What is ATHX? The HYROX rival, explained (and how to train for it)

ATHX is what you get when someone watches a HYROX and asks why the strong blokes always get buried. It has not arrived in Australia. Yet.

The basic difference is that ATHX isn’t one long race. It’s three separate tests in a 2.5-hour session: max lifts on a barbell, a 3 km run that turns into a SkiErg battle, then a dumbbell-and-sandbag grind, with time to eat and recover in between.

That rest is the really interesting bit. You walk up to the bar fresh, so you can actually lift heavy, and the 95 kg gym lifter who gets eaten alive by HYROX’s 8 km finally has a race that suits him.

It started in England in 2023, adidas is now behind it, and it’s spreading across Europe and the US. Fast. Here’s how it works, how it stacks up against HYROX, every 2027 event, and how to train for your first one when it eventually arrives on our shores.

What is ATHX?

Say it ATH-ex: “ath” as in the start of athlete, then “ex”. ATHX (the series is officially ATHX Games) describes itself as “a 2.5-hour continuous fitness competition across six zones, with one set challenge designed to test every aspect of fitness” (ATHX).

Every competitor does the same three workouts: Strength, Endurance and MetCon X. Every event in a season runs the same workouts, so your scores sit on one global leaderboard, and the workouts change each year.

It began as a small UK series: about 2,100 people raced the first three events in Birmingham, Liverpool and Farnborough in 2023 (Hybrid Fitness Media). In December 2025 it signed a four-year global partnership with adidas (Fitt Insider; Athletech News). By May 2026 it had drawn more than 10,000 athletes across seven events in the first half of the year, including over 2,100 in Paris (Hybrid Fitness Media). It made its US debut in New York in September 2026 (SGI Europe), and the first World Finals are in Lisbon from 27 November 2026.

Searches for it have taken off as well. US searches for “athx” went from about 200 a month in early 2025 to nearly 3,000 by September 2026, and the UK now runs at about 4,400 a month. That’s roughly where HYROX was a few years before it became the biggest thing in gym racing.

How an ATHX race works: the six zones

You don’t race from start to finish the way you do in HYROX. You move through six zones over 2.5 hours, and three of them are scored. Your heat time is when you enter the Warm-Up Zone, and once you’re in you can’t leave the arena (except for the toilet).

Zone	What happens
1. Warm-Up	Mobilise and prime on ATHX kit before your first workout
2. Strength	Scored. Max lifts on three barbell movements
3. Refuel	Eat, drink, reset
4. Endurance	Scored. Set-distance run, then max-distance SkiErg
5. Recovery	Recovery tech (compression boots and so on) before the last workout
6. MetCon X	Scored. A row, dumbbell and sandbag chipper against the clock

Add up the scored work and it comes to about an hour: roughly 15 minutes of lifting, a 24-minute endurance block and a MetCon X capped at 25 minutes. The rest is warming up, refuelling and recovery, and that’s the big difference from HYROX. You can lift near your max because you’re not doing it with lungs already burning from 5 km of running.

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The ATHX 2027 workouts

These are the official 2027 workouts and movement standards (ATHX 2027 workouts; movement standards). The 2026 season used different workouts, so check which year your event is in.

Strength (all categories)

Time	Lift
0–5 min	1-rep max shoulder to overhead (press, push press or jerk)
5–10 min	2-rep max back squat (hip crease below the knee)
10–15 min	3-rep max deadlift: two 1-minute windows from the 12-minute mark, with 1 minute’s rest between

Your Strength score is the total of all three lifts, and the deadlift counts as the average of your two 3RM attempts, so a safe first attempt matters. Three continuous reps or three singles both count. In pairs, both athletes lift and the deadlift block runs to 20 minutes.

What the judges watch for: no sumo deadlifts, no bouncing, and the bar finishes locked out overhead with your feet back in line. Belts, knee sleeves, gloves and chalk are allowed; lifting straps and lifting suits aren’t.

Endurance (all categories)

A 24-minute block. You run 3 km first (ten 300 m laps; LITE pairs run 2.4 km), then go straight onto the SkiErg and ski as far as you can until the 24 minutes are up. Your score is your SkiErg distance, so every second you save on the run becomes metres on the ski. Miss a lap and you lose 500 m per lap. Pairs start the run together, and whoever finishes first can start skiing straight away.

MetCon X

A for-time chipper with a 25-minute cap, done in this order. Individual loads, men / women:

Station	ATHX	PRO
RowErg	45 / 35 cal	45 / 35 cal
Dumbbell ground to overhead	30 reps, one DB, 20 / 12.5 kg	30 reps, two DBs, 22.5 / 15 kg
Dumbbell bench press	30 reps, 20 / 12.5 kg	30 reps, 22.5 / 15 kg
Sandbag squats	30 reps, 50 / 30 kg	30 reps, 70 / 50 kg
Sandbag carry	30 m, 50 / 30 kg	30 m, 70 / 50 kg
Burpees over soft bench	30	30
RowErg	45 / 35 cal	45 / 35 cal

Pairs do more reps between them (60 cal rows for men’s and mixed pairs, 45 ground to overheads, 60 bench presses, 45 squats, 30 m of carrying each, 45 burpees) and can swap whenever they like. LITE pairs do 30 reps of each with lighter loads (15 / 7.5 kg dumbbells, 30 / 20 kg sandbag) and may step over the bench instead of jumping. No belt on the sandbag squats, and the bag has to come off the floor.

Divisions

• LITE: lighter loads and a shorter run. On the 2027 workout cards it’s for pairs only.
• ATHX: the standard division, individuals or pairs.
• PRO: heavier sandbag and dumbbell loads, and two dumbbells for ground to overhead.
• Pairs can be two men, two women or mixed. Strength loads are your own in every division.

Not sure between ATHX and PRO? ATHX’s own advice is to study the workouts and movements first and make sure you (and your partner) can handle the workload.

ATHX vs HYROX

	ATHX	HYROX
Format	3 separate scored workouts in a 2.5-hour session	One continuous race: 8 × 1 km runs, each followed by a station
Running	3 km (2.4 km LITE), then SkiErg	8 km
Max strength	Yes: 1RM overhead, 2RM squat, 3RM deadlift	No: sleds, carries and lunges at set loads
Rest	Built in: Refuel and Recovery zones	None: the clock runs from start to finish
Scoring	A score for each workout, ranked against your category	Total finish time
Workouts	Change every season	Same eight stations, same order
Divisions	LITE, ATHX, PRO; individuals and pairs	Open, Pro, Doubles, Relay
Size	More than 10,000 athletes in the first half of 2026	About 1.3 million projected for 2025/26
In Australia	No event yet	Yes: Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and more

HYROX numbers: Forbes Australia. For the full HYROX format see our guides to what HYROX is and every HYROX station and weight.

Our read: the two aren’t really fighting over the same athlete. HYROX rewards a big engine and running economy; a 1RM shoulder to overhead and 3RM deadlift reward a lifter. BOXROX made the same point when the 2027 workouts came out: runners won’t be drawn to a 1RM press, but heavier HYROX racers who like lifting, and CrossFitters who want more aerobic work without the gymnastics, might be (BOXROX).

Who ATHX suits

• Lifters who want a race. If your squat and deadlift are your strengths and running isn’t, this is the only mass-participation race where that’s an advantage.
• HYROX racers after something new. The SkiErg, rower, sandbag and burpees will feel familiar; the barbell won’t.
• CrossFitters who want a fixed, published test with no muscle-ups or handstand walks.
• Pairs. Splitting the MetCon X reps with a mate makes a first race much less daunting.

It suits you less if you’re a runner first, or if you’ve never lifted near a max with a barbell. Learn to squat, press and deadlift properly before you test a max in front of a judge.

ATHX 2027 events

The official calendar lists 34 events in 14 countries for 2027: nine in the US, four in the UK, four in Germany, and the rest across Europe (ATHX events, checked 8 November 2026). Entry starts from £125 for an individual and £225 for a pair in the UK, US$129–149 and US$239–269 in the US, and €150 and €275 in most of Europe.

ATHX’s own announcement in October talked about “over 40 events across 18 countries” and a 2027 World Finals in London on 18–21 November 2027 (endurance.biz). Neither is on the events page yet, so expect more dates to be added.

Is there an ATHX in Australia?

Not yet. ATHX has talked about expanding into Asia-Pacific (Fitt Insider, December 2025), but no Australian or Asian event has been announced. If you’re travelling, London (23 January) and San Diego (23 January) open the season, and Los Angeles (6 November) closes it. At home, the closest thing is HYROX, and training for ATHX will make you a stronger HYROX racer too.

How to train for ATHX

Train for what’s scored. ATHX rewards three different qualities, so a good plan trains all three each week rather than doing generic hybrid circuits:

• Max strength, twice a week. Squat, deadlift and a strict or push press, working towards heavy sets of 1–3 reps. Practise lifting inside a time window, because you only get five minutes per lift.
• A run-then-ski session. Run 2–3 km at a hard, steady pace, then get straight onto a SkiErg (or a rower). Your score is the ski distance, so learn to run fast but not flat out.
• A MetCon X session. The rower, dumbbell ground to overhead and bench, sandbag squats and carries, and burpees, at race loads, building up to the full workout.
• One easy aerobic session if you have time: 30–45 minutes at a pace you can talk at.

No sandbag? A dumbbell or kettlebell goblet squat and a bear-hug carry with a heavy bag or plate will do. No SkiErg? Use the rower for the same time. If HYROX is also on your list, our HYROX training guide covers the running side in more depth.

ATHX FAQ

How long does ATHX take?

2.5 hours from when you enter the Warm-Up Zone. The three scored workouts add up to about an hour; the rest is warm-up, refuelling and recovery.

Is ATHX harder than HYROX?

It’s different. ATHX is harder if you’re weak, because you test max lifts and move a 50 kg sandbag (70 kg in PRO). HYROX is harder if you can’t run, because there’s 8 km of it and no rest.

Can you do ATHX on your own?

Yes. You can enter as an individual in ATHX or PRO, or as a pair. On the 2027 workout cards, LITE is for pairs only.

What are the ATHX weights for 2027?

In the ATHX division: 20 kg (men) or 12.5 kg (women) dumbbells and a 50 or 30 kg sandbag. PRO: 22.5 or 15 kg dumbbells and a 70 or 50 kg sandbag. Barbell lifts are your own max.

Can I wear a lifting belt or straps?

A belt, knee sleeves, gloves and chalk are allowed; straps and lifting suits aren’t. You can’t wear a belt for the sandbag squats.

How is ATHX scored?

Each workout gets its own score: total weight lifted for Strength, SkiErg distance for Endurance and time for MetCon X. Each is ranked against your category, and because every event in a season uses the same workouts, you can compare scores across events worldwide.

Is there an ATHX event in Australia?

Not yet. The 2027 calendar covers the UK, Europe and the US.

How old do you have to be?

16 or older.

Sources: ATHX events, 2027 workouts and movement standards (checked 8 November 2026); Hybrid Fitness Media, Fitt Insider, Athletech News, SGI Europe, BOXROX, endurance.biz and Forbes Australia, linked above. Search data: OpenSEO, US and UK, September 2026.