DEKA World Championship Preview Plus HYROX Open Champs Debate.
Release Date: 12/02/2025
HYROX Phoenix Elite 15 Interviews
Hybrid Fitness Media
We caught up with so many athletes over the weekend in Phoenix. Here is Part One. For starters: Rich Ryan, Charlie Botterill, and Dylan Scott on Wednesday evening. Then a quick chat with Kate Hutchinson and Riho after their open doubles finish as they were first across the line on Thursday. Thursday Night - Elite 15 Singles Finish Line Joanna Wietrzyk Vivian Tafuto Linda Meier Lena Putters Emilie Dahmen Rich Ryan Sean Noble Cole Learn Dylan Scott Charlie Botterill Luke Greer Jon Wynn Beau Wills Alexander Roncevic Friday Night - Elite 15 Doubles Finish Line Morgan McKay and Kat Fahsbender...
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HYROX Phoenix Recaps and Takeaways
Hybrid Fitness Media
Elite races and overall event takeaways from HYROX Phoenix Stadium venue pros and cons versus convention centers Live stream quality, graphics, and atmosphere Women’s Elite race dominance and watchability Men’s Elite race drama, late surges, and execution Judging standards, no-reps, penalties, and consistency issues Wall ball controversies and athlete–judge dynamics Doubles racing, records, and standout performances Tailgate activations, sponsor presence, and what actually worked Merch, branding choices, and the “plum/purple” qualification experiment Pro card confusion, wave...
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New DEKA FIT Rules with Ugly Dave/KOTSK Episode 2 Recap
Hybrid Fitness Media
Ugly Dave Claxton hops on to talk all about the new 2026 DEKA FIT Rulebook. DEKA rulebook updates and why they surfaced now Dumbbells allowed in Zones 1 and 10 and what it actually changes Front rack versus shoulder carry strategy for lunges Clarified protest period and timing desk process Zone 10 weighted burpee standards with dumbbells Age group standards tied to end-of-season age Farmers carry line-crossing clarification and why calf taps are gone Sled push and pull rule clarification after Worlds Penalty updates including missed laps and removal of make-up laps DEKA Strong team burpee...
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HYROX Phoenix Preview
Hybrid Fitness Media
Phoenix HYROX week kickoff and event buildup Accidental HYROX NYC date leak and calendar implications Elite points system breakdown including strength of field, carry in (dormant) points, and tiebreakers Why majors matter more than local races under the new system Access and fairness concerns for newer elite athletes Doubles rule change backlash around the same nation requirement Phoenix Elite Men’s field analysis and qualification scenarios Phoenix Elite Women’s field analysis and podium contenders Impact of penalties on elite race outcomes Late night elite start times and global...
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HYROX Points System Explained with Kris Rugloski and Fahsy Fit
Hybrid Fitness Media
Topics HYROX’s new Elite 15 points system and why it replaces time-based qualification How points are earned, counted, and retroactively applied Why course variance made the old system unsustainable Strength of field and how tiebreakers will work What this means for Elite Singles and Elite Doubles athletes Increased racing demands and injury risk concerns North America vs Europe race access imbalance Summary Cheryl and Matt sit down with Kris Rugloski, the 2022 HYROX World Champion, to break down HYROX’s newly announced Elite 15 points system. The new framework shifts...
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Should HYROX Say No More + KOTSK Episode 1 Review
Hybrid Fitness Media
Topics Garage gym setups and why home gyms win for hybrid athlete The HYROX Cruise pricing, capacity, and who it is really for bunq banking and whether race day perks are worth switching banks Surf dating and why fitness dating apps struggle to land Gambling partnerships and the risks for a growing sport OnlyFans sponsorship backlash and what the reaction revealed Audience fatigue, teaser culture, and brand trust When a fast growing brand should say no to partners Matt, Cheryl, and Dave dig into the HYROX Cruise rollout, bunq banking partnership, Surf dating app, and gambling...
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Welcome To Lindyland
Hybrid Fitness Media
Cole Lindbergh has lived a life that sounds improbable. Amusement park folk hero, This American Life subject, air guitar champion, game show contestant, musician, podcaster, and relentless starter of creative projects. In this conversation, Cole and Matt trace how curiosity, saying yes, and embracing weirdness led to opportunities that rarely arrived on schedule, but arrived nonetheless. They talk about early brushes with attention, missed reality TV moments, and the discipline of building a long body of work without obsessing over numbers. Cole breaks down air guitar culture, what it takes...
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Is HYROX Filling A Gap Crossfit Left Behind with John Wooley
Hybrid Fitness Media
John Wooley returns to the show to unpack why fitness racing has taken off and why CrossFit never fully leaned into a format that was right in front of it. We talk about how HYROX filled a gap for everyday athletes who wanted measurable competition without complex gymnastics, why certain body types thrive in fitness racing, and why HYROX training has proven more sustainable for long term health and performance than traditional CrossFit cycles. The conversation also covers judging standards, pacing mistakes, the appeal of age group podiums, and how athletes actually get smarter race to race. We...
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HYROX Elite 15 Kits, Doubles Chaos, and the HYROX Cruise
Hybrid Fitness Media
Matt and Cheryl break down the latest HYROX developments, including the new Elite 15 plum and black kits, what that does for sponsors trying to match colors, and why HYROX giving athletes 24 hours to respond to certain emails feels aggressive in a global sport. They get into doubles roll downs and reshuffled pairings, why doubles is harder to follow than singles, and the latest curveball: the HYROX cruise, its heavy marketing push, and the fine print that appears to limit participation to EU and UK permanent residents. The conversation also moves through a spoiler-heavy Pluribus discussion,...
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Workout Confessions
Hybrid Fitness Media
Happy New Year. Let's try something new.
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• HYROX Regionals format and Open feeding Worlds
• New Elite 15 last chance qualifier and prize money
• Puma’s upcoming HYROX shoe
• Deadly Dozen crossover week
• Thanksgiving running misery
• Dave’s run together race story
• DEKA China’s production level
• DEKA Worlds preview
• Elite FIT field including Greyson, Kent, Ryker, Isaac, Aitor, and Cole Walkington
• Women’s field including Kat Fassbender, Brooklyn, and Lauren Griffith
• Judging standards and what athletes should expect
• Medals, shirts, and production hopes
• Travel plans, who is racing what, and what the crew wants to see this weekend
SUMMARY
Matt, Cheryl, and Ugly Dave jump into a full hybrid week. HYROX Regionals gets ripped apart for mixing Open weights with Worlds qualifiers, and everyone agrees it is messy and needs to be separate from Pro. Prize money for the new Elite 15 LCQ is confirmed, and the upcoming Puma HYROX shoe gets early reactions from the crew.
Thanksgiving running gets recapped, including Matt’s brutal Atlanta hills, Cheryl’s short but steep four miler, and Dave’s classic run together move that ended with him sprinting away 500 meters in.
DEKA China looked unreal with smoke, lighting, a full stage finish, and huge production value. Now the focus shifts to Fort Lauderdale as Dave heads down Wednesday for DEKA Worlds. He is judging, he is racing multiple events, and everyone wants to see how the FIT fields stack up on a fully judged floor.
The show covers who is in form, what the judging will look like, what production pieces DEKA needs to nail, and why athletes should film their full race if they want clean evidence for disputes. Plenty of laughs, plenty of inside jokes, and a lot of excitement heading into one of the biggest weekends of the DEKA season.
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