Bert Sorin's Blue Print for a Legendary Life - Sports Illustrated

By Darrin Salberg | June 25, 2025
Live with intention. Serve others. Build capability and culture that outlasts you. Follow Bert Sorin’s lead and choose to be legendary – one bold, authentic step at a time.

John Welbourn

Forging Strength & Innovation — Bert Sorin (President, Sorinex) / Power Athlete
Bert Sorin, CEO of Sorinex Exercise Equipment, delivered a powerful and deeply personal talk at Power Athlete on what it means to “Be Legendary.” Unlike your leadership keynote packed with metrics or motivational clichés, Sorin’s presentation was a raw, hard-earned conversation. A blend of wisdom, failure, humor, and experience from a man who’s focused on building culture.

Sorin started with, “I’m not a doctor. I’m not an Olympian. But I’ve made a life out of learning from extraordinary people and passing those lessons on.”

And that’s exactly what he proceeded to do – share the core tenets that have shaped Sorinex, his own life, and the legendary relationships and reputation that surround both.

Building Culture Before Business

At the heart of Sorinex is not just a product line, it’s a legacy. Founded by his father in their garage in 1980, the company wasn’t born out of a business plan, but from a need for better, more functional training equipment.

“Innovation, wasn’t about being flashy – it was about solving real problems.”

That ethos remains, but what truly elevates the Sorinex brand is the culture behind it.

“Profitability doesn’t make you legendary. Impact does.”

The Ten Tenets of Legendary Living

Bert broke down his philosophy into ten powerful principles – simple on the surface, but transformative when lived in real time. At the top of the list: Be Authentic. “If you’re not yourself, one day you’ll look around and wonder how you ended up 20 miles down the wrong road…”

From social media personas to fitness industry gimmicks, Sorin called out the dangers of posturing and reminded us that self-awareness beats trend-chasing every time.

He spoke candidly about failure, value, and utility, especially in athletics. After falling short of Olympic Trials in the hammer throw, Sorin had to re-evaluate his identity and what he brought to the table. “People overvalue themselves all the time. Define your criteria for success—and if you’re not delivering, adjust.”

For Sorin, greatness comes from capability – having real, tangible skills that make you useful in the world. Whether that’s cooking a steak, fixing a trailer, or designing elite training gear, legendary people show up, when it counts.

He also told attendees to “reach out” and “be there” when in need. His go-to strategy for combating stress is calling three people who are having a harder day and checking in. “It strengthens relationships and reminds you your problems aren’t so big. Impact is always outward-facing.”

Be Legendary by Doing Epic Stuff

“Try epic stuff,” Sorin stated. “Walk through the open doors. Even if they scare you.” Bert journey has been anything but conventional – a like draped in authenticity, curiosity, and persistence.