Coory Joshlin Found CrossFit Weighing 419 Pounds, Proving “You Don’t Have to be in Shape to Start CrossFit”
In January 2023, Coory Joshlin reached an all-time weight high: 419 pounds.
Around the same time, his doctor told him that if he continued on the path he was on, he would very quickly start to have serious health problems.
- “That really opened my eyes,” said the 6-foot-4, 44-year-old Joshlin who works in law enforcement as a criminal investigator.
Joshlin had heard about CrossFit before, but feeling scared and intimidated “held me back,” he said. “I was scared of the unknown,” and hesitant he wouldn’t fit in because he was overweight, he explained.
But the number on the scale and his doctor’s words were enough to get him to act.
So when Joshiln saw on Facebook that Ole Glory CrossFit in Broussard, LA was offering an OnRamp class, he decided to put his fears aside and show up. And to his surprise, he actually enjoyed it. “A lot,” he said, adding that the last thing he felt was judged.
- “People were cheering me on. I had never experienced that before,” he said.
Joshlin’s Journey so Far
When Joshlin first started at Ole Glory CrossFit seven months ago, he couldn’t push himself up off the floor unassisted to get up. He had chronic back pain, and everyday tasks like walking and tying his shoes were challenging.
Today, Joshlin’s back pain has all but disappeared, and he has no problem pushing himself up from the ground. He does burpees and squats and deadlifts, and has noticed his endurance and mobility has seriously improved. Joshlin has lost 30 pounds and is well on way to his 100-pound weight loss goal.
Possibly even more powerful, however, is his renewed perspective for living.
- “My attitude is better…I was in a bad headspace before, but I’m not down on myself anymore. I don’t have that irritable feeling anymore,” said Joshlin, who does the 5 AM class at least three days a week. “And I’m in a better mood throughout the day. My co-workers have even noticed.”
Why CrossFit is Different
Like many, Joshlin dabbled with gym memberships through the years. At one point, he lasted at a commercial gym for two years, but more often than not he would fall off pretty quickly because it was boring, monotonous. There was nothing to keep him there, he explained.
CrossFit is the exact opposite. It’s always different, anything but monotonous, and there’s an entire community to hold him accountable, he said.
- “It’s just a way better vibe,” he said.
Ultimately, though, the biggest difference with CrossFit—and why Joshlin knows he’s there to stay—is because going to the gym no longer feels like a chore. He looks forward to showing up, to seeing the same faces everyday, to building friendships and pushing himself in a supportive environment.
- “All I can do is smile when I’m there. I find myself smiling the whole time,” he said.
What Joshlin Wants Others to Know
Joshlin admits part of the reason he was hesitant to try CrossFit for so long was that he thought he wasn’t fit enough, that he was too heavy, to start.
It’s something he hears a lot: People think they need to lose weight or become moderately fit on their own before they start CrossFit. But the problem is they never lose weight or get fit on their own, so they never start, Joshlin explained.
Through his experience at Ole Glory CrossFit, Joshlin has learned this misconception couldn’t be further from the truth.
- “I started going and I was way out of shape. But I realize you can scale every workout,” he said.
He added: “You just have to show up. That’s what I did. I showed up and they welcomed me with open arms…You don’t have to be in shape to start CrossFit.”
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