The Future of Fitness Racing with Yancy Culp

Fitness Racing Podcast
Written By Jason Curtis

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.

Jason Curtis

Jason Curtis is the founder and CEO of the Deadly Dozen, one of the fastest-growing fitness races in the world, expanding to over 20 countries within just 18 months of launch. Building on this explosive growth, Jason opened the Deadly Dozen Institute of Fitness Racing, a pioneering global hub for training, education, research, and innovation designed to shape the future of the sport. The Institute develops world-class training systems, certifies coaches, and drives the evolution of fitness racing to build the next generation of hybrid athletes.

A former British Army Physical Training Instructor, bestselling author of more than twenty books, and one of the UK’s leading strength and conditioning coaches, Jason owned and operated a thriving strength & conditioning gym for over a decade, coaching hundreds of athletes every week. He is also the founder of the SCC Academy, which has educated and certified over 40,000 fitness professionals and enthusiasts worldwide.

Through the Deadly Dozen, the Institute of Fitness Racing, the SCC Academy, and his weekly Podcast, Jason’s mission is to make fitness racing the most accessible, physically rewarding, and transformative sport on the planet; uniting communities, redefining competition, and empowering millions to train, race, and embrace effort—a philosophy he calls Effortism.

Follow Jason on Instagram: @Jason.Curtis.Official

https://www.jasoncurtis.com
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