Team Tradewinds is excited to announce our October 2023 Athlete of the Month…. Rebecca Hohlenwerger! Congrats Rebecca, very well deserved.
Rebecca has been with us through several years of a fitness journey. She has been around the world and back but one constant is her love and passion for fitness, which we are lucky enough to share with her in our gym! Rebecca has a relentless work ethic and desire for self improvement that is rare to find. She excels in the gym, no matter what we challenge her to do, it has been exciting to see her flourish as an athlete and really come into her own. From olympic lifting to progressing gymnastic movements to working on basic form and technique, we always get 110% of Rebecca’s efforts. In addition, Rebecca shares her passion for movement and Tradewinds with others. She is one of the most encouraging, caring athletes we have come across. You can always find Rebecca encouraging others, being patient and spreading positive energy no matter who it may be. She has seen and felt the benefits of a regular fitness routine and has laid the foundation for long term health in a way that we are so proud of. Thank you Rebecca for being such a fantastic role model and athlete in our community- we appreciate you!
TW: Where are you from?
Rebecca: I grew up in Beverly, on the North Shore of MA, and have been very lucky to have lived in several different places in my adult life, including 2 years in Italy and 4 years in Brazil.
I’ve been in Winthrop with my husband, daughter, son, and dog for more than 10 years now!
TW: What do you do for work?
Rebecca: I’m the Manager of a team of CSMs (Customer Success Managers) for a Risk Management software company previously in Boston, although now I work fully remotely.
TW: How long have you been at Tradewinds?
Rebecca: I officially started at Tradewinds in the spring of 2019, but have had a couple of breaks throughout the years due to the pandemic, a temporary move, etc. I “came back” this past January!
TW: What motivated you to try Tradewinds?
Rebecca: I have to thank Leah Hart Tennen for encouraging me. I had always driven past Tradewinds and felt curious about it, but was apprehensive to try. I assumed I wouldn’t really fit in at a CrossFit style gym and that the workouts would be too hard.
I knew Leah through our kids’ preschool at the time, and I knew she attended Tradewinds and loved it. It helped to know that “someone like me” was already working out there. She made sure I got my foot in the door to make that first appointment. I remember being really impressed with how personable Coach Andy was, and how well he listened to what I was saying. He remembered my family members’ names, and was able to convey back to me that he understood exactly where I was coming from. I don’t remember a lot about what we talked about, but I do remember how the Coaches and Team Members made me feel, and that was welcomed and supported.
TW: What group class do you usually attend?
Rebecca: Team 5:30 AM, baby! Wow, it can be a mental battle for me when the alarm clock goes off at 4:45, and I have to admit I still struggle with sometimes changing my mind at that hour. My tired mind will try to convince myself that I’ll workout later, or maybe I feel too sore to go in today? I try to remind myself that it’s really the only time I can make it happen in the day, and that I KNOW I’ll be a happier and healthier version of myself all day long if I start my day with an awesome workout.
I also like popping by on a Saturday morning!
TW: Did you have a fitness background prior to starting at Tradewinds?
Rebecca: I didn’t grow up in a home that prioritized exercise or sports, and I really was never a natural athlete. It wasn’t until I was in early adulthood and started living with others who really prioritized daily movement that I kind of had that aha moment. Since then, I’ve tried to be pretty consistent with fitness throughout the years, although my interests are always changing. I was at a regular group fitness class type of gym here in town for a few years before joining Tradewinds when I realized that the weights available to me were not challenging enough anymore, and there wasn’t anywhere to grow from there. I started getting interested in learning how to lift heavy weights.
TW: If you could program your dream WOD, what would it be?
Rebecca: I love the barbell! I love doing shoulders and back squats and deadlifts and cleans. I love the days when we do barbell cycling, or a WOD that incorporates the barbell along with cardio like rowing or running. Those workouts are always SUCH a good sweat!
I would never personally add burpees or box jumps to my dream WOD.
TW: What is your proudest accomplishment since joining Tradewinds?
Rebecca: Probably my commitment to getting back up and starting again every time I fall out of the habit of prioritizing my fitness and wellbeing. Realizing that a lull doesn’t have to turn into a year of inactivity, and that fitness and nutrition are a gift to enjoy and not a punishment for previous actions. Also, my commitment to linking the act of working out to getting stronger and healthier and unlinking it from the notion of getting smaller which is a mindset that can be really hard to break.
TW: How has Tradewinds helped you in your everyday life?
Rebecca: Starting my day with a challenging workout or hitting a PR in class is usually going to be the most strenuous thing I’ll face all day. I’m able to apply that mentality to every work, interpersonal, or life challenge I’ll face for the rest of the day. I already know I’m strong enough to get up early and throw some weight around; I can do this too! Lifting heavy weight as a woman has really given me confidence that has bled into many other areas of life.
In addition, the values celebrated at Tradewinds have helped me remember to honor my body and be so grateful every day to have a strong and healthy body that is able to carry me through this life and to view exercise as an opportunity to express that gratitude.
TW: What do you like to do outside the gym?
Rebecca: We love to get outside as a family and spend time at the beach or exploring nature walks around Massachusetts. We’ve been super busy as a family recently with my husband’s “Microgreens by the Sea” business! It was fun working together at the Farmer’s Market here in town all season. I also love cooking and baking, reading, taking long podcast walks, being involved in Harbor City church here in Winthrop, and I’ve been trying to get back into painting after about a 20 year hiatus.
TW: What is your favorite song to workout to?
Rebecca: I always think I know what kind of music I like until I have to answer this question! I know I can’t help but dance during my workout if “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen comes on.
I made a playlist for running the REI Boston Women’s 10K a couple of years ago that still serves me to this day with everything from the Bee Gees to Megan Thee Stallion on it- I’ll have Gabby play it in the gym one morning!
TW: What’s one thing you’d tell someone who is curious about trying Tradewinds but not sure if they could do it?
Rebecca: Put aside your preconceived notions about what you think Tradewinds is like and about the types of people you think come here. Just come visit and give it a try! All ages, shapes, backgrounds, and abilities are welcome. I modify something almost every single day and no one has ever made me feel like less of an athlete because of that.
AOM Closing Thoughts…
Tradewinds is a special place. It’s an important part of my day. I know the coaches truly care about me as an individual, and they do such a good job of demonstrating that.
Tradewinds is not just a place to pop in and anonymously get a work out in; rather, it provides you with a holistic approach to wellbeing by giving you access to all sorts of activities and information between social, service-oriented, nutritional, educational, etc!
I’m so glad to be a part of the Tradewinds community, and I’m a little bit of a Tradewinds evangelist on the side- always trying to get everyone to come check us out.
I’m excited for the many opportunities ahead to work on my health and fitness and get a little bit better each day and I’m also so grateful that when life happens and I inevitably fall off the wagon, I’ll always be welcomed back with open arms.
