As more details emerge about XENOM as the new “Decathlon of Fitness” competition format, the structure of the event is beginning to take shape. The concept behind XENOM is simple but ambitious: a standardized 10-event competition designed to test the full spectrum of athletic performance across strength, endurance, skill, and conditioning.
Recently, Event 2 and Event 3 were officially revealed, giving athletes and coaches a clearer picture of the kind of balanced fitness the competition is aiming to measure.
Event 2: Gymnastics Capacity
AEvent 2 introduces a gymnastics-focused challenge built around wall walks and rope climbs in an ascending ladder format. (xenom.global)
The workout progresses through increasing rounds of:
- 2 wall walks + 1 rope climb
- 4 wall walks + 2 rope climbs
- 6 wall walks + 3 rope climbs
This event is a classic bodyweight strength and control test. Wall walks demand shoulder stability, core control, and coordination under fatigue. Rope climbs add a different dimension, emphasizing pulling strength, grip endurance, and efficient movement mechanics.
Together, the combination creates a powerful test of gymnastics capacity, the ability to repeatedly control your body through complex movements under increasing fatigue.
For coaches and athletes watching the development of XENOM, this event reinforces a key theme: the competition will reward well-rounded athletes, not specialists.
Event 3: Anaerobic Power
Event 3 shifts the focus dramatically.
After the technical demands of gymnastics, athletes face a 60-second maximum effort on the Assault Bike, scored by total calories.
This event is a pure anaerobic power test. Short, brutal, and unforgiving.
Unlike longer endurance pieces, a one-minute effort forces athletes to push their maximum output while managing an intense buildup of fatigue. The best performers will need a combination of:
- explosive leg drive
- powerful upper-body pulling
- Lactic acid clearance
- Efficient breathing under extreme effort
Events like this often separate athletes who have raw power and conditioning from those who rely more heavily on technical skill.
In other words, if Event 2 tests control and bodyweight strength, Event 3 tests how hard an athlete’s engine can actually go.
The Emerging Structure of XENOM
With the release of these events, the overall philosophy of the competition is becoming clearer.
XENOM is not trying to be a single-domain race or a one-style workout competition. Instead, it appears designed to test multiple domains of fitness across different time frames and skill requirements.
We already know several of the other events:
Event 1 – 1RM Snatch
A maximum Olympic lift testing strength, power, and technical precision.
Event 2 – Wall Walk / Rope Climb Ladder
A gymnastics capacity challenge.
Event 3 – Assault Bike Sprint
A one-minute anaerobic power test.
Event 5 – 3,000 m Run + 2,000 m Ski Erg
A long aerobic engine event.
Event 7 – Gymnastics Triplet
A combination of toes-to-bar, dual dumbbell hang snatches, and bar and ring muscle-ups.
In addition, we know that Event 4 and Event 8 will both focus on metabolic conditioning, introducing longer mixed-modal workouts designed to test work capacity and pacing under fatigue.
This combination of strength, gymnastics skill, anaerobic output, and aerobic endurance aligns closely with the broader goal of the competition: creating a standardized benchmark for total athletic performance.
