Hybrid Fitness Media

Calypso Sheridan breakout weekend and what it means going into Worlds
JK does what JK does and closes hard again
Luke Penney DQ and the ongoing "how early is too early" problem on the SkiErg
The "HYROX Illuminati" and the idea that we just aren't getting explanations
Breaking down the official challenge and appeal process and what it actually says
Finish line confusion and where the race actually ends
Course comparisons and why some times don't translate across events
Are we done with world records and fast courses or not
Pro...

Runner vs hybrid athlete mindset
Orangetheory and HYROX and where fitness is heading
Why HYROX is dominating social media
The importance of authenticity in content and brands
HYROX ecosystem and partnerships strategy
Roxzone strategy and rookie mistakes
Racing for a love connection
Doubles race strategy and pacing breakdown
Wall balls, lunges, and burpee broad jump lessons
HYROX patches, photos, and athlete experience
The ROXFit App and why data tracking matters
HYROX growth vs traditional running races

Summary

Dave's Peak 500 score vs Matt Kemp
Matt's AG podium + pacing breakdown
Hunter McIntyre's Miami performance
Kris Rugloski and Bridget Brown
Surf Dating mixed doubles wave
Worlds qualification controversy
New Elite 15 points system, real data.
HYROX Youngstars
Sled inconsistency issues

Listen on Apple or Spotify

Support us through The Cup Of Coffee

Follow Hybrid Fitness Media on IG

Rachael Wade On The Verge Of Elite 15
College running career at Texas and Alabama
Injuries, disordered eating, and a torn Achilles
Last minute Atlanta entry with no idea what she was getting into
Las Vegas 1:01:01 and the ChatGPT goal
Sled pull and wall balls as her biggest weaknesses
The Roxx gym in Birmingham and the growing sim scene
Moving to Salt Lake City this summer
Houston and Miami back to back.

Harry Gordon / Wilder Games
From Durham student to co-founder via the Fight Nights<...

Topics
Is Peak 500 a race, a test, or a multi-stage fitness competition?
HYROX's new rule eliminating post-race athlete-on-athlete reporting
VAR judging: improvement or more missed calls?
Viral "bad judging" content: real issues vs attention-seeking
HYROX Division 1: new tier below Elite 15
Mat Lock hinting at salaried or full-time pro athletes
ATHX Miami Invitational: Dave's role as Director of Sport
Deadly Dozen's rapid international growth vs minimal US footprint
ATHX races: no US dates, no clear public schedule

Summary
This episode covers where hybrid fitness...

What actually makes a good coach: knowledge, experience, and care
Blame the sled, blame the carpet, blame the erg. Or maybe it's the pizza and beers the night before
Why most people pick the wrong coach and stay too long
The red flags: long bios, fake credentials, and "business coaches" who've never done anything
Why authenticity is starting to win and the cookie-cutter content is getting exposed
Content vs experience: why doing the thing matters more than talking about it
HYROX vs CrossFit: race vs training methodology
Why you can't...

The Not So Live Show with Cheryl, Matt and special guest IanK from UKHXR.

DEKA production upgrades: new start line, finish line, and overall feel
The new Lycan machines: faster times, different feel, and athlete reactions
Why changing machines resets the entire leaderboard
The real issue: long wait times and races starting up to an hour late
Judging, volunteers, and the bottleneck problem inside DEKA
Does DEKA owe athletes better communication on major changes?

The Fastest HYROX times ever and a suspect course.
HYROX London setup: 10-day event, Elite 15...

Lexi Johnson built her platform long before she ever stepped onto a start line. What started as at-home workouts during COVID turned into a massive online and in-person community. Now she's taking that base into competition, with clear strengths and a lot of room to grow.

Then there's ErgShoot, a new format trying to carve out its own lane. It blends ergs with precision shooting, backed by real tech and early traction inside CrossFit events. The goal isn't just to be part of the space, but to build something entirely new.

<...

We start by catching up with Alyssa McElheny after her attempt to get a 2nd race in before the cutoff for The HYROX Warsaw Major. Saliva slowed her down, let's find out why. Then the Not So Live Show with Cheryl, Matt and Dave.

Athletes We Talked To

Friday - Elite 15 Singles

Morgan Schulz - 3rd - $6,000
Kris Rugloski - 5th - $4,200
Carolyn Watkins - 4th - $4,800
Katherine Fahsbender - 11th - $1,800
Terra Jackson - 8th - $2,700
Lauren Griffith - 7th - $3,000
Vivian Tafuto - 2nd - $9,600
Lauren Weeks - 1st - $15,000
Kelsey Hochleitner - 12th - $1,500
Audrey Skiver - 6th - $3,600
Lianne Girard - 13th - $1,200
Rachel Legacy - 15th - $900

Frédéric Dubé - 7th - $...

After the backlash over the 60+ World Championship race schedule, the company sent a new email saying they are exploring reversing the decision.

Matt, Cheryl, and Dave break down the response, read comments from the first Watergate episode, and discuss new details that came out about the Elite 15 athlete briefing:

• HYROX "Watergate" controversy after Cole Learn dumps water on himself mid-race
• Whether rules are actually being enforced consistently in Elite 15 racing
• The growing "trust bank" problem between HYROX and athletes
• 60+ athletes furious over Stockholm Worlds schedule change
• HYROX email claiming the change was "for their benefit"
• Age-group athletes forced to choose between singles and doubles
• Alondra Greenlee barred from racing after missing athlete briefing
• Kent allowed to race despite also missing the meeting
• Mandatory race briefings and whether they should exist at all
• Transparency problems and HYROX's repeated "no comment" responses
• Ho...

Matt sits down with Kaʻeo Kruse from Stryd to break down how running data can improve HYROX performance. Later, Alaskan athletes Chad Trammell and Lars Arneson join the show to talk about their impressive Pro Doubles debut at HYROX Phoenix.

Topics

Kaʻeo Kruse (Stryd)

• Hawaii → Harvard → UVA running career
• Training with USA Triathlon in Boulder
• Understanding running power and pacing
• Matt's HYROX Phoenix data breakdown
• Cadence vs stride length
• Efficiency and avoiding anaerobic spikes

Chad Trammell & La...

Fun to watch who will qualify for HYROX Worlds
Full breakdown of Rancher Strong race in Texas
Why Red Bull keeps winning in this space
XENOM launches and calls itself the Decathlon of Fitness
$500 entry fees, max snatches, and muscle ups
26.1 wall balls and the HYROX handshake meme

Matt walks through Rancher Strong from the Pro Am all the way through my race effort. What went well, what I overthought, and why HYROX training absolutely showed up when it mattered. It was short, violent, and a great reminder that fear is usually...

• Alyssa's 1:00:55 Vegas debut
• Marathon to HYROX transition
• Sled push issues and split analysis
• Elite 15 cutoff timing
• License rule change confusion
• Non-counted qualifying races
• Guadalajara scramble
• Leaderboard and alternate reality

Summary
Alyssa McElhaney joins after her 1:00:55 HYROX debut in Vegas. We talk marathon background, sled push problems, and what she needs to clean up to push into true Elite 15 territory.

Then Ryan Callahan breaks down the Elite 15 athlete license confusion that invalidated two of his early times, forcing a last-minute qualifying scram...

• Vegas was not the "exhale" after Phoenix, 17,000+ showed up
• Mandalay Bay venue exceeded expectations
• Lounge couches, neon relay vibe, and actual Vegas energy
• Judging adjustments post-Phoenix and penalty transparency questions
• Daria on NYC ticket chaos and affiliate presale reality
• $270 solos and $450 doubles and pricing creep
• Should NYC expand beyond two weekends?
• Dave's DEKA Strong PR and Strong as a bigger lane

We break down why Vegas was anything but a quiet follow-up to Phoenix. Mandalay Bay handled the volume, the relay felt like a nightclub, and HYROX leaned int...

Bobby Capobianco came on the program after a HYROX weekend and discusses:

• Why HYROX works
• From elite basketball to burnout to rebuilding
• Why some brands connect and others miss
• The power of visuals and experience
• Authenticity in the influencer era
• The ceiling of HYROX

Summary

This one starts casual and turns into a bigger conversation about HYROX and the fitness moment we are in right now. Bobby shares his path from high level basketball recruit to completely burned out former athlete who gained 100 pounds on purpose, then rebuilt through Cros...

HYROX Vegas tickets, map, and relay start times
DC getting the buzz over Vegas
Glasgow as a HYROX hotspot
Gauntlet UK format and 30kg hurdles as a fun twist
Doubles twist: hold kettlebells while your partner skis
Puma shoes and NYC tickets
Buc-ee's yay or nay

Matt debates the merits of Buc-ee's after his first visit while driving back from Alabama. Daniel Clafferty joins from Glasgow to break down the Gauntlet UK's unique station format, including 30kg hurdles and a doubles twist where partners hold...

HYROX Chundering with Lauren Stockley. Plus Squeaky Toy Judging with Mark Day.

Matt sits down with Mark Day and Lauren Stockley to discuss Elite 15 judging controversies and athlete experiences. Mark breaks down his viral videos on Rich Ryan's wall balls and movement standard inconsistencies, advocating for professional judging pathways. Lauren shares her devastating Phoenix DNF after throwing up on the rower, her Stockholm penalty, and balancing full-time teaching with Elite 15 racing.

Guest Links: Mark Day | Lauren Stockley 

Listen on Apple or Spotify

Support us through The Cup Of Coffee

F...

• Elite 15 judging controversy from HYROX Phoenix
• Wall ball depth calls and sled line penalties
• Judge positioning and why some no reps are impossible to see
• Why HYROX should back judges publicly and fix issues privately
• Passport and birth certificate requirements for regional championships
• Certified copy confusion for U.S. athletes
• U.S. versus European passport culture
• Spartan DEKA Discovery activations at race festivals
• What worked and failed with Spartan Games
• Mixed doubles judging and workload imbalance
• Why sim times do not count as real race results

This Monday Not So Live sta...

Matt B. Davis and Cheryl Snow breakdown their HYROX Mixed Doubles and how they took off almost 5 minutes from last year's time with Coach Matt Kemp.

Then we head into more interviews from the HYROX floor over the weekend in Phoenix with Mo Fuerste, Christian Totske, Faith In Pink, Kat Fahsbender, Amy Bevilacqua, Emilie Dahmen, Vicky McIntosh, Danielle Low, Lauren Rantala, Karyn Guidry, Kris Mendoza, Jack Goras, Jarrett Newby, Brendan King, and Lance High aka Losing with Lance.

Finally Bryan Darling, Hedge Podcaster joins us for Knight...

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
...

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 assignments, and communication breakdowns
Registration flow, warm-up logistics, and athlete ex...

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 loophole and how it was...

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 viewership issues
...

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

...

Topics 

Matt, Cheryl, and Dave dig into the HYROX Cruise rollout, bunq banking partnership, Surf dating app, and g...

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 to...

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...

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...

Happy New Year. Let's try something new.

TOPICS
• Holiday Not-So-Live catch-up with the crew
• Backyard studio build progress and spending decisions
• Home gym equipment tradeoffs and personal setups
• World Fitness Project "Project One" workout breakdown
• Online qualifiers, judging, and cheating in hybrid races
• CrossFit "fittest on earth" tagline and fitness format comparisons
• HYROX's pending points-based Elite 15 system
• Wins vs depth of field vs Majors weighting debates
• Athlete burnout and how much racing is too much
• Fitness boom, content saturation, and whether hybrid races peak

SUMMARY
We close out the year with a wide-ranging Not-So-Live. I updat...

I talked with Lauren Weeks about a viral clip that questioned a judging call and what actually happened on the floor. We broke down lunge standards, what judges are looking for, how yellow cards are communicated, and why some calls look different on video than they feel in the moment. We also got into judging consistency, human error, and why certain movements like burpees are still the hardest to officiate cleanly.

Then I was joined by the two guys behind XTRON Live to talk about their race format and why they built it...

Topics

• HYROX points system replacing time qualification
• They sure are nice in Sweden
• Race minimums, Majors, and access
• Elite 15 media obligations and fines
• Clarified penalties and appeals
• DEKA Worlds corrections
• Vancouver turnout and Worlds planning

Summary
This episode focuses on the implications of HYROX moving to a points-based qualification system, including how many races should count and whether the structure creates pay-to-play pressure. We also discusses Elite 15 media obligations, fines, clarified penalties, DEKA Worlds corrections, and pleasant surprises in Vanvouver.

Guest Li...

Topics

• Anaheim weekend fatigue and the familiar Day 3 emotional swing
• HYROX recovery zones and why unmanned spaces are a problem
• Judging consistency, warnings vs. penalties, and the "foot on the line" issue
• Wall balls: presentation vs. practicality, no-reps, and the box decision
• Shoes off for wall balls and grip issues with newer balls
• CrossFit criticism of HYROX and why it misses the point
• Greyson Kilgore's medical incident and how the community responded
• Recognizing danger signs vs. normal race pain
• CNS load, cumulative racing, and when to pull the plug

TOPICS
• Why Brian started TRYKA and what the hybrid space was missing
• Dublin TRYKA race weekends and the Portugal finale
• TRYKA 500, family divisions, and company participation
• Free affiliates, supporting gym owners, and simple scoring
• RAMs instead of wall balls and rotating workout plans
• AI judging, split standards for pros vs open athletes
• UK expansion and ticket-swap marketplace
• Why TRYKA favors community over cash prizes
• Samantha Faddis on HYROX, DEKA, Battle Bunker, and training as a parent
• Where she can gain time in HYROX and how she approaches sleds and rowers

Dave clarifies a couple of items that came up during last night's call regarding the DEKA World Championships and judging.

Topics
• When podiums should and should not change after the fact
• Athlete responsibility to protest versus sport responsibility to enforce standards
• Perception of favoritism toward "beloved elites"
• Janelle's frustration with self-policing reps after the fact
• Brooklyn's tank clip and the problem with "imaginary lines" in judging
• Why DEKA needs a clearer tank rule: wheels to the tape versus bolts
• Burpees, lunges, and movements that break judges
• Cheryl's line: "the best way to kill a good idea is to underfund it"
• Men's team mile penalty and why communication matters
• Hunter's season debut in Melb...

LT Games has confirmed its return for April 25, 2026. This episode covers the updates to the format, the new digital rulebook, heat structure, judging standards, athlete staging, and how registration will be handled for Lifetime members versus the general public.

We also discuss what the organizers want to prove before expanding divisions or adding new formats.

Guest Links:
Wes Robertson | Konner Fleming

Listen on Apple or Spotify
Support us through The Cup Of Coffee
Follow Hybrid Fitness Media on IG

TOPICS

• 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

SUMM...