Spartan DEKA is a fitness test & competition created by Spartan, Inc. in December 2019. There are multiple variations of DEKA—DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, DEKA STRONG, DEKA GORUCK, DEKA FIRE—that are all comprised of 10 fitness zones. Some variations include running before each zone.
DEKA is an attempt to gamify fitness. It provides a standardized, measurable test that can be trained for and repeated over time. Athletes can work towards improving their DEKA Mark (aka: time) to measure how their fitness is improving over time.
DEKA events are held all over the world. Spartan hosts larger DEKA FIT events about once a month, while DEKA affiliate gyms host smaller DEKA events every weekend. We’ll answer all your questions in this comprehensive guide to Spartan DEKA.
DEKA Zones
DEKA is short for decathlon and is derived from the Greek work déka, which means “ten.” It represents the 10 zones in a DEKA event.
What are the 10 DEKA zones?
- Zone 1: 30 RAM Alternating Reverse Lunges
- Zone 2: 500m Row
- Zone 3: 20 Box Jump/Step Overs
- Zone 4: 25 Med Ball Situp Throws
- Zone 5: 500m Ski Erg
- Zone 6: 100m Farmer’s Carry
- Zone 7: 25cal Air Bike
- Zone 8: 20 Dead Ball Wall Overs
- Zone 9: 100m Tank Push/Pull
- Zone 10: 20 RAM Burpees
* Zones 4 & 8 are slightly modified for DEKA MILE & DEKA STRONG events to better accommodate space and equipment.
For a complete list of all DEKA zones, the weights & equipment used, variations for DEKA MILE & DEKA STRONG, and more, we have a comprehensive article about DEKA Zones here.
Facts & History
Who founded DEKA FIT?
DEKA FIT was co-created by Yancy Culp & Jarod Cogswell, in conjunction with Spartan. Yancy pitched the idea to Spartan founder Joe De Sena, and Spartan was on board from the beginning.
When was DEKA FIT founded?
The first public announcement about DEKA FIT was made on the deka.fit Instagram account on December 20, 2019. They first teased the new fitness event with a “Coming Soon” post, and then provided the floor layout for all 10 zones.
Another big announcement about DEKA FIT was made by Joe De Sena on December 26, 2019 from his Instagram page. In that post, Joe said:
Excited for the 2020 launch of @deka.fit. This was made to give people at all levels of fitness a purpose in their training. It’s progressive self-motivating fitness. I know this will help us dramatically in our pursuit to get 100 million people off the couch.
–Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan
You can also read the official announcement post on Spartan’s blog, published on December 27, 2019.
When was the first DEKA event?
The first DEKA event was a DEKA MILE at the WW Ranch Motocross Park in Jacksonville, Florida on June 12, 2020. It was held in conjunction with a Spartan race happening the same weekend. (results: team • individual)
- Isaiah Vidal set the fastest time for men in 21 minutes
- Kristin Papuga set the fastest time for women in 25 minutes
The first DEKA FIT event was held on March 27, 2021 at Dallas Fair Park in Dallas, TX (results). $500 was awarded to the 1st place elite male & elite female.
The first DEKA FIT event was supposed to be held on March 21, 2020 in Denver, Colorado, at the Colorado Convention Center. However, the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Since 2021, there have been somewhere between 5-10 DEKA FIT events held each year. Currently, about 1 DEKA FIT event is held each month in cities across the U.S.
The first DEKA MILE event was held on June 12, 2020 at the WW Ranch Motocross Park in Jacksonville, FL. (announcement)
Who owns DEKA?
Spartan owns DEKA, DEKA FIT, and all other forms of the DEKA events. You’ll often see it referenced as “Spartan DEKA.”
Who is Yancy Culp?
Yancy Culp is a co-creator of Spartan DEKA, alongside Jarod Cogswell. He is DEKA’s Sport Development Program Manager, and the face of all DEKA FIT events. You can find Yancy on Instagram @yancyculp.
He is also the owner & founder of Yancy Camp, a training program for premier OCR & functional fitness athletes.
Who is Jarod Cogswell?
Jarod Cogswell was the Director of Sport and Education for DEKA FIT back in 2019. Alongside Yancy Culp, he is credited with helping build the brand to where it is today. You can find Jarod on Instagram @jarod_cogswell.
Jarod left Spartan DEKA in 2022 and became a General Manager at Life Time, Inc. in February 2023. Life Time, Inc. is known for its high-end fitness centers located throughout the U.S.
DEKA Mark
What is a DEKA Mark?
A DEKA Mark is quite simply the time it takes you to complete a DEKA event. All finishers of all forms of DEKA events receive a finishing time, and this is referred to as “your DEKA Mark.”
In theory, a DEKA Mark is an objective measurement that can be used to compare your fitness to others around the world. Because each DEKA event is standardized with the amount of running, the 10 fitness stations, the weight, the reps, etc., you should be able to compare your DEKA Mark with everyone else who received a DEKA Mark in the same event.
In practice, there are slight variations in how each DEKA course is set up. This leads to slightly different transition times between stations, different running times based on the type of running surface, etc. So not all DEKA Marks can be treated 100% equally, but they still allow for a good comparison of fitness.
What are the fastest times for DEKA?
See our article on the all-time best DEKA marks in each type of DEKA event.
DEKA Trifecta
A DEKA Trifecta is when you complete a DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG all within the same calendar year.
You receive a medal for each DEKA event you complete, and can combine them together to form your DEKA Trifecta medal.
World Championships
The DEKA World Championships is held once a year, typically in November or December. The first World Championship event was held on November 19-20, 2022 in Atlantic City, NJ.
2024 DEKA World Championships
The 2024 DEKA World Championships will be held Dec 13-15, 2024 in Ocala, FL, USA. We’ll publish the schedule below as soon as it’s announced.
- DEKA FIT: Friday
- DEKA MILE: Saturday
- DEKA STRONG: Sunday
Elites, age groups, teams, and GORUCK will all compete.
2023 DEKA World Championships
The 2023 DEKA World Championships were held Dec 1-3, 2023 in the Automobile Building at Fair Park in Dallas, TX. The events were as follows:
- DEKA FIT: Friday, Dec 1, 2023
- DEKA MILE: Saturday, Dec 2, 2023
- DEKA STRONG: Sunday, Dec 3, 2023
Elites, age groups, teams, and GORUCK all competed.
Can I sign up to DEKA World Championships if I didn’t qualify?
No. The only additional heats available for non-qualifiers at DEKA World Championships will be reserved for volunteers. So technically, yes, you can, but only if you volunteer at the event.
Qualification
The top 20 athletes in elite & in each age group will qualify for the 2023 DEKA World Championships. All times for men & women during all races in 2023 (up to September 24th) are eligible to qualify. Any times posted after this date will not count towards qualification.
The last DEKA FIT event before World Championships is in Orlando, FL on September 16, 2023. This is the final opportunity to qualify for DEKA FIT.
The last day to qualify for DEKA MILE & DEKA STRONG World Championships is September 24, 2023.
In 2022, only the top 12 athletes in elite & in each age group qualified for the DEKA World Championships.
An athlete can qualify for DEKA World Championships in 1, 2, or all 3 DEKA events.
In 2023, for DEKA FIT, there were 15 qualifying events around the world:
- Zaragoza, Spain – Regional Series (Q4, 2022)
- Tenerife, Spain – Regional Series (Q4, 2022)
- Austin, TX, USA – Regional Series (February 11th, 2023)
- Knoxville, TN, USA – Regional Series (March 4th, 2023)
- NorCal, USA – Regional Series (April 1st, 2023)
- SoCal, USA – Regional Series (May 6th, 2023)
- Carolinas, USA – Regional Series (June 24th, 2023)
- Malaga, Spain – Regional Series (June 24th, 2023)
- Puerto Rico – Road Show (July 15th, 2023)
- Madrid, Spain – Regional Series (July 29th, 2023)
- Ontario, Canada – Road Show (July 29th, 2023)
- Lancashire, UK – Road Show (August 15th, 2023)
- Northeast, PA, USA – Regional Series (August 26th, 2023)
- Midwest, USA – Road Show (September 2nd, 2023)
- Orlando, FL, USA – Regional Series (September 16th, 2023)
For DEKA MILE & DEKA STRONG, there are over 700 qualifying events at Spartan affiliate gyms across the world.
Age Groups
If you’d like to qualify for DEKA World Championships in your age group, Spartan DEKA uses the following age groups:
- 10-13
- 14-17
- 18-24
- 25-29
- 30-34
- 35-39
- 40-44
- 45-49
- 50-54
- 55-59
- 60-64
- 65-69
- 70+
Prize Money
Prize money for the 2023 DEKA World Championships is awarded to the top 5 males & females in the Elite division in DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG.
- 1st Place: $3,000
- 2nd Place: $2,000
- 3rd Place: $1,000
- 4th Place: $500
- 5th Place: $250
Age Group
The top 3 men & women in the Age Group division receive a podium prize & recognition, but no cash prize.
Teams
The top 3 male, female, and coed teams for DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG each receive the following prize money:
- 1st Place: $1,000
- 2nd Place: $600
- 3rd Place: $400
…in addition to a Championship Spartan Baton Trophy.
Registration
Registration will open for DEKA FIT shortly after the September 16th Orlando DEKA FIT.
Registration will open for DEKA STRONG & DEKA MILE shortly after September 24th, 2023.
Emails will be sent out to qualifying athletes. Athletes will be given a limited amount of time to register. At the end of this registration period, if spots remain open, an email roll down will take place until all 20 spots are filled.
Past Events
- 2024 DEKA World Championships (Dec 13-15, 2024 in Ocala, FL)
- 2023 DEKA World Championships (Dec 1-3, 2023 in Dallas, TX)
- 2022 DEKA World Championships (Nov 19-20, 2022 in Atlantic City, NJ)
Heats
For all DEKA FIT events and the DEKA World Championships, there are 2 main heats you can choose to be a part of:
Open: This is a non-competitive heat. It’s for athletes just looking to have fun, or beginners just getting started.
This was removed starting in 2025.- Age Group: This is a competitive heat where you compete with others in your age group. Age groups are outlined in the previous section. The top 15 athletes in each age group during the entire year are invited to DEKA World Championships.
- Elite: The Elite heat is only for DEKA FIT. It is a more competitive heat where there are no age groups. All elite men run in their own heat, as do all women, separately from the age group & open heats. You must be invited to participate in this heat.
Aside from the DEKA World Championships, all DEKA MILE & DEKA STRONG events do not have heats. All athletes sign up for a wave time, usually in 30-minute increments, and everyone is put on the same leaderboard for the event.
DEKA FIT
DEKA FIT was the original version of Spartan DEKA created back in 2019. It consists of the standard 10 DEKA zones, each preceded by a 500m run. DEKA FIT events…
- are produced by Spartan
- typically occur indoors, in a convention center or similar event space
- often consist of two laps of a 250m run course
- are open to athletes at all levels of fitness
There is about 1 DEKA FIT event each month, most of which take place in the United States.
See the full 2024 DEKA FIT event schedule →
DEKA MILE
DEKA MILE is a variation of Spartan DEKA that includes a total of 1 mile of running. It is shorter than a DEKA FIT event, with 160m of running preceding each of the 10 DEKA zones. A few of the DEKA zones are modified from the DEKA FIT version for better accessibility to gyms across the world (zones 4 & 8).
DEKA MILE events…
- are hosted by affiliate gyms all over the world who partner with Spartan
- contain a total of 1 mile of running (160m x 10 laps)
- consist of the same 10 DEKA zones after each run
DEKA STRONG
DEKA STRONG is a variation of Spartan DEKA that only includes the 10 DEKA zones. There is no running in DEKA STRONG. You move right from one zone to the next, and the zones are the same as DEKA MILE.
DEKA STRONG events are also hosted by affiliate gyms all over the world who partner with Spartan.
DEKA GORUCK
The DEKA GORUCK event is when competitors complete a DEKA FIT event wearing a ruck.
- Men wear a 30lb ruck
- Women wear a 20lb ruck
The only exception is DEKA zone 4, the med ball situp. Athletes will remove their ruck and use it instead of a med ball. They must wear the ruck during all other zones and run laps.
DEKA GORUCK is not available at DEKA MILE or DEKA STRONG events. It is only an option for DEKA FIT events.
To learn more about DEKA GORUCK, please visit our complete DEKA GORUCK guide →
DEKA FIRE
DEKA FIRE is the bodyweight version of Spartan DEKA that can be completed anywhere, at any time, with zero equipment. There is no running, and the 10 DEKA FIRE zones are as follows:
- Zone 1: 30 Alternating Reverse Lunges
- Zone 2: 20 Hand Release Pushups
- Zone 3: 30 Situps
- Zone 4: 30 Squat Jumps
- Zone 5: 50m Bear Crawl
- Zone 6: 100m Shuttle Run
- Zone 7: 30 Lateral Jumps
- Zone 8: 30 Plank Shoulder Taps
- Zone 9: 100m Lateral Shuffle
- Zone 10: 20 Burpees
You can record yourself performing the DEKA FIRE workout and submit your score to the global leaderboard.
DEKA Teams
Each version of Spartan DEKA—DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG—may be performed as a team of two. The following team types are allowed:
- Male (2 males)
- Female (2 females)
- Coed (1 male, 1 female)
Team results are posted to local & global DEKA leaderboards.
For DEKA FIT & DEKA MILE team events, both teammates must run the first & last laps together. All other run laps, and all zones, can be completed be either teammate, in any order, but only one athlete can be working at a time.
When switching who is completing the work, hand-to-hand contact must be made between teammates.
To learn more about DEKA Teams, please visit our complete DEKA Teams guide →
DEKA FIT Ultra World Cup
The DEKA FIT Ultra World Cup was added in 2024. This is a one-time event held at DEKA FIT Midwest in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Sunday, July 21st.
The DEKA FIT Ultra is the standard DEKA FIT event completed 5 times in a row.
- 25k total of running
- 50 total stations
You just complete 5 DEKA FIT events back to back to back to back to back.
Prize Money
The prize money for Spartan DEKA events varies with each event.
Most U.S. DEKA FIT events award the following prize money to the top 3 male & female finishers in the Elite division:
- 🥇 1st Place: $1,000
- 🥈 2nd Place: $500
- 🥉 3rd Place: $250
Most international DEKA FIT events award the following prize money to the top 3 male & female finishers:
- 🥇 1st Place: $600
- 🥈 2nd Place: $400
- 🥉 3rd Place: $200
In addition to prize money, the top 3 finishers also typically receive a Spartan RAM trophy.
DEKA STRONG & DEKA MILE events are hosted by affiliate gyms and do not provide prize money.
DEKA World Championships
The DEKA World Championships is held once a year, typically in November/December. Prize money is awarded to the top 5 male & female finishers in the Elite division of DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE, and DEKA STRONG.
- 1st Place: $3,000
- 2nd Place: $2,000
- 3rd Place: $1,000
- 4th Place: $500
- 5th Place: $250
In 2022, prize money was the same as above.
Media Properties
Spartan DEKA maintains several media channels to promote its content:
- deka.fit website
- @deka.fit Instagram
- Spartan DEKA Facebook
- Spartan DEKA Podcast (last updated May 2, 2022)
Spartan DEKA doesn’t have an official YouTube account, however, you can find DEKA videos on the Spartan YouTube channel.
Partners & Sponsors
Spartan DEKA partners with various companies in the health & fitness space. The current sponsors of DEKA include:
- GetRXd / Xebex
- RAMfit
- Titan 6 Actual
- Titan Fitness
- 5.11 Tactical
- PRIME
- Alani
DEKA International
Since launching the U.S. in 2020, DEKA has expanded its reach across the globe. DEKA affiliates are popping up all over the world, and events are now happening in many countries.
International DEKA Locations
- DEKA Spain: Instagram • Facebook • Official Website
- DEKA Puerto Rico: Instagram
- DEKA Mexico: Official Announcement on June 15, 2023
- DEKA Malaysia: Instagram
- DEKA Arabia/UAE: Instagram
When was the first international DEKA FIT event?
The first international DEKA FIT event was held on June 24, 2023 in Málaga, Spain. (results)
FAQ
Can spectators watch for free?
No, there is a $13 fee for all spectators to watch a DEKA FIT event. This change was made starting with the 2025 season. In previous years, it was free to watch a DEKA FIT event.
Since DEKA MILE & DEKA STRONG events are hosted at affiliate gyms, it is up to the specific gym to determine spectator fees. Almost all MILE & STRONG events we’ve seen have been free for spectators.
How do I volunteer for a DEKA FIT event?
Visit deka.fit/dekatribe and sign up to help out at an event. Volunteers receive:
- free entry into a DEKA FIT event (open/volunteer waves only)
- free race shirt
12-hour & full day shifts also receive $60 in merchandise credit to be used on Spartan gear, and a Spartan/DEKA hoodie.
Volunteer jobs include:
- DEKA Arena setup & build
- On-course motivation for competitors
- Festival area & registration
- Finish line, passing out medals and tshirts
- Referees/Judges, in zones and out on course
