the great things happening at Burn the Ships CrossFit.
We Have Your reSOLUTION Covered
Exciting news! We are extending our $21 for 21 Days Special until the end of January! Looking to get started? Come in, call, or email to sign up! Already started? Spread the word! This special deal is for new members only.
Competition Corner
BTSCF was well represented at the Granite Games Throwdown on January 12, 2019. From left to right, Walter Albro, Robb Ruiz, Connor Schall, Mike Simmons, and Sean Addy
Two teams of BTSCF members traveled to Allentown, PA to compete in the Intermediate Male Division at the Granite Games Throwdown. This past Saturday, Mike Simmons, Walter Albro, Connor Schall, Sean Addy, Robb Ruiz, and Aaron Keeling faced off at SYR CrossFit where the 3-member teams tackled 4 events.
Addy, Ruiz, and Keeling (Schweddy Wall Ballers) took Event 1 with a combined 5 rep max front squat of 720 lbs. Team “Like Fun Only Different” (Simmons, Albro, and Schall) lifted 605 lbs. in the event and bounced back in the Event 2 Chipper with 639 reps to the 582 reps of the Schweddy Wall Ballers. The competition was fierce in the Event 3 AMRAP with both teams completing 183 reps of partner deadlifts and dumbbell box stepovers. With a slight lead in the overall standings, the Schweddy Wall Ballers went into the fourth event and posted a time of 8:25 in 6 rounds of 12 Burpees over the Rower, 12 Calorie Row, and 12 Dumbbell Snatches. Looking to close the gap Like Fun Only Different moved quickly, but finished with a time of 8:42, concluding the day tied for 9th overall. The Schweddy Wall Ballers ended the day tied for 6th overall. Only 4 points separated the two teams.
Congratulations on a great effort!
Picking Things Up and Putting Them Down…OLY Style
Coach Alex Zahorsky making opening remarks at the first Olympic Lifting Class at BTSCF on January 13, 2019.
On Sunday, BTSCF kicked off the Olympic Lifting Program with a great turnout. Over 30 athletes attended and began improving their technique and strength. The class focused on power cleans from blocks and working on a complex that included strict presses and split jerks.
Looking to improve your Olympic Lifts? Join us on Sundays at 10am to improve your technique, build strength, and learn more about lifting. In a few weeks athletes will be tested in an Olympic setting making three attempts at the Snatch, followed by three attempts at the Clean and Jerk. Testing will continue periodically to help gauge progress and provide feedback for further improvements.
What Else is New at Burn the Ships CrossFit?
Nutrition: The Foundation to Building Better Health and Fitness
CrossFit has long known that quality nutrition is the key to creating a solid foundation to health and fitness. This is why nutrition makes up the bottom part of the fitness pyramid. Whether you are looking to become healthier or take your performance to the next level, dialing in your nutrition should be an important first step.
We are kicking off 2019 with a Nutrition Clinic on January 20, 2019 at 11:30am. We will be presenting an introduction to basic nutrition, discussing the concept of eating to perform, and the benefits of eating whole foods. We will also be providing updates for new programs that we are launching this year.The Nutrition Clinic is free to all members and $20 for non-members.
Nutrition Coaching
With all of the options out there, nutrition can be the hardest part to tackle in your health and fitness journey. You don’t have to do it alone and we are excited to offer our new Nutrition Coaching Program. With a 3-month commitment, the cost is $75 per month. The program includes coaching with a plan customized to your needs and goals, daily tracking and accountability, before and after photos, and body fat composition tracking. You’ll be supported with meal preparation and cooking tips, weekly check-ins by email, and monthly check-ins by phone.
Our goal is to help you achieve your goals. Reach out to a BTSCF Staff Member for more details.
Bowling Night
What is community without the opportunity to get out of the box, get to know each other, and hang out? Join us on February 16th for Bowling Night! We will get a block of lanes and have some competitions and fun. Stay tuned for more details.
The CrossFit Open
Are you ready for “Friday Night Lights?” The Open is coming, and BTSCF will be ready to support your quest to compete in the 2019 CrossFit Open. The CrossFit open is a worldwide qualifying event for the CrossFit Games where the Fittest Man, Woman, and Team in the World are crowned. The Open is for everyone! It’s a great chance to test your fitness level and see how you compare to where you were last year. New to CrossFit, or didn’t do The Open last year? Now is the time to set the bar to gauge your progress next year.
Like last year, the CrossFit Open will be a 5-week format with events announced on Thursday of each week that must be completed by Monday. Week 1 kicks off on Thursday, February 21 and the competition will wrap up on Monday, March 25th.
For more information, reach out to a BTSCF Staff Member. Additional details and registration can be found on The CrossFit Games website.
Interested in learning more about movement standards and becoming a certified judge? The online CrossFit Judges course is available. Talk to a BTSCF staff member for information.
We will also be making T-Shirts for The Open. Stay tuned for more details.
BTSCF Feature Athlete
Meet Hans Ruiz: CrossFit is “Life Changing”
BTSCF Athlete Hans Ruiz working on his Power Clean technique.
Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” This statement perfectly captures the essence of our Feature Athlete, Hans Ruiz. Life has a way of throwing things at us and our ability to become mentally tough helps us find the opportunity in the challenges we face. This isn’t a life lesson that comes easily and learning it takes time. For Hans, CrossFit has helped teach him not only this type of mental toughness, but also about himself and his limits.
About 6 years ago, Hans was living in West Palm Beach, FL and was coming out of what he calls a devastating divorce. “I found myself in an out-of-control spiral full of depression and suicidal thoughts,” Hans candidly shared. After a night of drinking, he found himself walking home when he stumbled onto the steps of a gym that happened to have a “take one” flyer at the door. The cover of the flyer read in large letters “I Love Burpees.” This was the first thing Hans saw when he woke up the following day. “I was used to working out at a regular gym, but I called to find out what burpees were and what type of gym this was.” Hans became hooked, falling in love with the people from that CrossFit Box and the vision they had of him. “It changed me very quickly, and it made me a better version of myself, physically and most importantly mentally.”
Despite the personal growth that Hans found, he stepped away from CrossFit as he puts it, “for battles and setbacks and every excuse you can think of.” What brought him back to CrossFit? “I started at Burn the Ships CrossFit in April of 2018 as a bet with a friend to see who could get into better shape within 3 months.” Hans won the bet and Burn the Ships CrossFit won by gaining a great new member. Mike Simmons, coach and owner of BTSCF notes, “he is a great member, staying after class to cheer on other members and congratulate them after their workout.” Coach Morgan Slimskey adds that Hans is an “outstanding team player who never leaves anyone behind. He’s the guy you want to have cheering you on.”
Since joining BTSCF in April 2018 Hans has transformed himself, becoming stronger and healthier. Hans has lost over 30 pounds in that time.
Hans has learned important lessons from CrossFit, focusing on mental challenges as an essential part of his training. “I have learned that your journey needs to become a never-ending journey and that every day you push through it puts you one more rep closer to your goals.” Hans’ dedication to setting and achieving goals has been noticed by everyone in the box. “He sets a goal and never looks back. Pure focus until he hits it, then it’s on to the next one! It’s super inspiring to watch someone make and surpass goals time and time again,” shares Morgan. A big part of Hans’ success as Simmons says, “he is very receptive to coaches’ cues and his willingness to learn and put extra time in to achieve proficiency at a skill.”
We had a chance to talk to Hans about life outside of the box and beyond CrossFit. Hans is a Partner and Director of Operations in the Wireless Telecom Industry. On his recent vacation with his family, Hans said, “Vacation is something I hardly have time for, and the timing couldn’t have been better. I can’t remember the last time I spent New Year’s with my mom, and it was such a blessing to have my two oldest sons with me as well. It was like the three stooges driving Miss Daisy around.” In his free time, Hans has been spending time working on his “Body-Mind-Soul.” His life goal is to improve himself to be a better person so those around him can benefit. He also enjoys watching Netflix or going out to the movies. Rumor is though that the last movie he went to see turned into naptime, but that’s alright since sleep is an important part of recovery! Hans very much enjoys cooking and takes a lot of pride in making a great dish out of love.
While talking to Hans, we hit him with some lightning round questions:
Q: What super power would you give yourself?
A: The ability to read minds.
Q: Favorite Healthy Food?
A: Shrimp Ceviche
Q: Favorite Unhealthy food? (Don’t worry we won’t tell anyone…just kidding, we’re telling everyone!)
A: Colombian Deep-Fried Pork Rinds, aka Chicharron
Q: Favorite Movie?
A: 13 Going On 30
Q: Complete this sentence, “When I dance, I look like _____.”
A: John Travolta, drunk.
Q: iOS or Android?
A: 100% iOS
Q: If you could write your own fortune cookie fortune, what would it say?
A: To be continued…
Q: Who do you look up to at BTSCF?
A: There are many, but Lindsay Carroll because of her determination and willingness to not give up despite the pain.
Q: Favorite movement?
A: Double Unders and Box Jump Overs
Q: Least favorite movement?
A: Thrusters and Burpees over anything
Q: One thing I have done that my old self wouldn’t ever believe is ____.
A: 101 Unbroken Double Unders
Q: What would you say to someone about CrossFit?
A: It is life changing. CrossFit is easy if you want it to be easy and hard if you want that as well. It’s up to you how hard you go. Learn to crawl before you walk so then you can run.
Q: Any last thoughts or things you’d like to share?
A: The CrossFit community at BTSCF is a special one and besides getting a great workout day in and day out, surrounding yourself with friends like this has made my life much easier to cope with.Thank you all for your support.
Hack Your WOD
Breathing to Shave Seconds or Minutes from your Scores
Have you ever looked at a workout and tried to plan how you’re going to attack it to get the best score possible? Let’s focus on what you’re doing when you’re not chewing up reps, calories, or meters.
We’ve all been there mid-workout: everything hurts, it feels like you were punched in the stomach, and you find yourself staring down at a barbell, up at the ceiling, or somewhere off into another realm. Meanwhile, the clock ticks, and ticks, and ticks. All of a sudden that workout your coach said should take 12-15 minutes now has you pushing the 20-minute time cap. When you get into those moments, try breathing. More specifically, thoughtfully count your breaths.
What, more counting? Let’s explain this a little more. If you take a look at some of the best CrossFit Athletes in the world, forget for a minute about their form and technique, their strength, or how you wish you had their abs (don’t lie, we are all guilty of that last one.) Watch their shoulders during the times they are resting. Look for the rise and fall that comes with the deep breaths they are taking.
By thoughtfully choosing how many deep breaths you take in your rest period, you are forcing yourself to keep moving. You’re not letting yourself circle your equipment while time is burning off of the clock. Your rest time is finite. This strategy will also make you become more aware of your redline and how close you can get to it. If you plan to take 3 deep breaths between movements, you need to make sure you pace your previous movement to allow you to regain your composure in only those 3 breaths. Doing so will allow you to pace your total workout better.
Check out this video of Rich Froning competing against himself in “Heavy Grace.” This perfectly demonstrates how thoughtfully reducing your rest to a certain amount of breaths can improve your score. On the left of the screen, Rich is taking anywhere from 4-6 breaths between reps. To the right, he takes 1 breath between reps toward the beginning, then in the middle increases to 2, and at the end he is taking 3 breaths.