DEKA x Deadly Dozen – Yancy Culp on the Future of Fitness Racing
In this episode of The Deadly Dozen Podcast, Jason sits down with DEKA’s head honcho, Yancy Culp, to dig into the origins, philosophy and future of one of the biggest names in fitness racing.
Yancy shares how DEKA was born in Joe De Sena’s kitchen, how it evolved from a simple idea into a global race system, and why the brand is built around one standard for every athlete – from first-timers to world-class performers. Jason and Yancy explore the relationship between DEKA, Deadly Dozen and the wider fitness racing ecosystem, discussing why collaboration beats competition and how both formats are working together to grow the sport worldwide.
They also dive into:
Why low technical barriers and simple kit unlock millions of potential racers
How fitness racing can become a lifelong sport for “professional amateurs”
The role of independent gyms, coaching and community in making the sport sustainable
Jason’s upcoming book on the history and philosophy of fitness and fitness racing
If you care about where fitness racing has come from, where it’s going, and how DEKA and Deadly Dozen can help shape the next 10–20 years of the sport, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.
