From Fighter to Founder: Jason Curtis on Deadly Dozen's Rise

Fitness Racing Podcast
Written By Jason Curtis

In this special episode, the tables are turned — our guest, Graeme Hinde, steps in as interviewer to sit down with Jason Curtis, Founder of the Deadly Dozen.

Jason opens up about his journey from Thai boxing and military PT to becoming a coach, author, and now the creator of one of the world’s fastest-growing fitness races. Together, they delve into the mindset, struggles, and lessons that have shaped Deadly Dozen’s explosive growth — and what it truly takes to succeed in fitness, business, and life.

Topics include:

• Why coaching lit the fire more than competition

• The early struggles of starting a gym and building a business from scratch

• Lessons from failure, resilience, and financial stress

• How Deadly Dozen grew from one race to a global movement in 12+ countries

• Leadership, vision, and why “good enough” beats perfection

• The future of fitness racing, longevity, and training for life

This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about grit, setbacks, and the drive to create something bigger than yourself.

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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