Welcome to the Phoenix Rising: Trials of Heracles 2026! This is our inaugural competition. As athletes ourselves, we have enjoyed the challenges, growth and cameraderie of many well run competitions and we want to give back to the community by adding our own. This event is also a fundraiser for mental health and suicide prevention, which are important topics to us. Our competition name "Phoenix Rising" is intended to celebrate the resilience of all those who have battled mental health challenges, including addiction, and struggled through difficult circumstances. If that is you or someone you love, please feel recognized and welcome at this event!  We have a special focus on the healthcare workers of all disciplines who answer the call and put the care of others even before their own needs, and who all too often have their own mental health overlooked. If you are a healthcare worker of any discipline, you are invited to sign up in the Heroes category for this event and be recognized on comp day. We are also actively working on finding a willing mental health charity to receive any profits we might make when this labor of passion is all said and done.

Our theme for this event is the mythological Trials of Heracles from Greek mythology. We are very excited to include several custom fabricated implements made specially for this event! We have loadable hammers for the timed front hold (named after Hephaestus, the Greek forge god whose assistants made Zeus' thunderbolts). The carry medley will feature custom welded Iron Crosses as well as the excellent quality sandbags of one of our sponsors, Freedom Strength USA. All first place finishers will receive a bottle of smelling salts from Skull Smash--literally the smell of victory! Finally, Alex has gotten his mad scientist hat (well, welding hood...) on to fabricate not one, but TWO loadable Thor's Hammers as well as a specially designed Heracles Hold for the final event! It will use 2" diameter rolling handles--train that grip!

We are very excited to have Kalle Beck of Starting Strongman as a sponsor--Kalle's site and tutorials were one of the first places Alex went to learn when he got bit by the strongman bug, and both his site and his store are a wealth of helpful materials. Finally, Jordan's gym Drip Athletic Club in Omaha is our key sponsor and where the implements will be living as Alex finishes fabrication on each as the comp approaches--come check them out during Open Gym every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 PM at Drip on 90th and Blondo!

This unsanctioned event is intended to be a great time for a great cause. If you've never competed in strongman before, or if you're a seasoned veteran anywhere below the pro level, this is the competition for you! More details on the weights coming as we finish fabrication and testing of our implements; we want weights that are challenging but doable for all levels. Keep an eye on the Drip Athletic Club Instagram for updates, and we hope to see you on comp day!

We are starting to get weights listed. These are subject to change and will continue to be updated as we test the implements, especially the Heracles Hold.

FRAME DEADLIFT

All straps except Figure 8 straps are allowed. We don't want anyone breaking their face a la Inez Carasquillo if they pass out, but we do want you to save your grip for the Heracles Hold! No lifting hooks unless you are an adaptive athlete; please reach out to us if so. No deadlift suits or briefs. One soft and one hard belt are allowed. Shoes, deadlift slippers, or socks mandatory--no bare feet to mat. Larger human weight classes will be using a Texas Strength Systems 6 in 1 yoke in the frame configuration; specifications forthcoming as we test different configurations. Less larger humans will be using a Titan Farmers Handles with Frame attachments with the handles in the higher position.

AXLE CLEAN AND PRESS

Max reps in 60 seconds. Clean once & Press away. If you drop the axle you may re-clean it and press again until the time limit. Strict press, push press, power jerk, and split jerk all allowed. If you full squat jerk the axle the promoter will order you a Liu Xiaojun Tshirt. :) No belt cleans or resting the axle on the belt before re-cleaning it. Judge will give a “down” command when athlete’s feet are together and head is through, signaling a good rep. Axle must be brought down below the chin into a front rack before before starting next rep. Judges will not make you weight for a call to start the next rep, but will call “no rep” if the bar is not cycled back below the chin. One soft and one hard belt allowed, Wrist wraps, elbow sleeves, and chalk allowed. Anatomical limitations (shoulder, elbow) preventing the athlete from locking out must be demonstrated to the judge prior  to the start. This is the sole responsibility of the athlete.  No deliberate dropping (tree topping) or throwing of the implement or athlete will forfeit their attempt and receive a zero. Weights have been updated to be less aggressive based on athlete feedback.*

CARRY MEDLEY

The first implement will be a sandbag, second will be an Iron Cross (specs forthcoming) and third will be a fixed weight150 lb Mystery Object inspired by a WSM event. Depending on the weight class, the order of implements will shift around--it will always be lightest to heaviest. We have one large Iron Cross and Alex is also welding a smaller one for the smaller humans which will have a less aggressive starting weight. The iron cross carry is called the "Barry Carry" in Australia, where Stand or Submit has some videos and technique tips featuring it. Check them out if you aren't familiar with this implement--save your biceps and don't try to curl it!  

HEPHAESTUS HAMMERS

This will be a timed front hold with steel shot weight as needed to bring the implements to the stated weight. Mitchell Hooper recently rated front hammer holds as the third worst event in all of strongman. You're welcome we guess? ¯\_(?)_/¯

HERACLES HOLD 

As above, a rolling 2" handle in each hand and mental toughness. Channel your inner Gabi Dixson and Mark Felix, and let's all make some noise for each other as each competitor steps up for this epic finale!