Bert Sorin: The Man Behind Sorinex Exercise Equipment
Bert Sorin Thrives on His Passion for Life, Family, Weight Lifting & the Outdoors
In the realm of fitness and health, it's easy to skip a day or two, citing the demands of life's necessities. Yet, there's a lesson to be gleaned from those with busier schedules, accomplishing more in a day than many do in a week. Take Bert Sorin, for instance. Despite a packed agenda, he thrives on passion—for life, family, weight lifting, and the outdoors.
Behind The Man
Sorin stands out as a distinctive business leader. He serves as the president and co-owner of Sorinex Exercise Equipment. This made-in-the-USA, family-run business takes pride in crafting exercise equipment. Sorinex's mission is to create innovative hardware and applications. They aim to enhance effectiveness, efficiency, and safety in the weight room. This is crucial not just on the sports field, but also on the battlefield. The teams you cheer for and the dedicated men and women of the military likely train daily with his equipment.
Sorinex had its roots in necessity. Bert’s father, Richard “Pops” Sorin, a physical education teacher, wanted equipment for personal and teaching use. When he could not find what he needed, he took matters into his own hands. Back in 1980, Pops taught himself to weld, making trips to the scrap yard after school. "I learned, designed, and built equipment because I had very little,” Pops said. “When you have little to work with, you learn to be creative."
In early 2020, Sorinex and Sorin showed their true versatility during pandemic gym closures. The Off-Grid rack was developed and launched almost overnight. Although not the typical high-end custom-built rack Sorinex is known for, it quickly found favor among fitness enthusiasts, especially those who integrate fitness into hunting and outdoor adventure preparation. Before long, these racks were being affixed to barns and even attached to trees, facilitating genuine outdoor workouts.
Passion & Consistency
As the president of a company specializing in exercise equipment and a lifelong weightlifter, Sorin naturally harbors a fervor for fitness. Yet, his love for the outdoors is equally profound. Raised in South Carolina, Sorin devoted much of his childhood to outdoor pursuits with his father when he wasn't lifting weights or crafting equipment. These experiences instilled in him a deep respect and love for the outdoors and woodsmanship.
As a four-time All-American hammer thrower at the University of South Carolina and professional Highlands Games competitor, Sorin had intense workouts. He ate substantial meals to cater to his 6' 4", 250-pound frame. Today, his diet and workouts have evolved but remain purposeful. In matters of diet, training routine, and honing of outdoor skills, Bert steers clear of succumbing to perfection. Instead, his focus lies in consistently making better decisions and seizing those small wins.
"Passion Insurance!” chuckles Sorin, a robust man with a beard that would make Santa Claus jealous. “It's a continuous effort with lasting rewards.” The commitment is to address today's responsibilities. This will ensure a future where time can be dedicated to kids and grandkids in 30 years. It involves not only relishing the rewards of current hard work but also sharing those benefits for generations.
“The goal is to stay consistent,” Bert asserts. He recognizes that maintaining consistency and leaving a bit in the tank aids a faster recovery the next day. This approach proves more effective than a single extremely demanding killer session that would necessitate four days of rest and recovery.
Sorin’s packed schedule doesn't deter him from hitting the gym in the morning. He rises around 6 a.m., grabs some water as he heads to his home gym, and cranks up the music for a cardio start. He bikes or rows for two songs and then pushes and pulls a sled for two more tunes.
"I don't time it, just two songs for each, and I have my workout started with cardio,” he says. “Now that the blood is pumping, I shift to the weights." He focuses on two to four reps of one compound movement for three to four sets and mixing in 10 to 12 reps of a hypertrophy exercise during rest periods. When time allows, he pumps through a superset of two to three exercises for three to four sets at eight to 12 reps each. This maximizes efficiency and requires minimal rest.
The session wraps up with three rounds of skips and backpedals for 20 yards each. "Finishing with skips may look funny," chuckles Sorin, "but this plyometric work keeps my tendons primed, helping me stay agile. I want to run with my wife, play with my kids, handle emergencies, and navigate rough wilderness terrain."
Turning workouts into a daily routine transforms them into a welcome friend, according to Sorin. "We have to get our ego out of the way. Submit the ego," he advises. He still enjoys pulling a heavy deadlift occasionally, he doesn’t allow the big numbers to feed his ego.
A Man’s Man
Despite his accolades, Sorin remains humble and welcoming. A few years ago, he decided to bring together close friends from the strength and conditioning world, the outdoors, and those with military experience for a campout on his farm. What started as a weekend of fun, fellowship, and some friendly challenges—lifting weights, marksmanship, throwing axes, and mental challenges—evolved into Sorinex Outdoors and WinterStrong.
Sorinex Outdoors combines the strength and conditioning world with the outdoor realm. Every February, Sorin, known for connecting fascinating people, and the Sorinex team host the annual WinterStrong where a diverse group gathers in the middle of the woods in South Carolina. They are passionate about strength, fitness, and the outdoors.
Bert Sorin leads by example, emphasizing the significance of strength for outdoors enthusiasts to enhance "passion insurance" while introducing the fitness world to the joys of the outdoors. For more information, check out bertsorin.com.