Top 10 Fitness Gear From the World’s Fittest Man

Posted in Advisors, Articles, Fitness, Products, Reference on September 23rd, 2009 by admin – Be the first to comment

tire Active Expert Joe Decker works out with some tractor tires.

By Joe Decker
For Active.com

I’ve been involved in competitive fitness of some sort for about 25 years. I started out as a powerlifter and football player while also running track for a little farming community in the Midwest where I grew up. Then I joined the military only to find Uncle Sam’s one-of-a-kind intense fitness program.

After my time in the military, I decided to combine a couple newfound passions of Strongman with ultrarunning to eventually go on and break a World Record for fitness. Having a love of such diverse outdoor disciplines has called for a unique array of gear. Here’s my top 10 list of favorite gear that has helped me run long and fast, stay strong and be continually fit.

1. Real Food

I eat an array of fruits, vegetables & lean meats plus drink plenty of water daily. I take no supplements, no shakes and no shortcuts. My mantra is and always has been, “eat right, work hard and play harder.” You’ll find quite a bit of helpful eating information at http://www.mypyramid.gov/

2. Body Glide

I do not leave home without it. As a big strong guy who likes to run, cycle and lift, I’ve found my frame more prone to chaffing in all the wrong areas. This stuff is a life saver, especially on long runs and rides.

3. Under Armour Compression Gear

Listen, if you’re going to be on the ground doing push-ups, on your back doing sit-ups or just running around in shorts and shirts all day, these babies keep the pieces and parts in place. Again, not glamorous but this is for real people and not prima donnas.

4. Injinji Socks

I swear by the toe socks. I’ve worn them across Death Valley, through the Himalayas and during numerous 100 mile trail races without getting one blister. They’re like Isotoner gloves for your feet.

5. Running Shoes

I have two favorite running shoes. My longtime love that has been with me since before the Guinness Book in 2000 is the New Balance 1220. There have been many styles since, but none can compare. They are inexpensive, fit great and still hold up well.

My next pair is for down and dirty, in your face billy-goat-style trail running. They are the Salomon Speedcross 2. Not quite the ride of the New Balance, but I call them the “Monster Truck of Off-Road Running.” They are going to the Barkley 100 miler with me in 2010.

6. Watch

I’m not a big gizmo guy and actually still wear my old school Casio G Shock watch. It doesn’t have a compass or GPS but it is affordable, durable and still looks tough. I don’t like to sweat my pace or the mileage, but just enjoy my time on the trail.

7. Hydration Pack

I’ve been using CamelBak products for hiking, trail running and cycling since they first appeared on the market. I still love and use their products today. I have a 100 oz. old school HAWG hydration pack that goes everywhere with me. I wouldn’t leave home without it.

8. Torque Pull-Up System

One of the most difficult to master but effective exercises you can find is the pull-up. If you want a strong back, biceps and grip–do pull-ups. I have a traveling pull-up bar that I got from the guys at Torque Athletic. It travels in the back of the truck to the beach or to the park with me. Add some rings and presto! Instant gym. Plus, their stuff is still 100 percent made in the USA.

9. Strongman Gear

My two favorite Strongman implements are the tractor tires and atlas stones. You can get large tractor tires from many implement dealers that are looking to get rid of them. I have about a dozen in my garage that range from 200 to 500 lbs. Who doesn’t love throwing around a big tire? And it’s an incredible workout. My next favorite piece is the atlas stone. Atlas stones range in size from 75 lbs all the way up to 500 lbs. This is another old school strength exercise that is lots of fun. It’s very effective and can be done outdoors. I got my stone molds from Slater’s Hardware.

10. The most important piece of gear is a healthy body, a strong mind and a fire inside of you. You cannot buy this in a store. You have to be born with some of it and build the rest. You have to be willing to put yourself out there, only to fail miserably and then learn from your mistakes and come back stronger than ever. As the saying goes, “Where the mind is willing, the body will follow.”

These are just a few of the things I have continued to use over the years. They have helped me along the way and will hopefully do the same for you. But remember, gear can only help. You have to do the rest. Hope this helps you on your journey!

Active Expert, Joe Decker is an ultra-endurance power athlete and renowned fitness trainer who has helped thousands of people get into shape. He has completed many of the world’s toughest endurance events, including the Badwater 135, and the Grand Slam of UltraRunning. In 2000, Joe broke the Guinness World Records® Twenty-four-hour Physical Fitness Challenge to help inspire and motivate people to get fit. He is recognized as “The World’s Fittest Man.” Visit his website at www.joe-decker.com .

“Secrets of the Strongmen” by Steve Cotter

Posted in Advisors, Articles on June 15th, 2009 by admin – Be the first to comment

Over the coming months, we will be featuring interviews, articles, and videos from each of our advisors. Today, we would like to jump off with Steve Cotter, a giant in the field of fitness. His knowledge and skills are mindblowing. Here’s a taste:

Do you ever find yourself wishing that you were as good as so-and-so in a certain skill? As you continue to train and achieve progress you want to be good at everything, strong in every lift. Perhaps you marvel at the 500 pound bench presser and wish to equal his feat. You see a guy like John “Pull-ups” Allstadt crank out one-arm chins and decide you’re going to add those to your repertoire. And of course, you plan to achieve Master of Sport in Kettlebell lifting within the next few years! Well, I’m here to share with you the “secret” of the great strongmen and super athletes. (read on for more Strongman Secrets)

The Fitness Skeptic

Posted in Advisors, Articles, Fitness, Interviews, Photos, Reference on May 21st, 2009 by admin – Be the first to comment

(This is a recent article passed on to us by Coach Jamie Hale . . ..)

“Coach Hale why are you so skeptical?” “Why do you have such a negative view of the fitness industry?” “You are so cynical.” I hear these types of questions and statements on a weekly basis.  The people that approach me with these statements are almost always supplement salesman, homeopathy practitioners, equipment salesman etc..  Generally, people that do not like to have their authority questioned.

Skeptic or Cynic

Some people believe that skepticism is the rejection of new ideas. Often people confuse   “skeptic” with “cynic.” The Fitness Skeptic (Skeptic is derived from the Greek skeptikos, which means “inquiring” or “to look around) applies reason to any and all ideas promoted by the fitness industry or ideas promoted by anyone making fitness claims.  The Fitness skeptic (the term Fitness skeptic applies to health, nutrition and supplement claims as well) requires evidence before claims are accepted as fact.  It is important to consider who are making the claims, but no matter who makes the claim evidence is required.  In reality, the person’s reputation, authority or credentials do not make the claim correct.  The evidence determines whether the claim is correct.  Skepticism is a method used to question the validity of a particular claim.  In it’s simplest form skepticism requires evidence for a claim to be accepted as fact (valid evidence = Primary Research Data, valid evidence doesn’t include “they say” “my instructor says” “the gym staff says” “I have always heard”..).

There are many different aspects of fitness so it becomes obvious that science has not investigated every topic.  Many claims are so outlandish and unjustifiable (according to already established scientific facts) they do not warrant scientific investigation.  These are the type of claims that violate basic laws of biochemistry, kinesiology, endocrinology and so on. The people that promote these claims generally make up their own terminology and attempt to impress people with fancy words (in many cases words that do not exist or words they cannot accurately define). read more »

Congratulations to Rory and Crossfit!

Posted in Articles, Fitness on May 2nd, 2009 by admin – Be the first to comment

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(Photographs by Robert Benson)

Just a quick congratulations to US Cross Fit and Rory (McKernan) for being named one of “San Diego’s hottest fitness trends and trainers” by San Diego Magazine. (not bad for a fitness crazed city of over 3 million people.)  Rory and Mark (Devine-US Cross Fit’s president) have been  good friends of Torque Athletic over the years.  Check them out when you get a chance  www.uscrossfit.com.


To read the entire article by Phyllis DeBlanche, Adam Elder, Ryan Plourde and Julia B. Polloreno of SanDiegoMagazine.com click on Fitter, Faster, Stronger.

(And yes, that is a Torque Athletic kettlebell in Rory’s hand.)