Spartan’s Deka Launches New Fitness Competition Built for Gyms

Call it the Hyrox effect: as fitness competitions take off, Deka’s new format brings a standardized race into its affiliate gyms worldwide, providing an alternative to individual-style competitions

Deka, the Spartan-owned functional fitness racing brand, has launched Gym vs Gym, a new global competition that will allow Deka affiliate gyms to compete against one another using the same “Deka Mile” format over one synchronized weekend.

The event will run Oct. 2–4, 2026, with participating gyms hosting heats inside their own facilities. Athletes will compete locally, but their scores will count toward a global leaderboard tracking results by gym, country, region and individual performance.

The competition centers on the Deka Mile, a one-mile fitness race that blends running with functional training. Athletes complete 10 workout stations, with a 160-meter run between each one. The standardized format includes rowing, SkiErg, weighted lunges, farmer’s carries, tank push and pull, wall overs, burpees and box step-overs.

Unlike many fitness competitions, which are structured around individual winners, Gym vs Gym is designed to measure collective performance. Results will be calculated using the average Deka Marks recorded across age-group and team categories.

“Great gyms aren’t built around one exceptional athlete — they’re built around communities,” Deka International vice president Emily leRoux said. “Gym vs Gym celebrates exactly that. It’s an opportunity for coaches, members and local communities to work towards one shared goal while seeing how they compare with gyms around the world.”

The launch comes as hybrid fitness racing continues to gain traction globally, with brands such as Hyrox, Xenom and Deka building competitive formats around standardized workouts. Deka arena events are now hosted in 41 cities across 12 countries, while its broader network includes more than 1,000 affiliate gyms worldwide.

Affiliate gyms will be able to run heats across all three days of the event weekend, allowing members and non-members to participate. Individual athletes and two-person teams will both contribute to a gym’s overall standing.

Gyms that meet the minimum participation threshold will compete for two global titles: Fastest Gym and Highest Participation. Winners will receive the Golden RAM Trophy and global recognition from Deka.

“This isn’t about replacing existing competitions,” said Yancy Culp, the co-creator and senior director of Deka. “It’s about giving gyms something they can own together. The energy that comes from an entire community training towards one weekend, welcoming new faces through the doors and representing their gym on a global stage is incredibly powerful.”

Affiliate gyms have until July 17 to register for the Gym vs Gym World Challenge.