Andy Devaney
Just when you thought HYROX had the hybrid fitness crown bolted down, ATHX Games has wandered onto the UK gym floor, chalked its hands, and asked politely if anyone fancies something a bit heavier.
HYROX might still be the world’s fastest-growing indoor fitness race, but in gyms up and down the country the chatter has shifted. Coaches, PTs and that one bloke who’s permanently in a weighted vest are all asking the same question: is ATHX the next evolution of competitive fitness?
The strength training specialists at BLK BOX certainly think something’s happening. UK Google searches for ‘ATHX Games’ have jumped a hefty 219% in the last month alone, as people start hunting for a new challenge to carry them through 2026. That’s not a blip; that’s a movement picking up speed.
What exactly is ATHX – and why are gyms suddenly obsessed?
If HYROX is the long, grinding suffer-fest that tests your engine, ATHX is the format that looks at your deadlift and asks, “Is that all you’ve got?”
Miles Canning, Commercial Director at BLK BOX, says the secret is how neatly ATHX drops into what gyms already do, rather than forcing them to reinvent the wheel.
“ATHX works seamlessly into existing gym spaces and equipment, fitting naturally into how people already train, so it’s not surprising that people are gaining an interest.
“The format combines strength, conditioning and endurance in a structured way that coaches can programme for and members can progressively work towards.
“For gym operators, that’s huge. It turns competition prep from something niche into something that can live on the gym floor year-round.”
In other words, ATHX Games doesn’t demand a new facility, a new kit list and a new religion. It takes barbells, sleds and conditioning work – the stuff people are already doing – and strings them together into a format that actually leads somewhere. A clear target. A leaderboard. A reason not to skip leg day.
HYROX vs ATHX: Same category, very different test
HYROX vs ATHX: how they compare
| Category | HYROX | ATHX |
|---|---|---|
| Event Format | Continuous race combining running and workout stations | A multi-phased competition day split into performance zones (strength, endurance, and high intensity conditioning) |
| Flow & Structure | One sustained effort with minimal downtime | Staged phases with structured recovery between sections, contributing to more balanced outlook statements |
| Training Approach | Heavily endurance led alongside functional strength | Balanced strength, aerobic capacity, and metabolic conditioning within standard gym-based programming |
| Competition Experience | Fast paced, race against the clock atmosphere | A structured competition day with strategy and pacing between phases |
| Primary Fitness Test | Aerobic capacity, pacing and fatigue resistance | An even mix of strength, endurance capacity and high intensity conditioning |
Both HYROX and ATHX sit under the booming banner of “hybrid fitness competition” – part race, part workout, part identity crisis. But the way they test you is very different.
HYROX is unapologetically cardio-heavy. It’s 8 x 1km runs broken up by functional stations that make your quads write strongly worded letters to HR. It’s VO₂ max, pacing and the ability to suffer at the red line without throwing up on your shoes.
ATHX, by contrast, is the kid in the squat rack who also remembers the assault bike exists. It actively acknowledges and rewards strength training rather than treating it as something you do when you’re not running. The format leans into:
- Strength: meaningful loads on barbell and resistance movements
- Conditioning: high-output, short-to-medium work blocks
- Endurance: enough volume to make you question your life choices, but not so much you feel like you’ve entered an ultra
Where HYROX is heavily skewed towards VO₂ max and “engine”, ATHX Games offers a more balanced, strength-forward test of what most people would recognise as “gym fitness”.
ATHX or HYROX: Which one should you actually do?
For regular gym goers, the choice isn’t philosophical; it’s practical: how do you like to train, and what kind of misery motivates you most?
Miles Canning, Commercial Director at BLK BOX, puts it this way: “Both HYROX and ATHX give people a clear goal to train towards, which is a big reason competitive fitness is growing.
“HYROX is a brilliant test of endurance, pacing and mental resilience in a race-style environment, while ATHX offers a more well-rounded test of fitness, bringing strength, conditioning and endurance work together in a format that’s very easy to programme for in a gym.
“There’s a lot of crossover in the training. Someone building strength and overall conditioning might focus on ATHX, while those who enjoy longer sustained efforts may lean towards HYROX, but many people can prepare for and compete in both across the year.
“It really comes down to personal goals and what style of challenge keeps you engaged.”
So if your happy place is long intervals, endless runs and chipping away at your VO₂ max, HYROX is likely your natural habitat. If you get more excited by loading the bar, grinding through strength sets and then finishing with a conditioning block that leaves you pleasantly ruined, ATHX Games may be the one that keeps you coming back.
And because there’s so much overlap in the training, plenty of athletes will periodise their year: a strength-biased block building towards an ATHX event, then a shift towards engine work and pacing for a HYROX race later in the season. Two flavours of suffering, one very fit human.
Why gym owners should care about ATHX Games
If you run a gym, hybrid competition isn’t just a trend to stick on the noticeboard; it’s a retention strategy with a scoreboard.
Because ATHX integrates so cleanly onto existing gym floors, operators don’t have to rip out half their kit or redesign their layout. The format can be:
- Run as in-house ATHX Games-style events for members
- Built into small-group training or S&C programmes
- Used as a year-round progression path for everyone from beginners to the “I don’t need a deload” brigade
It takes what used to be a niche – prepping for a one-off competition few people understood – and turns it into something that’s visible, understandable and part of the weekly routine. Members get a clear pathway, coaches get structure, and the gym floor suddenly has a bit more purpose than “three sets of whatever you fancy”.
Inside the mind of the creator
If you’re wondering whether ATHX is just another shiny acronym, its creator would politely disagree.
Ollie Marchon, Co-Founder and Creator of ATHX Games, comments: “We’ve seen how strength and conditioning has evolved over the past decade, and ATHX represents a natural next step for anyone progressing on their training journey.
“ATHX sets a meaningful challenge that encourages deliberate, focused strength training, while remaining achievable for those willing to commit. It strikes the right balance between aspiration and accessibility, making it a compelling goal for anyone looking to push themselves in 2026.”
That balance – serious enough to matter, accessible enough to attempt – is exactly what’s driving interest. ATHX Games isn’t trying to crown the fittest human on the planet; it’s trying to give everyday lifters, weekend warriors and ex-team-sport die-hards a structured, credible goal that lives where they already train.
The future of hybrid fitness in 2026
Hybrid competition isn’t going anywhere. With HYROX packing out arenas and ATHX Games now surging in UK search trends and gym conversations, 2026 is shaping up to be the year structured fitness challenges finally move from “for the few” to “for everyone who owns a lifting belt and a calendar”.
Whether you’re an engine-driven HYROX devotee, a strength-hungry ATHX convert, or a glutton for punishment eyeing both, the message is the same: pick a format, pick a date, and give your training somewhere to go.
Because if your next gym session has you wondering, “What’s this all for?” – there’s now a very clear answer waiting on the competition floor.
