Have you heard people at your gym talking about DEKA or Spartan DEKA? Wondering what it’s all about?
We’ll answer all your questions below, as if you are brand new to the fitness world. What is DEKA? What is a DEKA competition? How do I train for DEKA? And everything in between.
Let’s dive in…
What Does DEKA Mean?
In the world of fitness, DEKA refers to a brand of fitness competitions involving running & 10 functional fitness stations.
DEKA was derived from the Greek word déka, meaning “ten.” Spartan uses DEKA to refer to the 10 zones, or stations, of exercises in a DEKA competition.
DEKA Competitions
There are several different types of Spartan DEKA competitions, each one with a slightly different race format. All DEKA competitions include 10 zones, each having their own unique exercise and rep scheme.
Visit each page below to learn more about the specific event, how to train for a DEKA race, etc. If you’re new to DEKA, you can also get an idea what kind of time to shoot for, and some tips for first-timers.
So what’s the difference between a DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG?
- DEKA FIT – 10 fitness zones, each preceded by a 500m run. The runs are usually broken up into two 250m laps. You’ll run a total of 5 kilometers.
- DEKA MILE – 10 fitness zones, each preceded by a 160m run. Ten 160m runs equal 1 mile total, which is where the name “DEKA MILE” comes from.
- DEKA STRONG – Only the 10 fitness zones. No running happens in a DEKA STRONG.
DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG all contain the same 10 fitness zones. In the MILE and STRONG races, zones 4 and 8 are slightly modified from that of the DEKA FIT.
DEKA Ruck
All 3 DEKA competitions—FIT, MILE, and STRONG—contain a ruck division. You can strap on a ruck sack and complete your DEKA race with added weight.
- Men wear a 30lbs ruck
- Women wear a 20lbs ruck
Learn more in our DEKA Ruck guide →
DEKA Teams
Get your friends in on the action by completing a DEKA race with a buddy. The DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG all contain a teams division. You and a partner tackle the work together.
You can race as a DEKA team in the following divisions:
- All Male
- All Female
- Coed (1 male, 1 female)
Learn more about DEKA Teams →
DEKA FIT ULTRA
In 2024, DEKA introduced another variation of DEKA competition.
The DEKA FIT ULTRA is essentially 5 consecutive DEKA FIT races, without stopping. You’ll run a total of 25km (15.5 miles) and perform each of the 10 DEKA movements 5 times, completing 50 total stations.
There are numerous DEKA FIT ULTRAs on the DEKA calendar for 2025.
DEKA ATLAS
On October 31, 2024, DEKA introduced a completely new type of DEKA competition called DEKA ATLAS, to make its debut in 2025.
- DEKA ATLAS is comprised of 10 functional fitness movements, performed consecutively, with no running in-between.
It’s similar to the DEKA STRONG in that there is no running, but the 10 movements are very different. Learn more in our complete guide to DEKA ATLAS.
DEKA ATLAS is slowly being introduced at DEKA affiliate gyms across the U.S. and Europe in 2025.
DEKA FIRE
DEKA FIRE is a less popular version of DEKA competition that can be completed using only your body weight—no equipment. All you need is 5 meters of space, 4 markers, and a timing device.
It also consists of 10 fitness zones, but they are once again unique to the DEKA FIRE version, since no outside equipment is being used.
Anyone in the world can complete the DEKA FIRE and upload their score to a global leaderboard to see where they stand.
DEKA Rulebook
Spartan DEKA has an official rulebook that explains the movement standards, qualification system, penalties, and a general code of conduct for all variations of DEKA competitions.
DEKA Training
We are currently working on some content to help you train for DEKA, but we don’t have anything ready at this time.
In the meantime, you can reach out to an experienced DEKA trainer. A few recommendations:
- Kevin Gregory & Kayla Cittadino @ Underdog Fitness
- Greyson Kilgore @ Kilgore Coaching
- Amber Tait @ Pure Impact Athletics
DEKA Workouts
We are putting together a variety of DEKA workouts that we plan to make available for free on YouTube. In the meantime, here are some exercises you can add to your workouts to prepare for a DEKA FIT, MILE, or STRONG.
- running (for DEKA FIT and DEKA MILE)
- burpees (jump to target)
- lunges (reverse & walking)
- Assault/Echo bike intervals
- ski intervals
- row intervals
- farmer’s carry (with any weight or object)
- weighted situps
- box jumps, box step ups, and box step overs
- cleans (with dball, slam ball, barbell, sandbag)
- sled push & sled pull
Stay tuned for specific DEKA workouts coming later in 2025.
DEKA Equipment
All DEKA races (except the DEKA FIRE) use a variety of equipment.
The equipment needed for a DEKA competition (FIT, MILE, STRONG) includes:
- RAMs (22, 33, 44, 55) – use code davewarfel15 for 15% off
- RowErg
- 24″ plyo box
- Medicine balls (14lbs & 20lbs)
- SkiErg
- Dumbbells (40lbs & 60lbs)
- Assault Bike or Echo Bike or Xebex Air Bike
- Dead balls (40lbs & 60lbs)
- Xebex XT3 PLUS or Xebex XT4 Sled -or- Torque Tank M4 or MX
Officially-supported DEKA FIT events also require:
- A rig and target to perform med ball situp throws in zone 4
- A yoke to throw the d-balls over in zone 8
These are provided by Spartan DEKA and not required at any affiliate-hosted events (MILE or STRONG).
To learn more about the DEKA equipment needed for an ATLAS event, please visit our DEKA ATLAS page.
DEKA Leaderboard
DEKA maintains a global leaderboard for each variation of DEKA competition—DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG. You’ll also find the youth division, masters divisions, team divisions, and ruck division.
DEKA World Championships
At the end of each season, the top athletes in each variation (FIT, MILE, STRONG, Ruck, Teams) and each age group get invited to the DEKA World Championships. The event typically occurs in late November or December, and the venue changes from year to year.
- 3-day event, spanning Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Elite athletes, as well as over a dozen age groups, all compete
- The top Ruck athletes and Teams also compete
- Prize money is awarded to the top 3-5 athletes/teams in the elite division. Age group athletes compete for podium recognition.
DEKA Trifecta
The DEKA Trifecta is awarded to athletes who complete all 3 main versions of a DEKA competition in the same year, or season. Complete a DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG to earn your DEKA Trifecta.
Athletes receive a unique wedge after each race. These wedges can be combined to form a DEKA Trifecta medal, showcasing your hard work.
Our DEKA Trifecta page has more information, as well as the fastest combined times for top athletes completing all 3 races.
NOTE: DEKA FIT ULTRA, DEKA FIRE, and DEKA ATLAS are not part of the DEKA Trifecta.
DEKA History
DEKA was founded in 2021 by Yancy Culp & Jared Cogswell. Learn more about the history of Spartan DEKA here.
Questions about Spartan DEKA
What is DEKA?
DEKA is a brand of Spartan that runs fitness competitions comprising of 10 functional fitness zones. In some DEKA events, running is required before performing the fitness movements in each zone.
DEKA comes from the Greek word déka, meaning “ten.”
How do I signup for a Spartan DEKA event?
You can check our 2025 DEKA FIT events page to find a DEKA FIT event that fits your schedule.
Then you can signup on the Spartan website here.
