ATHX Games is one of the fastest growing functional fitness competitions on the European circuit, with more than 25 events across Spain, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Portugal and Denmark throughout 2026 and 2027.
What is ATHX Games
ATHX is a continuous 2 and a half hour competition, structured in six zones, with a single test format that repeats across every event of the season. The organization's stated goal is to test every aspect of fitness (strength, endurance and metabolic capacity) in a single session, with clear divisions so both beginners and experienced athletes can find their level.
According to the organization itself, the workout within each zone stays the same all season and refreshes the following season, so the test is consistent across every event of the year, while still evolving from one season to the next.
The origin of ATHX Games
ATHX was born in the United Kingdom in 2023, from the merger of two existing functional fitness event organizers: Strength in Depth and National Fitness Games. Mark Hartnett-Morgan took over as CEO, and Ollie Marchon, of Marchon Training, as the coach responsible for designing the tests.
According to Hartnett-Morgan, the idea came from seeing the success of HYROX, with its accessible, standardized format, while feeling there was room for a competition with those same strengths that tested fitness more completely, instead of focusing almost entirely on endurance.
Since then, ATHX has grown from 5 events in the UK in 2023 to a tour across 10 countries in 2026, with close to 6,000 athletes taking part in the 2025 season. It made its US debut in March 2026, in Miami Beach, and has had Adidas as its global partner since that same year.
How it works: the six zones
Every ATHX event follows the same structure, from start to finish:
- Warm-Up Zone (30 min): a space to mobilize and activate before stepping onto the competition floor.
- Strength Zone (20 min): the first test, focused on maximum strength.
- Refuel Zone (10 min): a break to hydrate and recover before the next test.
- Endurance Zone (30 min): an endurance test with sustained work.
- Recovery Zone (30 min): a second break, with recovery tech available.
- MetCon X Zone (30 min): the final test, a demanding metcon that closes out the competition.
The three levels: Lite, ATHX and Pro
ATHX Games organizes its divisions into three levels of intensity, with increasing loads and volume of work:
- ATHX Lite: the entry level, built for first time competitors. Uses lighter loads and swaps movements like the Box Jump Over for the Step-Over, which is more technically accessible.
- ATHX: the intermediate level, with more load and volume than Lite.
- ATHX Pro: the most demanding level, with the highest weights and work volume.
There's also an Individual and a Pairs category (male, female and mixed), with age categories going up to 65+ in Individual and 110+ in Pairs.
This season's 2026 workouts
Unlike other competitions, in ATHX the same test format repeats across every event of the season:
Strength (20 minutes)
Three consecutive lifts, same format for Individual and Pairs:
- 0-6 min: 1RM Strict Press
- 6-12 min: 3RM Back Squat
- 12-20 min: 5RM Deadlift
Score: total weight lifted by the athlete or the pair.
Endurance (30 minutes)
Combined running and rowing, with discipline changes based on level. In Individual, the athlete starts running and switches between run and row every 750m (ATHX) or every 1km (Pro). In Pairs, one athlete starts on the run and the other on the row, swapping every time one completes their segment (500m in Lite, 750m in ATHX, 1km in Pro). Time cap: 22 minutes. Score: total distance covered.
MetCon X (25 minutes, time cap)
The final metcon combines Ski-Erg, Ground to Overhead, Sandbag Carry, Box Jump Overs, Dumbbell Walking Lunges and Burpee Broad Jumps, with loads and reps scaled by level (Lite, ATHX, Pro). Score: time to complete.
2026 ATHX calendar
- Barcelona, September 5
- Marseille, September 19
- Liverpool, October 3 to 4
- Miami, October 10
- Houston, October 17
- Amsterdam, November 7
- Los Angeles, November 7
- ATHX Finals, November 27 to 29, Lisbon (Portugal)
How to qualify for the Lisbon Finals
Qualification is decided event by event, adding up the best results across the season:
- ATHX and ATHX Pro: top 4 per event in Pairs (female, male and mixed) and top 4 per event in Individual (male and female).
- ATHX Lite: top 4 per event in Pairs (female, male and mixed). There's no individual qualification at this level.
- Age categories: also qualify, with specific spots depending on the age bracket.
Invited athletes have 7 days from the invitation to confirm their spot and purchase their entry. If it isn't accepted within that window, the spot rolls down to the next athlete on the event leaderboard.
