ATHX Games: What is this new hybrid sport that wants to compete with Hyrox?

The success of international Hyrox competitions has propelled the trend of the “hybrid athlete,” a versatile sportsman who excels in both running and weightlifting. This enthusiasm has led to the creation of new competitions such as “Swim’n rox,” which incorporates swimming instead of running, and on a larger scale, the ATHX Games. A major new hybrid fitness competition born in the UK, which made its debut in France with a first edition in Paris on April 25, 2026, at the same time as the Hyrox Grand Palais.

According to Sophie Millot, communication manager of Fitness Park (a partner gym of the ATHX Games in France), the intricacies of this new friendly rival sport are explained.

ATHX Games, the new competitor to Hyrox?

The particularity of this format, which is arriving in France, is that it evolves each year to allow athletes to constantly face new challenges. Unlike Hyrox, where the eight stations and 8 km race remain the same from one competition to another, the specific movements of the ATHX Games vary from year to year to offer a constantly renewed athletic challenge.

“The dynamic of this format is designed differently,” Sophie Millot also explains. Where Hyrox relies mostly on running, this English competition does not have a unique dominant aspect. It offers a balance between running, strength, and overall fitness through functional exercises. The ATHX is aimed at athletes who enjoy lifting heavy weights while developing their endurance.

It is this diversity of formats that attracts enthusiasts of hybrid training, both among amateurs and professionals, with three categories offered: Lite (for beginners), ATHX (the competitive standard), and Pro (the most challenging), as well as solo and duo formats.

What is the competition format for the ATHX Games? (Stations, time limits, rules?)

ATHX Games is a competition divided into three distinct blocks separated by recovery times:

1. The “Strength” block: A limited time to achieve a maximum load on three fundamental movements – in 2026: the strict press, squat, and deadlift.

2. The Endurance block: 22 minutes of high intensity alternating between running and rowing over set distances according to levels. (For example: 750 meters of running, followed by 750 meters of rowing, and so on for 22 minutes)

3. The “Metcon” (Metabolic Conditioning) block: A circuit of different functional movements, weights, and repetitions imposed to be completed as quickly as possible (For Time).

Interested in training in France with an ATHX Games certified course? Visit Fitness Park gyms throughout France or Episod studios in Paris.