September Athlete of the Month: Joseph Shultz
Congratulations Joseph, you are the September NoCoast Athlete of the Month!
Joseph has been a NoCoaster since our early days back at Little Blue! His growth over the last 4.5 years has been truly amazing; not only is he in the best shape of his life at the age of 64, but his confidence and mental strength has allowed him to flourish in an environment that would normally be very intimidating for him. Joseph’s hard work over the past few months has him down 30 lbs. and moving better than ever! We are so grateful to have you in our community and a positive part of our evening classes! Keep up the hard work and persistence!!
Memorable quotes from Joseph…
“I don’t know if there was any one memorable moment, but over time I let go of my ingrained fear of competition and started focusing on challenging myself instead of comparing myself to what others were doing.”
“I am probably in the best physical shape ever and it has really had a powerful impact on my mental functioning. It helps me to be in a class and to push myself even when I think I can’t do it. It’s a great message to my brain that I can push past my natural inclination to take it easy.”
Age/Weight:
I just turned 64. I am down to 187 lbs from 216 lbs back in March of this year.
Athletic/Sports history/highlights:
I was not athletic at all growing up. I was overweight and clumsy. If anything, I preferred solitary sports like running and bicycling. My biggest physical achievement was biking from New York to Oregon back in 1977.
How long have you been CrossFitting?
I have been doing CrossFit on and off since 2014.
How did you get into CrossFit?
Mark started CrossFit at NoCoast before me and I reluctantly showed up one Saturday with him at old blue. I was really impressed by the friendliness of the people there.
What is your most memorable CrossFit moment?
I don’t know if there was any one memorable moment, but over time I let go of my ingrained fear of competition and started focusing on challenging myself instead of comparing myself to what others were doing.
How does nutrition play a role in your health, fitness, and recovery?
I’ve been interested in nutrition since my 20s. I’ve always eaten healthy foods, but often just too much. I believe that good nutrition is a balance of being conscious of what you eat and really enjoying food. For me there is nothing worse than eating healthy but tasteless food. I thought for awhile that I could eat as much as I wanted as long as I worked out, but I continued to gain weight. Now I mostly eat a low-carb diet and I weigh less than I have in a long time.
How has CrossFit improved your overall wellness (mental and physical)?
I am probably in the best physical shape ever and it has really had a powerful impact on my mental functioning. It helps me to be in a class and to push myself even when I think I can’t do it. It’s a great message to my brain that I can push past my natural inclination to take it easy.
How has CrossFit changed your family relationships?
It is a real achievement for both myself and Mark to push beyond our comfort level when working out especially at a gym where there are some advanced athletes. I am proud of both of us for sticking with it and being okay with where we are at and not giving up.
What is your favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?
My favorite movements are the Clean and Power Snatch when I use the correct form and the weight seems to float up almost on its own.
What is your least favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?
My least favorite are Box Jumps. They are a real challenge since I fell and scraped my shins a couple of times. Now I am skittish which creates a self-fulfilling problem.
Advice to new people:
For new people and really everyone it is important to accept where you are and then gently push yourself. What works for me is to focus on proper form over heavier weight. The few times I’ve injured myself I had sloppy form. Above all keep a sense of humor and have fun.