🏆 Who Will Be the Fittest Gym on Earth?

September 24th, 2026

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • 🌍 The road to the Fittest Gym on Earth continues. ShireFit has been crowned Red Bull Gym Clash UK champion and punched its ticket to the World Finals in Egypt.

  • 🏃 HYROX or CrossFit? Why not both? Affiliates are finding that HYROX can bring in new members, give existing ones another reason to train, and create entirely new revenue streams.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

Any sort of fitness competition is a great way to give initiative to everybody in the gym – something to work towards…something to keep you accountable.”

Harry Lightfoor, CrossFit Games athlete
INDUSTRY

Red Bull Gym Clash UK Wraps Up, ShireFit Team Heads to World Finals in Egypt

Courtesy of Red Bull

Over the past few weeks, Red Bull Gym clashes have taken place worldwide, and National Champions have been crowned. 

  • Winners are now one step closer to becoming Global Champions at the World Finals in Egypt early next year. There, 28 teams from around the world will compete for the title of Fittest Gym on Earth.

On Saturday, September 19, Team ShireFit was crowned the Red Bull Gym Clash UK National Champions, with CrossFit One More Rep and Kulture rounding out the top three teams after an exciting day of competition that saw 13 teams from across the UK battle for the title.

Some background: With over 75 events and 575+ global gyms participating, Red Bull Gym Clash is building momentum in the global fitness scene. The first Red Bull Gym Clash global series was held last year, with 15 markets running national events that led to a Greek World Final in central Athens.

Peloton just reinvented the treadmill, and we're all taking notice

Peloton is going all-in on running, walking, and hiking with three new Treads built to meet you wherever you're training. Peloton Tread Flex folds up to nearly 50% for small spaces. Peloton Tread Vision brings a movement-tracking camera for real-time form feedback. And Peloton Tread+ Vision takes it further with Sled Mode - HYROX-style push training with up to 300 lbs of resistance, right on your belt, in your home.

All three run on Peloton IQ, the AI engine behind new features like Run Analysis, personalized Pace Targets, and Heart Rate Zone training, plus a fresh WHOOP integration for even deeper insights. 

October 1 begins a new era of tread, for every athlete, for every need. 

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SPEED READS

💍💪 Master the Rings: Ring training demands strength, stability, and control in ways fixed equipment can’t replicate, so the basics come first before chasing advanced skills. This CrossFit Essentials article breaks down the foundational positions and progressions that can help athletes build toward stronger, safer gymnastics.

📅🔥 The Countdown Is On: CrossFit has announced the dates for the 2027 Open, giving athletes their target as the road to next season gets underway.

👀 🤝 Big changes are coming to the CrossFit Open: In his WIR this week, Dave Castro teased a new pairs division that will let athletes split the work with a partner, plus built-in intramural functionality for affiliates. The goal is to make the Open more accessible, bring new athletes into the competition, and give gym owners better tools to rally their communities.

ICYMI: Next-Gen Athletes to Compete Alongside Pros at WFP Finals Through New Partnership With The Crown (Rx article)

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Still Holding Out on Offering HYROX Services at Your Gym?

Credit: @8thdaygym / Instagram

Pineapple on pizza. Ketchup on eggs. Android or iPhone. Cats or dogs: Some choices in life will never have a consensus.

  • Another one: HYROX at a CrossFit gym. 

Whenever this topic comes up in the affiliate owner’s forum on Facebook, gym owners pounce with strong opinions. One group argues that adding HYROX classes and programming has been the best decision they have ever made, while others argue there’s nothing wrong with a CrossFit gym venturing into HYROX.

  • As a CrossFit coach for 15 years and someone who interviews gym owners around the world weekly, I think you’re silly not to offer HYROX classes and programming. 

But It’s a Fad

One argument against offering HYROX services is that it is a short-lived fad that will fall as quickly as it rose. 

Maybe it is. But even if it is, I’m not sure it matters.

Fitness has always moved in waves. Trends come and go, and, in my opinion, it only benefits gym owners to adapt and ride those waves. If HYROX eventually loses momentum, you can pivot. And even if you invest in “HYROX equipment,” no single piece won’t still benefit a CrossFit class or other functional fitness-style training. 

  • Gym owner Joe Cebulski — who offers HYROX classes at Eight Day Gym in Grand Rapids, MI — used an analogy that resonated with me: “Fitness is like the weather.”

HIGHLIGHTS

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