DEKA zones
/ ˈdɛk.ə zəʊnz / · noun
Also: DEKA Zones, DEKA stations, DEKA FIT zones
DEKA zones are the ten fixed workstations of Spartan's DEKA races. Every DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE and DEKA STRONG event uses the same ten zones in the same order at the same loads, which is what makes a DEKA time comparable between events. Athletes must finish each zone before moving to the next, and the race ends when Zone 10 is done.
What are the 10 DEKA zones in order?
Loads below are from the official DEKA standards chart for men 14+ and for women 14+ (the women's load also applies to men 65+).
| Zone | Movement | Work | Men 14+ | Women 14+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weighted alternating reverse lunge | 30 reps | 25 kg / 55 lb | 15 kg / 33 to 35 lb |
| 2 | Row | 500m | Any approved rower | |
| 3 | Box step or jump over | 20 reps | 60 cm / 24 in | 60 cm / 24 in |
| 4 | Med ball sit-up throw (FIT) | 25 reps | 9 kg / 20 lb | 6 kg / 14 lb |
| 5 | Ski | 500m | Any approved ski machine | |
| 6 | Farmer's carry (per hand) | 100m | 27.5 kg / 60 lb | 17.5 kg / 40 lb |
| 7 | Air bike | 25 calories | 25 calories | |
| 8 | Dead ball over (FIT) | 20 reps | 27.5 kg / 60 lb | 17.5 kg / 40 lb |
| 9 | Magnetic sled push and pull | 100m | Resistance settings 8 and 3 | Resistance settings 7 and 2 |
| 10 | Weighted burpee | 20 reps | 20 kg / 44 lb | 10 kg / 22 lb |
Youth athletes (10 to 13) do 250m on the rower and ski, 12 calories on the bike and lighter loads throughout. In DEKA FIT each zone is preceded by a 500m run, in DEKA MILE by a 160m run, and DEKA STRONG has no running.
What are the standards for each DEKA zone?
- Zone 1, reverse lunge: hold the RAM or dumbbell above the waist, step straight back until the back knee touches the floor behind the rep line, and finish each rep with both feet in front of the line and hips and knees extended. Split-squat jumps are not allowed.
- Zone 2, row: stay seated until the monitor reaches 500m.
- Zone 3, box over: step or jump, but both feet must touch the top of the box and land on the far side. One hand for balance is allowed, both hands are not.
- Zone 4, sit-up throw: start with your back and the ball on the floor, sit up and hit the face of a target 1.37m (4.5 ft) high. The rep counts on contact, and a dropped catch still counts.
- Zone 5, ski: stay on the machine until 500m. The damper can be changed at any time.
- Zone 6, farmer's carry: carry the weights at your sides through a 100m course and set them down under control where you picked them up.
- Zone 7, air bike: 25 calories, and you may not touch the display once the counter starts.
- Zone 8, dead ball over: lift the ball over a crossbar 1.22m (4 ft) high so it lands on the other side, with both feet inside the frame, then move round to the ball for the next rep.
- Zone 9, sled: push the sled 10m until a tyre touches the line, then pull it back walking backwards, five times for 100m. On Xebex and Torque Tank sleds, 72.5 kg (160 lb) is added to the weight stack.
- Zone 10, weighted burpee: chest or stomach to the RAM (or to dumbbell height), then stand fully extended with the weight pressed overhead. Athletes who cannot fully extend their elbows declare it on entry and do 28 reps instead of 20.
How do DEKA MILE and DEKA STRONG change the zones?
Three zones are modified in MILE and STRONG so they fit a gym floor:
- Zone 4: a plain med ball sit-up. The rep counts when the ball touches the floor between your feet, with no target.
- Zone 6: the carry is five 10m down-and-backs instead of a 100m course, and a dropped weight means a deadlift penalty rep rather than a time penalty.
- Zone 8: a dead ball shoulder over instead of the over-the-bar lift.
What are the penalties in each DEKA zone?
Finishing less than 80% of a zone's work makes you an unofficial finisher, and your time does not reach the global leaderboard. Above that, missed work costs time:
| Zone | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 1, 3, 4 | 10 seconds per missed rep. A dropped weight in Zone 1 means an extra rep. |
| 2, 5 | 20 seconds for leaving with 5m or less to go, 2 minutes for leaving with more |
| 6 | 30 seconds for a dropped or thrown weight, 10 seconds for a foot short of a line, 1 minute for an unfinished carry above 80% |
| 7 | 20 seconds for leaving with 1 calorie or less to go, 2 minutes for leaving with more |
| 8, 10 | 20 seconds per missed rep. A dropped weight in Zone 10 means an extra rep. |
| 9 | 1 minute 30 seconds per missed down-and-back, 10 seconds when a tyre misses the line |
Zones done out of order cost 1 minute per violation. Skipping a zone entirely means disqualification from the leaderboard.
How long do elite athletes spend in each zone?
Dave Warfel's published elite targets at The Fitness Experiment for men put the ergs and the sled at the top: about 1:38 to 1:43 for the 500m row, 1:41 to 1:49 for the 500m ski and 2:00 to 2:15 for the sled, against 30 to 35 seconds each for the lunges and box overs. Those are targets for an elite race, not averages, and they exclude transitions. The DEKA FIT times guide puts them in context with the record times.
How should you train the DEKA zones?
Practise every zone to the written standard, because no-reps cost more than slow reps. The RAM is the one implement most gyms lack, and a dumbbell is an approved substitute on race day, so a dumbbell is fine for training too. The sled, rower, ski and air bike overlap with HYROX equipment, and HYROX-affiliated gyms tend to stock all of it. For a full race block, see the 12-week plans on hybridtraining.guide, and the DEKA Fit entry for the race format as a whole.
FAQ
- How many zones are in DEKA?
- Ten. DEKA FIT, DEKA MILE and DEKA STRONG all use the same ten zones in the same order, from 30 weighted reverse lunges in Zone 1 to 20 weighted burpees in Zone 10. The formats differ only in the running between zones and in three modified zones (4, 6 and 8).
- What is the hardest DEKA zone?
- By the numbers, Zone 9: the 100m sled push and pull carries the heaviest penalty in the rulebook (1 minute 30 seconds per missed down-and-back) and has the longest elite target time, 2:00 to 2:15 for men in The Fitness Experiment's published splits. Which zone feels hardest depends on the athlete, since the ergs punish weak engines and the lunges, carry and dead ball punish weak legs and grip.
- What is a RAM in DEKA?
- The RAM is a weighted, cylindrical training implement used in Zone 1 (reverse lunges) and Zone 10 (burpees). A dumbbell is an approved substitute in Zone 1, and two dumbbells in Zone 10, at the same total load.
- Are DEKA zone weights different for Elite athletes?
- No. The DEKA standards chart sets loads by sex and age band (14+, 65+, youth), not by Elite or Age Group entry. Elite entrants race the same weights and are separated only by eligibility for prize money.