{"id":303155,"date":"2026-02-26T12:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/303155\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T12:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:34:12","slug":"the-new-fitness-event-that-tests-strength-endurance-and-metabolic-conditioning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/303155\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Fitness Event That Tests Strength, Endurance and Metabolic Conditioning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Athx<\/a> might just be the biggest fitness competition you\u2019ve never heard of. Built around three pillars \u2013 strength<\/a>, endurance<\/a>, and metabolic conditioning<\/a> \u2013 it pushes competitors through 2.5 gruelling hours designed to expose every crack in your engine.<\/p>\n

On the surface, it could be mistaken for another event aimed at self-styled hybrid athletes. In reality, Athx separates itself in a few key ways.<\/p>\n

For one, structured rest periods are baked into the format, allowing athletes to hit true max efforts rather than survive a blur of fatigue. It tests absolute strength with max lifts<\/a>, measures peak aerobic capacity, then finishes with a punishing closer that leaves nowhere to hide.<\/p>\n

Launched in 2023 with five UK events, Athx has grown steadily since. In 2026, it heads to mainland Europe for the first time. I went to the opening event of the new season at ExCeL London to see whether Athx is on the verge of going mainstream. <\/p>\n

What Are the Athx Workouts?<\/p>\n

After a thorough warm-up, competitors enter the strength zone. The first six minutes are solely allocated to hitting a one-rep max (1RM) in the strict overhead press<\/a>. A full lockout is required, while you\u2019re allowed as many attempts at different weights as you like. Once the six minutes are up, you move immediately into another six-minute block of back squats<\/a>, where three reps are the standard. Eight minutes are then allotted to achieve a five-rep max in the deadlift<\/a>, rounding off the strength section.<\/p>\n

A short 10-minute rest allows competitors to refuel ahead of the endurance zone, which consists of 22 minutes of continuous running<\/a> and rowing<\/a>. Athletes alternate between a run and a row every 500m, 750m or 1km, depending on the division they\u2019re competing in.<\/p>\n

Another rest period, this time lasting 30 minutes, follows before the metcon<\/a>. This final section has a 25-minute time limit but is designed to be completed as quickly as possible. Ski-erg<\/a>, dumbbell snatches<\/a>, sandbag carries<\/a>, box jump-overs<\/a>, walking lunges<\/a>, burpee broad jumps<\/a> and a final stint on the SkiErg help round off the event.<\/p>\n

What it Takes to Get Through Athx<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear Athx is a strong benchmark for all-round athleticism. Those who perform well in the strength portion may struggle more with endurance, while athletes with a high aerobic capacity can fail to lift heavy enough for five-rep max deadlifts and three-rep max squats. It\u2019s this fine balance you have to strike to perform well, and what really sets the elite apart from the rest.<\/p>\n

Personally, I entered an unfamiliar world that housed a whole load of pain. While I knew I was fully in control of the weights I could choose, I was most apprehensive about the strength zone heading into the event. I\u2019ve never attempted a one-rep max on any exercise and tend to squat in the 8-12 rep range rather than test all-out strength. As for deadlifts, I honestly can\u2019t remember the last time I attempted the exercise.<\/p>\n

I needed to be tactical. While you\u2019re given plenty of time to warm up, you don\u2019t want to get too fatigued. And although I had time remaining to attempt heavier weights than my 120kg squats and 130kg deadlifts, I opted against making marginal improvements knowing there was a lot of running, rowing and a sharp metcon still to come. That, and the fact my final reps were completed with a pure grimace, and any more weight probably would\u2019ve resulted in injury.<\/p>\n

Heavy lifts<\/a> also create systemic fatigue unlike anything else. There are only a few minutes to manage that strain, recover and prepare your body for an entirely different stress in the form of running and rowing. I just about managed to get my legs moving again, smartly maintaining a conservative pace to ensure I could finish strongly \u2013 even then, it became a struggle. It didn\u2019t help that every time I jumped back onto the rower I could see my progress relative to everyone else in my heat on a big screen directly in front of me. It\u2019s certainly fun, and brings any competitive edge you might have to the fore.<\/p>\n

Then came the metcon. These types of workouts aren\u2019t something I\u2019m particularly well-versed in, and I wished I were by the end, having never felt pain quite like it in my quads<\/a>. I very nearly stacked it during the box jump-overs as my legs almost gave way under duress. I put that down to mistakes made during the longer, half-hour rest period between endurance and the metcon \u2013 sitting down and staying static simply allowed lactic acid to set in, making it far harder to get moving again for intense, explosive efforts. Master that transition and it\u2019s possible to make considerable performance gains.<\/p>\n

Is Athx Worth Trying?<\/p>\n

As an event, Athx is clearly still in its infancy. But that\u2019s also why it feels encouraging that it could soon start to make waves in the mainstream. There\u2019s a clear method to how each element is structured, creating a high-energy environment where everyone is testing their ultimate strength, pushing the limits of their endurance, and leaving everything out on the floor.
<\/p>\n

How Is Athx Different to Hyrox?<\/p>\n

‘Unlike Hyrox<\/a>, which primarily focuses on aerobic conditioning punctuated by challenging, but ultimately “light” stations for seasoned strength trainers, Athx spreads its challenges across a longer window, including refuel and recovery zones,’ says MH fitness director Andrew Tracey<\/a>. ‘This enables the event to mix in some genuinely heavy strength training, alongside endurance and more high-intensity conditioning<\/a>. This mixture certainly makes Athx a more well rounded “hybrid” competition than Hyrox, although the slightly tighter and more specialised format of Hyrox may appeal more to some.’<\/p>\n

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Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men\u2019s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.<\/p>\n

During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.<\/p>\n

Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running \u2013 he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark\u2026<\/p>\n

You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs<\/a> or on X @ryandabbs_<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n