athlete-of-the-month (1)

Reagan Takeuchi

January 2017

About The Athlete

Reagan first dropped into CrossFit Corydon (CFC) February 2016 with a year of crossfit experience already under her belt and a fire-breather attitude. The excitement, intensity and positive vibe she brought to every workout and even her work-sets was and is a spectacle to be around. It wasn’t long before she was ingrained in the CFC community and a daily staple on the leader-boards.

A year later, we can’t remember a time when she wasn’t apart of CFC. Not only has she developed into a more calculated and well-rounded athlete but is immensely driven to improve her strength and technical skills across many weight-lifting and gymnastics domains. In addition, her attitude and commitment to not only helping others develop their skills but generally engaging the CFC community at large is exceptional. Reagan embodies the true spirit of the crossfit community and we as coaches, and fellow athletes, couldn’t more proud of her accomplishments AND of her future progress in and outside of CFC!

Keep up the awesome work and congrats Reagan!

A little more about them…

What got you into Crossfit, how long have you been doing it and what keeps you coming back?

I just had my 2 year Crossfit anniversary and after a year of doing it pretty casually, Crossfit Corydon really sparked my drive and love for the sport. I originally got into Crossfit because I had stopped dancing competitively and needed something to fill that void. I was feeling extremely unfulfilled and that pushed me to go to a gym and try this thing called Crossfit. After the hardest workout I’ve ever done in my life (which only included an AMRAP of rowing, sit-ups and kettle bell swings) I walked out with the biggest smile on my face and I was hooked. Fast forward a year later, I walked into the doors of CFC and found a home here. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and that encouragement and positivity inspired me to really start taking my training seriously.

What are some of your non-crossfit hobbies or activities?

I spend most of my time at the gym, working at lululemon, or doing school work. But other than that I’m really into music. I listen to pretty much anything and everything. This year I got a record player for my birthday so that’s been a cool new hobby building my record collection. In terms of activities I try to make it to yoga as much as I can. Not only is it extremely restorative physically but it keeps me centered mentally as well. It’s also great for learning cool party tricks.

One sentence to describe CFC from your perspective…

CFC is a super upbeat, positive environment with one of the most supportive communities around.

What is your favorite part of CFC?

It’s been said time and time again, but it really is the people and the atmosphere they create. Every single person at the gym is approachable, encouraging and kind. The athletes create such a buzz of positive energy that is infectious. Coaches and athletes push each other and make even the hardest workouts seem a little less painful. Not to mention I’ve made some of the best friends being around the gym.

Favorite and least favorite movement/workout, and why?

My favourite movements are always changing. But right now I really enjoy pistols, pull-ups, and handstand push ups. It was a lot of work getting these 3 movements so not only am I proud of that but I’ve gotten pretty decent at them.

It’s no secret that I hate running. Anything with running I ride the struggle bus in a bad way. No matter how much I do it, it never seems to get faster or easier

Favorite superhero, band/musician or celebrity, and why?

Kings of Leon. I love them.

Biggest/proudest/latest accomplishment or PR?

One of my favourite PR’s was when I finally deadlifted 200lbs. That’s because it was my first PR at CFC and it was a big milestone for me. Another big accomplishment that happened to me through Crossfit was my outlook on body image. As a dancer I’ve always really struggled with body image, especially not having the ideal “dancers body” I always felt as though I wasn’t good enough. Crossfit freed me from my own head and allowed me to love my body for what it can do rather than be ashamed of what it looks like.

What’s your take on our coaching team?

Shane: My weightlifting guru. I can always count on Shane to be watching my big lifts and giving me the best feedback. His big smile and encouraging “you got this bud” always gets my butt in gear during a really hard metcon. He’s probably one of the hardest workers. When I workout with Shane I always see what it looks like to really push it to the limit. It’s truly inspiring. I’m also really proud of him for finally learning how to pronounce my name.
Taylor: Taylor will motivate you through the hardest workouts. He’s a huge reason the gym carries such a positive vibe.  Working out and being coached with an athlete as talented as Taylor is a huge reason why I’ve hit some of the milestones I have this past year. He’s also always turning up the music and giving me a nod of approval when I need it most.
 
Michelle: I’m not a morning person, so it’s rare I get the pleasure of being coached by Michelle but anytime I do a 6:00pm workout and she comes in to coach on-ramp I will always hear her from the warm up area pushing me and cheering me on. She’s such an amazing motivator and is so knowledgable. Every time I’m coached by Michelle I learn something new. She’s also pretty badass when it comes to fitness.
Jenna: I could go on for days about Jenna and how wonderful and amazing she is. Some would say she’s a woman of little words and even less facial expressions. For me she is just so inspiring. She’s supportive, encouraging and always pushes me to be better.  She’s a great coach with a lot of experience in Crossfit under her belt. She’s definitely small but mighty and it’s so impressive how she can Rx+ workouts with weights almost twice her body.
Jason: Jason genuinely cares about every single person that walks through the doors of CFC and is committed to making them better before they leave. He has been a huge supporter and motivator in my training and I’m so grateful for that. He always has tips and tricks that take your lifts and workouts to the next level. Jason is just filled with so much energy and positively it makes him one of the most dynamic and encouraging coaches around. Plus, I can always count on a Wodify like from him when I hit a PR or top the leaderboard.
Matt: Mr. Information. Matt knows everything! He has an amazing ability to reengineer exercises for any athletes specific needs. He’s always committed to making sure everyone knows what’s up and passes on his knowledge so willingly. CFC is truly lucky to have him as a coach because he really brings a different perspective to fitness and Crossfit. He also plays the best music.. shh don’t tell the others.
What can I say. I really love these people.

Do you have any goals set for the near future – in or outside of CFC?

Inside the gym I’m working on my muscle up relentlessly. When I started CrossFit I never thought I’d be able to get even close to doing one so it’ll be a big deal for me when I finally get one. Outside the gym I’m working on graduating this summer with my degree in Computer Science.

Give us a little known fact about yourself…

If you’ve ever seen the tattoo on the back of my neck it says “(ko)” and no it absolutely does not mean knock out. I have 3 sisters and we were all given Japanese middle names that all end in the letters ‘ko’. So it’s my little homage to them.
Thanks for letting me tell my little Crossfit story and choosing me for January. It seriously means a lot!

Coaches Comments

Reagan is one of the athletes at CFC that reminds me that crossfit is fun. She always has an enthusiastic approach to class and encourages others at the same time. Reagan is always challenging herself and her limits, she continually puts in extra work on areas that she wants to improve in. She listens to coaching cues well and uses them to get better. One of my favorite things about her is how relentless she is when it comes to metcons. Her biggest and toughest competitor is always herself. But at the end of every workout is a smile and a high-five for everyone. She is self-motivated and has a motor that never stops. Keep up all the hard work and see you in class. – Coach Jason

When I first met Reagan, she was on of the first Yogi’s that had come in and could not only move a barbell  exceptionally well and with power but who would suffer through a metcon like no other. I thought to myself, “What is this creature? Some kind of rare weightlifting Pokemon maybe.. Teach me your ways!” Turns out, she’s just an exceptionally strong and passionately driven individual. These days we lift together on a weekly basis, share strategies and horror stories of previous open workouts and challenge each other to work on the things we hate; me with pistols and rope climbs, her with chest-to-bar pull ups and anything running or assault-bike oriented. I will never forget the first day she dead-lifted 200lbs and then 9 months later when she was repping 200 out for 3 or 5 or seeing her pull-up and handstand push-up volume progress at an incredible rate, her hard work truly paying off. Outside of the box she translates that same energy into her education and the quality of relationships with her friends and family. I feel privileged as a coach, friend and fellow athlete; and cannot contain my optimism and excited to see her perform in this years CrossFit Open and future endeavors. – Coach Taylor

Reagan has been crushing it since she joined us at CFC! Her all-around performance has sky-rocketed in the gym and her attitude and demeanor is infectious. She is a genuinely happy person and makes the gym a better place every time she is there. Reagan is competitive and disciplined, and these traits have resulted in some serious progress the last little while. Reagan is great, she is one of many reasons why CFC is great, and this was a well-deserved mention! – Coach Matt

Reagan. My girl. Where to start! This girl puts in the work day in and day out. She takes on challenges, pushes herself and is an all around bad ass woman. She is fierce in the gym and I couldn’t be more proud to be one of her workout buddies and coaches. She has completely embraced everything this community has to offer and always supports every athlete. She is the sweetest and I have endless good things to say about her. I love knowing that I can always count on her inside and outside of the gym. Can’t wait to see you take on all of your 2017 goals and be right there working out with you when you do! – Coach Jenna

Reagan definitely earned her spot as athlete of the month this month. Reagan has stepped up her fitness game in the past few months in regards to attendance and her overall lifts. In January alone Reagan PR’d 17 times and had an attendance average of 5.5 classes/week. Reagan is one of the few at our box that comes in early, warms up, tackles the RX+ work and then joins the class for rest of that days WOD. Reagan’s dedication to bettering her Olympic lifts make her fun for me to coach. She takes the time to work on her positioning and eats up every cue I throw at her. Reagan is very coachable, and is a joy to have around the box. Great work Reagan! – Coach Shane

Reagan is a pocket sized power house! She’s great to have in class because she motivates everyone to push themselves outside their comfort zone. Plus, she’s always working on improving her own skill set. Reagan always goes for it and never backs down from a tough metcon. – Coach Michelle

Sincerely,

The CFC Coaching Team