BTSCF Newsletter - July 2019
Maintaining a positive attitude through adversity is something we try to instill in all of our athletes. Even facts, with a negative connotation can put doubt into your mind or the minds of others. So when we say now that it’s Summer and it’s hot, we do so for two reasons: The first is to remind everyone to stay hydrated and be mindful of the effects heat can have on their workout. The other is to point out that without the heat, we wouldn’t be able to share this gem of a photo.
BTSCF Athlete Jamie C. going for a “swim” to cool down after a tough workout.
BTSCF Summer Throwdown
Burn the Ships CrossFit and CrossFit TakeBack athletes along with the many who came out to support them following the Summer Throwdown.
On June 22, teams of athletes from BTSCF and CrossFit TakeBack participated in a friendly competition. The programming for this event was designed to challenge more experienced athletes, while also being inclusive to allow newer athletes to get a taste of the competition side of CrossFit. We polled our athletes about the event:
Was the Summer Throwdown your first competition?
Yes - 15
No - 10
Did you achieve a PR during the Summer Throwdown?
Yes - 16
No - 9
Which event was your favorite?
“Holy Beep” (AMRAP) - 6
“Up the Hill, Down the Hill” (Chipper) - 15
“So Clean Yet So Dirty” (Clean & Jerk Ladder) - 16
Would you participate in another Throwdown?
Yes - 36
No - 0
Maybe - 0
Summer Throwdown Podium Finishers from the Women’s RX Division
Summer Throwdown Podium Finishers from the Men’s RX Division
Our athletes pushed themselves and moved beyond their comfort zones and they all learned something about themselves. Day in and day out, our athletes come to the box and practice their mechanics and work to improve their health and conditioning. Competitions are not the norm, but occasionally stepping into the ring to truly see what an athlete can accomplish will help them break barriers and improve their training overall.
Summer Throwdown Podium Finishers from the Women’s Scaled Division.
Summer Throwdown Podium Finishers from the Men’s Scaled Division.
We are so proud of all of the athletes who participated. A huge congratulations go out to all of the podium finishers. We would also like to send another thank you to our friends at CrossFit TakeBack for coming out and having a fun competition with us.
Recovery Yoga Class
Certified Yoga Instructor Dee Albro leads BTSCF Athletes through the first Recovery Yoga class.
On July 20, Burn the Ships CrossFit introduced a new yoga class geared toward aiding in the recovery process. The class is taught by certified yoga instructor, Dee Albro.
Interested in joining this class? Recovery Yoga classes will be held every other Saturday at 10:30 am. Classes are free for BTSCF members and $10 for non-members. The next class will take place on August 3.
June PR’s
Another month down, more accomplishments in the books! Congrats to all achieved new milestones this month!
Lauren - 198 lb. Deadlift
Leigha - 195 lb. x 3 Deadlift
Sara - First Kipping Handstand Push-Up
Morgan G. - 115 lbs. Push Jerk, 1st RX WOD (6/15)
Paulie - 195 lb. Power Clean, 195 lb. Clean & Jerk, 185 lb. x 2 Push Jerk, 200 lb. x 1 Push Jerk
Jess F - 110 lb. Clean & Jerk, 93 lb. Overhead Squat, 265 lb. Deadlift
Cathy - 228 lb. Deadlift
Jon T. - 5 HSPU
Lindsay - 305 lb. x 3 Deadlift, 310 lb. x 2 Deadlift, 325 lb. x 1 Deadlift, 330 lb. x 1 Deadlift
Nicky - 125 lb. Clean & Jerk, 130 lb. Front Squat
Jayson - 295 lb. Deadlift
Crissy - 275 lb. Deadlift
Shawn F. - 155 lb. Overhead Squat
Natasha - 100 lb. Power Clean
Heather - 245 lb. x 3 Deadlift
Erin L. - 173 Deadlift
Dee - 123 lb. Power Clean, 1st Legless Rope Climb, 108 lb. Overhead Squat, 113 lb. Power Clean & Jerk
Erin S. - HSPU
Ashlyn - 25 lb. Overhead Squat
Walt - 70 Double-Unders, 155 lb. Hang Snatch
Sarah M. - 93 lb. Hang Snatch
Becky - 155 lb. Clean & Jerk
Colleen - 1st Double Under
Jessica H. - 113 lb. Front Squat
Jo - 345 lb. Deadlift
Trish T. - 85 lb. Hang Squat Snatch, 165 lb. (3 x 6) Back Squat, 125 lb. Clean & Jerk, 245 lb. Deadlift
What Else is Happening at BTSCF?
Terrain Race: Gotham
Burn the Ships CrossFit has a team running the Terrain Race: Gotham 5K in Monticello, NY on July 27, 2019. To help us preview this race, we asked BTSCF Trainer and Team Captain, Morgan Slimskey what running an obstacle course race is all about. Here’s what she had to say:
Ever wanted to push yourself in a different way than you do within the confines of the gym walls? Try an obstacle course race. That’s what team BTSCF will be doing at Terrain Race. 3.2 miles. 15+ obstacles. Endless bonding and community building with your friends. I’m sure we’ll see rope and wall climbing, maybe cargo nets, monkey bars, possibly a carry, of course lots of mud, and who knows what else! Hesitant about what to expect? That’s what our CrossFit backgrounds prepare us for. Adaptability. Mental toughness. A never give up attitude. We never know what to expect from a WOD, and we won’t here, but with our team members by our sides, we can accomplish anything! There’s nothing like crossing that finish line! So lace up your running/trail sneakers and let’s show them what we’ve got!
A little advice- hydrate well before, during, and after, fuel your body well, and bring a change of clothes or towel to sit on for the ride home!
BTSCF Feature Athlete
Meet Colleen Carroll: Doing Things She Never Thought She Could Do
BTSCF Feature Athlete Colleen Carroll stepped out of her comfort zone and participated in the BTSCF Summer Throwdown. Here she is performing a Jerk as part of the Clean & Jerk Ladder event.
By her own admission, Colleen Carroll was never one to have much confidence in herself. She was afraid to give CrossFit a shot. Her thought was that CrossFit was “a bunch of really muscular people throwing around huge weight.”
Colleen’s husband, Austin, and her sister-in-law Lindsay had been doing CrossFit and kept telling her that she should give it a try. In October 2018, Colleen decided to give it a shot. After doing a workout with Austin and Lindsay, Colleen was hooked and she says that it is one of the best decisions she has ever made. BTSCF Owner Mike Simmons said of Colleen, “she exemplifies a member who was at first skeptical of CrossFit but has grown to love it.”
BTSCF Feature Athlete Colleen Carroll with her husband Austin after completing “Murph” on Memorial Day.
“You might think you are being judged but it’s not that at all. Everyone is there to support you and wishes to see you succeed,” Colleen said. With support and coaching from the BTSCF Staff, Colleen has begun doing things she had never thought she’d be able to do. “She is always quick to take pointers and cues to help her perform better with her lifts and during workouts,” said BTSCF Trainer, Jon Heyer. Simmons echoes this saying, “Colleen works hard and implements coaches cues well.”
Heyer adds, “Colleen is improving every day.” With this improvement Colleen has started to lift more confidently and move better. Her sister-in-law Lindsay points out, “she doesn’t use a training bar in workouts anymore and her successes lead her to be more confident.”
BTSCF Feature Athlete Colleen Carroll performing medicine ball cleans.
“I also think Colleen sets an excellent example for her daughter by showing her what a strong body and mind look like in action,” Simmons said. Mindset is a major part of success in all facets of life. From different movements to weightlifting, we can clearly see that Colleen has a mindset that is growing more confident and she is feeling it too. Colleen said, “there have been many workouts that I have walked in and saw the board and thought, ‘no way am I doing that weight.’ On a few separate occasions Morgan has told me ‘no, you’re stronger than that’ and handed me a heavier kettlebell or dumbbell. That little push is what I needed to get out of my comfort zone.” Regarding her mindset, she adds “I now tell myself in a tough workout ‘you are going to finish’ instead of ‘oh man there’s no way I can make it.’”
BTSCF Feature Athlete doing box work with other athletes looking on.
In Colleen’s spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and daughter. They watch movies and play games. Colleen is also working on a puzzle that she says maybe some day she will finish. Colleen is a Teacher’s Aide at the Elementary School and also works part time at a Physical Therapy Office.
We hit Colleen with the lightning round, this what she had to say:
Q: What super power would you give yourself?
A: The power to heal.
Q: What is your favorite healthy food?
A: A good grilled chicken salad.
Q: What is your favorite not so healthy food?
A: Ice Cream!
Q: What TV Sitcom Family or group would you be a member of?
A: The Goldbergs.
Q: If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
A: My brownies.
Q: If you could write your own fortune cookie fortune, what would it say?
A: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, that’s why pencils have erasers.
Q: If you were a professional wrestler, what would your finishing move be called?
A: “The Meanie Beanie Dropkick”
Q: Who do you look up to for inspiration at BTSCF?
A: There are so many people that inspire me at our box. I could say something about every single person! Lindsay inspires me because it amazes me what she can do and then how she can push and encourage each person in such a way that’s just incredible to watch. My husband, Austin of course because knowing the physical limitations he has but he never lets it stop him and always shows determination.
Q: What is your favorite movement?
A: Box jumps.
Q: What is your least favorite movement?
A: Thrusters.
Q: What is something you’ve done that your old self would never believe?
A: My old self would never ever believe I’d walk into a CrossFit gym! But definitely doing the open and doing a competition.
Hack Your WOD: Hand Care
Whether you’ve been up on the pull up bar for a while, or you’re just starting to transition from the rings you find out one thing very quickly: the pull up bar can be extremely unforgiving to your hands. Here’s a guide to help reduce the risk of hand rips and how to care for them if they do.
The bar hurts my hand, how do I make it hurt less?
If you’re just starting to use the pull up bar, odds are you don’t have enough callus buildup to protect the base of your fingers and the upper part of your palm. Stick with it, as you do more work on the bar, you’ll build calluses which will help reduce that feeling.
What causes the rips?
In short, friction. The longer answer is that our hands have naturally softer skin. When you add chalk to help with your grip, the chalk absorbs the moisture in your hands. The combination of dried out hands, friction, and soft skin may lead to a rip. If you have callus buildup that is too thick or isn’t smooth, friction with the bar can pull your tougher hardened skin from your hand.
So calluses will rip?
If you don’t care for them, yes. The trick is to maintain your calluses. You want them to be thick enough to take on the brunt of the bar, but thin enough to not catch on the bar. It’s a balancing act that takes time and practice to find your happy medium.
Ok, so I have calluses now, what do I do?
The first step is to keep them clean. The best time to care for calluses is after a shower when they are softer. You can shave them down with a callus shaver, but only very thin layers at a time, or you can smooth them out by using a pumice stone. Callus files also do a great job. Many of them have two sides, one that looks more like a cheese grater, the other fine sandpaper.
In a bind, a sanding block or sandpaper will work. There are also other products that can work to help sand and grind calluses down to smooth them out.
After you have cut, sanded, or filed down your calluses to make them smooth, moisturize. You should add moisturizer to your hands everyday, especially after those heavy chalk days.
I’ve done all that, but I just ripped, HELP!
First and foremost, a hand rip is an injury. Treat it like it is one. Step one is to go wash your hands with soap and water. Remove all chalk and any other debris that may be on, in, or around the rips. Fair warning, this is not comfortable and it will likely sting and burn, but it’s necessary.
Next, cut away any extra skin on the rip as close you the base as possible. Small scissors work well and cuticle scissors are a great option. Don’t try to tear the skin away, that could just make the rip worse. Next pack the rips with antibiotic ointment. Again, this might sting. Wrap the rips with gauze or bandaids.
Rest. Take a day. Let your hands heal a bit and keep putting the ointment on the rip. Once again, it’s an injury, treat it like one.
Provided you’ve done all of this and keep up with the care, after a day or two and with proper hand protection, you should be able to get back to training. There may be some discomfort, but as long as you continue to keep the rips from drying out, you should be ok.
I want to workout, what kind of hand protection can I use?
Depending on the rips, there are a number of options. It may be as simple as a bandaid. You may need to wrap it with some athletic tape. You can also make grips out of plain athletic tape. Talk to a trainer for tips on how to do that.
There are also a variety of gymnastics grips, gloves, and other products that you can use to help protect your hands.
It will take time to find which one works the best for you. Be patient, and ask your trainers and other members for their recommendations.