On Sunday December 22nd, Santa Spartan gave everyone in the OCR world a holiday present. It came in the form of DekaFit. For those who missed the announcement, DekaFit is an indoor Decathlon style event with ten functional fitness stations with 500m of running in between each station. If you are having a little deja vu, yes, there is another company that made its US debut earlier this year with the same exact formula.
Over the last week we have been learning more details about DekaFit. Specifically, the ten stations that we can expect at every event.
Zone 1: Spartan Ram Squats
RX: Elite Men 55lbs, Elite Women & Open Men 44lb, Open Women 33lbs.
What you do: Athletes enter Zone 1 which is divided into six subzones. Athletes lift RAM weight and carries to subzone one and complete five reps. Athlete will then carry to zone two to complete five reps, once completed the fifth rep they will continue to the next subzone until they have completed five reps in every subzone.
Technique: During the carry athletes can carry the RAM in the front or back rack position. They may also carry or hold on the right/left shoulder. While squatting thighs must meet or break parallel to the ground at the bottom of each squat. Athlete must reach full hip extension at the top of each squat rep.
What you cannot do: Drag, throw or roll the Spartan Ram.
Zone 2: 500m Row
Enter zone two and proceed to an open row machine. Row 500m
Zone 3: Box Jump Overs
What you do: Athletes jump up on 24″ plyo box and jumps down from the box on the opposite side.
Standards: Elite Men & Women – Athlete must begin the jump with both feet on the ground. Athlete is allowed to jump or step down from the box. Open men and women are allowed to jump, step or climb on and off the box.
Zone 4: Med Ball Throw
Complete 20 medicine ball throws
RX: Elite Men 20lb, Elite Women & Open Men 14lbs, Open Women 10lb
Once athlete enters zone four athlete proceeds to an open med ball throw station. Athlete sits down in front of station, places feet under support bracket, grab medicine ball, lean back and throws the ball up and forward. The throw must hit a designation target in order to complete one rep. Repeat until 20 reps have been completed.
Standards: All athletes (elite & open) are allowed to lean at whatever body angle they chose. Both arms must be used to complete the throw. All athletes are allowed to rest in a seated or lying on back position.
Zone 5: Ski Erg
Enter zone five and head to an open Ski Erg machine to complete 500m.
Zone 6: Farmer's Carry
100m Farmer Carry
RX: Elite Men 70lb each hand, Elite Women & Open Men 53lb each hand, Open Women 35lb each hand.
What you do: Enter zone 6 , pick up two weights and carry for 100m then return weights.
Standards: All athletes are required to carry one weight in each hand in the traditional farmer's carry manner that positions the weight at the side of the Athletes legs as they carry the 100m distance. All athletes are allowed to set weights down and rest, all athletes are not allowed to drag or throw the weights.
Zone 7: Assault Bike
20 calories on the assault bike
What you do: Enter zone 7 and proceed to an open assault bike. Complete 20 calories on bike and proceed to the exit point to run 500m.
Zone 8: Dead Ball Wall Overs
Elite and Open waves all have a four foot barrier.
RX weight as follows: Elite men 70lb, Elite Women & Open Men 50lb, Open Women 35lb.
What you do: Once entering zone 8 athlete will pick up the prescribed weight wall ball and carry to four foot wall station. Athlete will lift and throw ball over barrier and climb over wall. This completes one rep. Athlete must complete 20 reps.
Zone 9: Tank push/pull
RX weight: Elite Men level 3 resistance, Elite women & open men level 2 resistance, open women level 1 resistance.
What you do: Upon entering zone 9 athlete heads to an open tank. You then proceed to push tank forward ten meters then pull back ten meters. This completes one round. Athlete must do this five times total to complete 50 meters.
Standards: Front of tanks must reach the 10m finish line before tank pull/row beings. After completing push athlete runs back behind the start line and pulls/rows the tank back to start line using the attached rope. Tanks must be kept in the required lane while pushing/pulling/rowing. Athlete must pull/row tank until front of the tank is behind start line.
Athlete then proceeds to exit point to run 500m.
Zone 10: RAM Burpees
BECAUSE WHATS A SPARTAN RACE WITHOUT BURPREES? Honestly did you think we wouldn't have any burpees in this?
20 Spartan Ram Burpees
RX: Elite Men 55lbs, Elite Women & Open Men 33lbs, Open Women 22lbs.
What you do: Zone 10 will have four subzones. Once entering zone 10 athlete picks up required RAM weight and carries to sub zone one and completes 5 reps. Proceed to sub zone 2 with RAM and complete five more reps. Do this until athlete has moved through all four subzones. Return RAM and depart zone 10 at proper exit point and run 500m.
Standards: Athlete squats down with both hands on RAM and lowers ram to floor. Kick both legs straight back and finishes in a place position while hands remain on RAM. Lower entire body until chest/upper torso of body makes contact with RAM. Push body back up to plan position, kick legs forward back under the body. At this point athlete can snatch RAM to overhead lift, clean to push press lift or a ground to standing curl and press lift.
Athletes in all waves are required to finish each rep with RAM pressed above head with elbows and hip at extension. Athletes are not required to jump off ground during RAM burpee (unlike in a traditional Spartan race).
What you cannot do: Athletes are not allowed to drag throw or roll the Spartan RAM.
At this point the only date that has been announced for DekaFit is March 21st in Denver, CO at the Colorado Convention Center.
For more information stay tuned here and check out DekaFit on Instagram @DekaFit
Okay… isn’t this just a 1:1 copy of HYROX?
Seems okay, but to be honest the rowing and skiing machines and stationary bike will keep me from entering. I’m just not into that kind of stuff.