From Unlikely Beginnings to Becoming an Industry Powerhouse: Derek Wolfe and Bert Sorin Discuss Strength, Resilience, and Success
In the latest episode of Wolfe Untamed, Derek Wolfe dives into an incredible and inspiring conversation with Bert Sorin. Sorin, the owner of Sorenex, a premier company specializing in innovative weightlifting and strength equipment, shared his remarkable journey from an unlikely athlete to a successful entrepreneur. The two explore themes of resilience, mental toughness, athletic transformation, and how the outdoors intertwined with building a brand that has become synonymous with elite human performance.
“I Think I Joined the Track Team”: An Unexpected Start
One of the most compelling moments of the conversation comes from Sorin’s story of how he inadvertently stumbled into collegiate athletics. Bert’s background was anything but conventional for a future four-time All-American in track and field. As a self-proclaimed outdoorsman and far from a traditional athlete in high school, Bert had never seriously played football, baseball, or basketball. The early years of his life were instead spent fishing and throwing rocks into lakes, a pastime he would surprisingly reference during his fortuitous meeting with the University of South Carolina’s track coach, Larry Judge.
“When I met Coach Judge,” Bert recalled with humor, “he asked how far I could throw a football or baseball…I told him I’d never played. He’s like, ‘Give me something.’ And I said, ‘Well, I can throw a rock pretty far in the lake.’ He replied, ‘That’s going to have to do.’”
What started as an innocent attempt at staying active quickly morphed into a revelation. Bert described showing up at practice simply to be around like-minded driven teammates and thinking, “I guess I’ll show up again next Monday.” Over time, he became addicted to strength training and self-improvement. By consistently putting in effort—and carrying literal water bottles for the team—he evolved from the team’s go-to errand guy to breaking an SEC record and representing South Carolina as a leader in track and field throws.
“Half Percent Gains”: The Discipline That Propelled an Underdog
Bert’s transformation in college wasn’t just about skill—it was a masterclass in resilience and compounding effort. Despite walking on as an unproven, undersized freshman and starting at a distinct disadvantage, Bert seized every edge he could gain. By obsessively outworking recruited teammates, embracing small incremental gains, and consuming mass amounts of calories (sometimes dumpster-end McDonald’s burgers scavenged at closing time), he moved the needle week by week.
“I’d think, I might not be good today, but you better watch out when I’m a senior,” said Bert. “Every week I’d pick up a half percent more. Over five years of outworking people, I turned into one of the best guys on the team.” To cap it off, Bert left South Carolina as a team captain and a four-time All-American, cementing a legacy that few walk-ons could ever imagine.
His story exemplifies the power of mindset combined with consistent hard work, even when success seems statistically improbable. As Derek reflected, “That’s such an inspiring story…it’s about setting your mind to something and grinding it out.”
Mental Toughness: Learn It or Lose It
Both Derek and Bert touched on the importance of developing mental toughness and grit—from the gridiron to the weight room, and beyond. Derek recounted lessons from his turbulent upbringing, where he channeled anger and adversity into athletic performance. “I wasn’t afraid to throw it all away,” he said, reflecting on his youth. “But as I grew older, I realized controlling your anger is a superpower…mental toughness is something you have to earn.”
For Bert, wrestling in high school became his proving ground for mental resilience. He described gruesome training bouts where holding his own against heavier competitors demanded total focus and endurance. “You’re either going to outwill the guy, or you’ll drown in the deep end,” he explained.
Bert’s relentless approach continued throughout his collegiate and post-collegiate career. Even after narrowly missing out on finals in the Olympic trials, he committed to pushing forward for another four years of grueling training—all while working 50-60 hours a week building his family’s business, Sorenex.
“People don’t know what real toughness is anymore,” said Derek, as the two bemoaned today’s “softened” attitude in some segments of athletic circles. “Failure is where you grow.”
The Genesis of Sorenex: Innovation Through Determination
The conversation soon shifted into the creation and growth of Sorenex, an innovative strength equipment company that remains legendary in the fitness industry. Bert’s father, Richard Sorin, initially founded Sorenex to fill the gaps in athletic equipment in the 1980s. Bert carried on that legacy, bringing a fresh outlook to how gyms could be optimized for functionality. One of his influential breakthroughs was the creation of modular rack systems, which have since become an industry standard.
Bert humorously revealed that his father initially disliked some of his groundbreaking designs, including the signature Base Camp rack—an adaptive piece of equipment with four-sided holes for endless attachment possibilities. “He hated it,” laughed Bert, recounting how the revolutionary equipment was first perceived as unsightly before becoming a game-changer in gyms nationwide.
The company’s products, designed with durability and versatility in mind, have since been trusted by top universities, the NFL, and elite fitness facilities. Derek mentioned his own experiences training with Sorenex equipment, calling it “the best gear for people who are serious about getting stronger.”
The Outdoors and Fitness: Merging Two Passions
In addition to athletic aspirations, Sorin integrated his lifelong love of the outdoors into the brand. This led to the creation of Sorenex Outdoors, a community that bridges the gap between fitness enthusiasts and hunters. Events like Winter Strong were born from this convergence, melding archery, traditional survival skills, shooting sports, and fitness.
Bert explained the vision behind these gatherings: “Winter Strong is there to bring together different disciplines. You’ve got strength coaches and operators who’ve never camped next to guys who live off the grid. They learn from each other, break bread, and build relationships.”
Derek, an avid outdoorsman himself, praised the concept. “You’ve got yourself a community,” he noted. “There’s something so powerful about bringing good people together from different walks of life.”
“Effort Is to Be Celebrated”: The Sorenex Legacy
The conversation also highlighted the culture of camaraderie and shared effort that defines both Sorenex and its events like Summer Strong and Winter Strong. Bert shared a key insight: “Effort is to be celebrated, whether it’s the guy benching 225 for the first time or an Olympic gold medalist hitting a massive PR. Everyone’s effort matters.”
This ethos—lifting others up rather than tearing them down—is at the heart of Bert’s leadership. It’s also what has allowed Sorenex to thrive, growing not just as a brand but as a trusted community of people passionate about self-improvement.
Takeaways from Two Titans
Bert Sorin and Derek Wolfe exemplify the principles of grit, passion, and shared success. From Bert’s unassuming entry into athletics to his trailblazing work in fitness innovation, the conversation reveals a roadmap for tackling life’s challenges and breaking limits.
Their advice resonates across disciplines:
- Growth is earned through small, consistent improvements. In Bert’s words, “Half percent gains over years add up to something incredible.”
- Lean into adversity to build mental toughness. Derek aptly put it: “Failure is the price of becoming great.”
- Cultivate relationships and community. From Summer Strong to Winter Strong, Sorenex’s value lies in bringing like-minded individuals together to pursue shared goals.
- Celebrate the process, not just the outcomes. The mindset of continual effort leads to long-term success.
The rich anecdotes both men shared formed a clear picture of the intersection between physical performance and a mindset aimed at competing—for something greater than oneself. Bert put it succinctly: “Everything I’ve done in life, from training to designing equipment or building a business, was about pushing myself further and helping others do the same.”
As the conversation came to a close, Derek thanked Bert for the inspiring insight. “Man, you created something special,” Derek said, reflecting on the legacy of Sorenex. “Your story motivates people to do more, be more, and not settle for average.”
