“CrossFit is not about keeping up; it’s about showing up!”
Photos courtesy of Cody Anderson
Landscape photo courtesy of Barb Lochner
Photo courtesy of Michael Thille
Fifty-one-year-old masters athlete, Joey Lochner from Central Oregon CrossFit in Redmond, Ore., placed 18th at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games in the Masters Men 50-54 Division.
Now, he’s making a run at competing in the 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games.
“Competing at the 2012 CrossFit Games in the 50-54 age division has been my proudest CrossFit moment,” Lochner said.
He sits in 25th place after this year’s Open and—pending his performance in the Masters Qualifier—he just may have a shot at a return trip to the Stub Hub Center.
And he’s gunning for it.
A History of Competition
Lochner started CrossFit in 2008. One year in, he signed up for his first local competition, the 2009 Oregon Summer Games in Bend, Ore. He has participated in the Oregon Summer and Winter Games ever since, winning the men’s masters division at this year’s winter competition.
He has also been a consistent CrossFit Games athlete since 2010.
“I competed in the Oregon/Idaho Sectionals in 2010 in an attempt to qualify for the Games,” Lochner said. “There were no masters divisions back then. I was literally the oldest competitor at age 48, and I was still able to place 37th out of 55 guys. After that competition, I was hooked and knew I wanted to be a CrossFit competitor.”
The following year, Lochner placed 51st in the Masters Men 45-49 Division during the first-ever Open.
In 2012, he made it to Carson, Calif., placing 10th worldwide in the Open. He went on to place 18th at the Games, but he paid a price.
“I got injured on (Event) 4, (but) I still didn’t finish last, only doing four out of seven (events),” he said.
During Event 4, Lochner tore his quad tendon and muscle.
“I was eighth after that (event) and was on track for easily making the finals,” he said. “The fifth (event) was a chipper that would have played to my strength movements, but I never got to do it.”
Last year, despite his rehabbed injury, Lochner nearly had a return trip to the Games.
“In 2013, I finished 30th missing a return trip to the Games by 10 spots,” he said. “I was happy to have finished that well seeing how less than a year prior to the Open I had major knee surgery.”
Lochner has no love lost for his background in competition at the highest level.
“I am looking forward to getting back to the Games a wiser man,” he said. “Even though I experienced disappointment at the 2012 Games, I came home and showed up back at the box and got to work. And here again I have an opportunity to get back to the Games all because I keep showing up!”
Ongoing Work
Over the past two years, he worked hard to improve his mental game, said Lochner’s coach Cody Anderson.
“He has put a lot of pressure on himself in the past to perform well, and that used to be a hindrance,” Anderson said. “Now, he has a lot more peace about everything and his priorities are in line. When we put the more important things in life first, like God and family, we end up doing better in the smaller things, like CrossFit. His performance this year is a great reflection of that.”
Lochner has also improved his strength, endurance and flexibility.
He increased his deadlift from 405 lb. to 455 lb., and improved his overhead squat from 185 lb. to 225 lb.
“I love to deadlift and have gone from a 135-lb. deadlift five years ago to a 455-lb. deadlift just last month,” Lochner said. “What’s cool about that is I am getting stronger through CrossFit even though I am getting older.”
Lochner also boasts a 225-lb. thruster, 190-lb. snatch, 375-lb. back squat and 325-lb. bench press.
“I used to rely on raw strength until I got injured at the CrossFit Games powering a 185-lb. snatch,” he said. “I have begun to relearn my lifts using proper technique as well as my strength. I have been working on my mobility, as well, as I struggle with wrist flexibility on the front squat and the thruster. The focus on mobility and technique is paying off as I can one-rep max a 225-lb. thruster and front squat 265 lb.”
He has also worked hard to log impressive times for a few benchmark workouts. His Fran time is 3:58 (down from 12:27 at his first attempt), his best Angie time is 17:04 and his Amanda time is 10:21.
Lochner incorporated swimming into his regimen after his 2012 injury accompanied with knee surgery.
“Last November, I started swimming five days a week and got my weight down to about 195 lb. (from 217 lb.),” Lochner said. “I’ve also really worked on my motor this year.”
Lochner is an athlete who proves age is just a number, Anderson said.
“Despite what people say about getting older, he keeps improving,” Anderson said. “He doesn't use his age as an excuse for sloppy performance. Instead, he gives it everything he has and consistently beats people half his age. It's fun to watch. I think he has gotten better even since the last Open workout.”
Better, Faster, Stronger
Lochner has always had a love for sports, playing football, basketball and baseball in middle school and participating in swimming and track in high school. It was in high school that he met Barb, his wife of 28 years. Together they have six children ranging from age 8 to 21.
“CrossFit has been a great outlet for him,” Barb said. “He’s high energy, so this type of sport has been a great match for him. For years his focus has been on the kids and their accomplishments, and now he gets a little pat on the back for doing something really special. I'm really proud of him.”
His kids are proud of him, too.
“They are amazed at what I can do as a CrossFitter,” Lochner said. “I think they think I have to be a little bit crazy to do what I do. I might be inclined to agree with them.”
Lochner has completed seven Cycle Oregon road tours, the first in 2006, but when he found CrossFit, he never went back.
“To me, CrossFit brings all my past athletic endeavors and packages into one,” he said. “I have always been a pretty competitive guy and still am. Just ask anyone in the Central Oregon CrossFit box. I love the intensity of CrossFit to feed that rush. I love to test myself against others because it keeps me hungry to get better, faster, stronger.”
Lochner said he appreciates his fellow CrossFit athletes and the friends he has made in the Central Oregon CrossFit community.
“We are all there getting our asses kicked the same, yet helping each other get better,” he said. “The day I walked into the box for the first time, I could do one pull-up and it looked ugly. I saw all these people doing kipping and butterfly pull-ups and wondered if this overweight, middle-aged man could ever do that. I told myself then—and I tell all new CrossFitters now—that CrossFit is not about keeping up, it’s about showing up!”
That attitude inspires those who work out alongside him.
“In the past year of going to the box, I have never heard a negative word from Joey,” said Central Oregon CrossFit athlete Jacqueline Haro. “He is really positive. … He always says, ‘Great job!’ If you're still completing your workout, he cheers you and won't let you put the bar down for too long. If you do, he starts to count down from three and tells you to get back on that bar!”
Central Oregon CrossFit athlete Marshall Beaudoin added that he appreciates Lochner’s intensity—and then some.
“I hope I look that good when I'm that old,” Beaudoin said.
Editor's Note: At the time of publication, Lochner had not submitted scores for any of the four Masters Qualifier events.
