AOTM - Kate & Aaron Burke
January 2, 2025
DEcember AOTM - Annapolis District
Member Spotlight: Kate Burke @katefineart & Aaron Burke @burkemusic
Kate and Aaron joined 12 Labours together in October 2022. They were often tired, struggling to keep up with work and kids, and just not feeling great. Members of 12L, Steve and Jen Hulse, referred them to join CrossFit. “Kate encouraged us to just push and show up, with kids in tow. I’ll be grateful for that forever,” says Aaron of when they got started.
Since starting CrossFit, both Kate and Aaron say that taking care of their kids, work, travel, and completing the most basic tasks are easier and more enjoyable when they are stronger. They are also better able to manage life stressors and just feel better overall. A standout memory for Kate was when she first climbed the rope to the top - she never thought she would be able to do that.
Aaron has been helping to coach the Special Olympics program on Thursdays for two years now and he says that seeing those athletes get stronger and more confident is amazing.
Kate and Aaron agree that what they like most about 12L is the programming and the community. Kate says, “The coaches are so knowledgeable and encouraging, the programming is varied and other members make it fun. I like the community events they provide for the whole family.”
The Burkes share their love of fitness with their kids and want to show them that fitness is important and fun. The Burke kids participate in CrossFit kids and have joined group class with their parents.
MORE RECENT POSTS
Join us in the Columbia District for our beginners class: Elements Elements with Coach Emily offers a beginner-based class with low-skill and modified movements. This class is a good opportunity for beginners to learn new movements at a slower pace before joining our CrossFit group classes. Elements programming is very similar to our regular CrossFit class programming but slows it down the pace a bit. This gives us more time to spend on learning and understanding the movements, class flow, terminology, etc. “Elements is one of my favorite classes to coach. Everyone is nervous together, but welcoming and so eager to learn. When you enter the gym, it may be overwhelming, but you are not alone. Being able to be a part of someone’s growth in the gym is one of the most rewarding parts of coaching.” - Coach Emily Have you been interested in trying CrossFit but have been hesitant to start? Elements is the perfect was to introduce CrossFit. Try out a week for free by emailing: chelsea@the12labours.com
This past weekend, the energy was electric, and the barbells were flying high at the Cap City Open. We’re incredibly proud to congratulate our lifters—Alex, Carlin, Sally Mimi, and Katie—for their outstanding performances and hard-earned moments on the platform. Each athlete brought their own style and story to the platform, making this event not only a showcase of physical strength but also one of resilience, camaraderie, and competitive spirit. The Cap City Open wasn’t just about totals or podium finishes—it was about lifters pushing limits, supporting one another, and stepping out of their comfort zone. Alex, Carlin, Sally, Mimi, and Katie each left their mark on the meet, reminding everyone why we love weightlifting. Our weightlifters are back on the platform this week with a new training cycle. 12 Labours next meet will be Tough Temple July 12-13. If anyone is interested in joining us, please reach out to info@the12labours.com
We have gone over this in a newsletter before, but the topic of gymnastics grips is always a hot topic, especially around Murph time. So let us dive into this and explain the different types, the goals, and some tips on how to get better usage out of the gymnastics grip. Let us start by understanding that there are two different types of grips, hand protection, and grip enhancement. They both have their uses, but in my opinion the grip enhancement is far superior, especially for the type of stuff we are doing. Hand Protection grips are really more like gloves than anything else. They protect the palm of the hand, but offer nothing in terms of grip enhancement, and in most cases actually make it more difficult to hold onto the bar. The main goal of this post is to understand the difference, and make sure we are sizing/utilizing our grips to offer hand protection AND grip enhancement. There are a million different styles of grips out there, and we can't go over them all, but these principles will apply to any style of grip you choose. We will break this down into 3 parts, sizing/placement, utilizing the fold and/or friction, and hand position on the bar. Let's go. Sizing A proper gymnastics grip should be large, and at least extend to the last knuckle of the fingers.
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