For the record, here’s a guy who is crazy about physical fitness.
Steve Sokol calls himself the fittest man alive. And he could well be that.
The 43-year-old San Jose, Calif., fitness freak has set nearly 20 unheard-of exercise records. Such as: 52,003 sit-ups in 32 hours and 17 minutes; 3,333 squat thrusts in four hours; and 500.2 miles bicycled–standing up.
Sokol, who was in the Ft. Worth area recently trying to shatter two squat-thrust records, explained his overzealous need to keep breaking exercise records and maintain a healthy and fit body.
Q–So you’re setting all these records because . . . ?
A–The reasons have changed. At first, it was to be the best at something. It was a matter of finding something I could excel at, to satisfy my own ego. Then it became entwined in my career.
Q–So you do have a life beyond this?
A–Oh, yeah, I have a master’s in exercise physiology and an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. I have been teaching and working in health clubs and I do a lot of speaking at Silicon Valley companies. I hold several patents on exercise equipment. I’ve made a little career out of it.
Plus, I get to continue testing myself. I feel like I’m holding the clock back, like I’m young physically. Some people think, “I can’t do certain things anymore,” and I don’t think that’s true, not only in exercise, but in all facets of your life.
Q–When you’re setting records, when do you have time to, like, go to the bathroom?
A–For Guinness, if an event goes longer than 12 hours, you’re allotted a five-minute break each hour. But you can’t accumulate them. And you can’t sleep, so that five minutes is important.
Q–Does your wife think you’re nuts?
A–I met her as a result of her seeing an article on me in Cosmopolitan, so she knew what she was getting into. She’s a dancer and she teaches health and fitness to children, so she’s very supportive.
Q–What kinda food do you eat?
A–Lots of fruits and vegetables. I drink a lot of water and try to stay with leaner protein foods. I do take supplements. I’m not as sore after my workouts. I also take your basic multivitamins.
Q–Ever fall off the wagon and make it a Whataburger night?
A–I don’t eat hamburgers, but I had Mexican food. I won’t get chips and cheese or foods with lots of fat. If I go to an Italian restaurant, I ask them to keep oil off the salad and put on my own dressing. It does require making certain choices.
Q–I hear you also know a lot about stress reduction. Let’s say I have two girlfriends, making my life very hectic. Any suggestions?
A–Well, you can switch to one girlfriend. The other possibility is to commute from one residence to the next on bike or foot. Try to incorporate exercise into your everyday life. You might incorporate other things too, but I won’t go there.
Q–Answer a long debate–what’s better, treadmill or StairMaster?
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A–Neither. The best exercise is what you like to do. Walking is generally the most convenient form of exercise. It requires very little learning, with the exception of my 13-month-old son, who’s not quite getting it yet.
Q–Let’s say I don’t have any weights (and believe me, I don’t), what else can I use?
A–Every object in your house can become exercise equipment. I spend a lot of time in hotels, so I’ve learned how to use hotel furniture. With a chair and a bed, you can put your feet up on the bed and hands on the chair, as if you’re sitting. Your palms rest on the chair, your backside hangs off the chair. Bend your elbows and your rear drops down. That works your triceps. You can turn over and do an interesting-looking push-up with your hands on the armrests of the chair. Or you can pull milk jugs out of the fridge and do arm curls and overhead presses.
Q–How did you get started doing this?
A–I started exercising when I was young. I had asthma. A family physician who was ahead of her time recommended swimming. Eventually, I outgrew the asthma and acquired a love of exercise. I ran track and played water polo and competed in events. When I got out of college, I didn’t have my competitive outlet anymore, so I started running marathons and competing in bike-riding events. I found out that by some quirky circumstance, I was very good at sit-ups. At that point, it was like the cartoon character with the light bulb going on above his head. Now it’s a curse I have to live with.
Q–When are you going to quit?
A–I’ll never stop exercising. I will stop record-setting when there’s nothing left that I can pull off. I’m not perfect, but I am healthy and that’s something I enjoy. Five years from now, of course, I’ll have this big ol’ fat beer belly.