BTSCF Newsletter - June 2020
We would be remiss to not say it feels like the world has flipped upside down this year. We can focus on what is within our control and do the best with what we have. We can listen, we can learn, and we can teach. Check out what is going on at BTSCF this month.
GREEN! But Not With Envy
In the month of June we have seen quite the transition. Kicking off the month, we were still looking at outdoor workouts, socially distanced, and transporting our own equipment around as part of the Covid-19 Yellow Phase of reopening. By mid-June we hit green and that gave us the opportunity to resume some level of normalcy again.
Cleaned and “BTSCF Battle Boxes” taped off, ready for everyone to come back to the gym.
Our staff washed, scrubbed, wiped, and taped the gym to prepare for the green phase and we were so happy to start seeing everyone’s faces again under our roof. There is real magic in the CrossFit methodology and it’s made more special when you put a group of hard working people together to fight through a workout together.
This is just the beginning of great things to come!
Coach’s Picks
This month we checked in with mom of six months and trainer Morgan Slimskey to find out what her top picks are in the baby care department. If it helps her take care of her baby, we wanted her take on the best of the best. Here are her picks:
Spirit of the Games
Baby Oxy-Clean. No ruined clothes from blowouts, food messes, etc. This stuff is miraculous.
Dark Horse
Haakaa silicone pump. No wasted milk, easy to build freezer stock, helps with production!
Podium Picks
3rd Place: Huggies diapers- but only for overnight! When you have a baby that sleeps 9-11 hours and doesn’t wake to eat, that diaper has to hold a lot! And it’s downright impressive. Rarely do we have a leak.
2nd Place: Blackout curtains! Because daylight savings sneaks up on you and could ruin your bedtime routine! I got mine just in time.
1st Place: Velcro swaddles. So easy to use, and baby was sleeping 4 hour stretches soundly from pretty early on!
BTSCF Feature Athlete
Meet Jess Ferrara
BTSCF Feature Athlete Jess Ferrara performing a deadlift under the watchful eye of BTSCF Trainer, Alex.
When did you start CrossFitting?
I signed up in January 2019
What brought you to CrossFit?
BTSCF Feature Athlete Jess Ferrara completing a Clean & Jerk during the 2019 BTSCF Summer Throwdown.
Kate Fernald kept asking me to come and check it out. I thought that it was way out of my ability, so I said no. I only wish I had said yes when she first asked me. She knew that I would love the rush from lifting, the workouts and the camaraderie. I love the workouts, but it was the people that made me stay. Everyone is so friendly and encouraging. I love that about BTS. Thanks Kate!!!
What have you learned from doing CrossFit?
That I can do way more than my mind tells me I can.
What would you say to someone who is on the fence about starting CrossFit?
Do it!! Everything can be scaled to meet your needs. You'll be surprised what can do and how quickly you progress when you put the work in.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Spend time with family and friends, travel and workout.
What do you do for work and how has CrossFit impacted how you do your job?
I'm a Business Change Manager for IngenioRx. Crossfit has helped me to leave work on time so I can get to class. Work/life balance.
During quarantine, you were always the first one on to watch the live videos, how did you get on them so fast?
I looked forward to the live videos every day. I scheduled my morning meetings and my son's school work around it. I would start refreshing the BTS facebook page around 9:28 so I'd get the notification as soon as it went live. I really appreciated that the coaches did this every morning, ensuring that we knew how to do the workout properly, talking to us like were there and always being so positive about the situation we were in. I felt that watching every day showed the coaches and BTS that I was there to support them too. It made me want to continue working out and push through the quarantine sadness. Thank you so much for doing those videos for us.
We hit Jess with some lightning round questions, here’s what she had to say:
Q: What super power would you give yourself?
A: Read minds
Q: What's your favorite healthy food?
A: Paleo Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
“Jess is a very dedicated member, who always shows up in support of her fellow athletes and the gym community as a whole. During the recent shutdown, Jess was a consistent viewer of our live workouts, participating as well as providing encouragement and positive words for her fellow members. Jess has worked hard to move forward in improving her nutrition and focuses on the process at the gym, all with consistent, long-term goals in mind. In the time that we have worked with Jess, she has learned to be patient with herself and find the wins everyday. We are thankful for the opportunity to work with her and support her on her fitness journey! The best is yet to come!”
Q: What's your favorite not so healthy food?
A: Cheeseburger and fries
Q: What TV Sitcom family or group would you be a member of?
A: The Bundy's (Married with Children)
Q: If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
A: Classical musician. I played the clarinet growing up. Or a rock singer, jumping around on stage and having people sing your music back to you.
Q: If you could write your own fortune cookie fortune, what would it say?
A: Just be yourself, you are wonderful.
Q: If you were a professional wrestler, what would you finishing move be called?
A: The bend and snap
Q: Who do you look up to for inspiration at BTSCF?
A: Kate and Alex. They are always in my corner - helping me see past my insecurities and pushing me to be a mother—.
Q: What is your favorite and least favorite movement?
A: Favorite = deadlift, Least favorite = Wallballs/Thrusters
Q: What is the one thing you've done at BTSCF that your old self wouldn't ever believe?
A: I can run, it's slow, but I can run!
Hack Your WOD: Returning to the gym
Coming back into the gym and being surrounded by other athletes is fun and exciting. That being said, if you’re not careful you can quickly allow yourself to push a little too hard. It’s natural and if it happens to you, you’re not alone, adrenaline kicks in and off you go.
This month, we’d like everyone to focus on improving their WOD by dialing back the intensity. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work hard, it simply means redirecting the focus of your hard work.
As you work back into the gym, now is a great time to set your focus on the mechanics and consistency of your movements. The speed, strength, and endurance will return. If you’re having trouble with something, don’t hesitate to ask any of our trainers for tips, drills, and ways to practice moving efficiently and correctly.