REP Fitness and Phorm Energy Tackle The Big Game

REP Fitness teamed up with Phorm Energy to kick off the Big Game weekend with a grueling (AND FUN) 60-minute partner workout with strength, cardio, and endurance blocks. 300 professional athletes and novice competitors signed up to compete through six endurance, HIIT, and strength blocks, with recovery, energy, and music fueling the good vibes.

"Phorm Energy was launching a new flavor, Silver Lightning," says John Ryziw, Senior Partnerships Manager at REP, noting it was a prime opportunity for both Phorm Energy and REP to showcase their latest releases. REP's newest innovation took center stage during the challenge. "The REP® Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™ was used in competition for the first time ever," he says.

Vendors, Attractions, and More

Hosts like MMA standout Michael Chandler, and former NFL players turned "Bussin' with the Boys" podcast co-hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan, kept the energy high. Paired with an event that felt like a carnival — a sweaty, intense, carnival. With food trucks and partner pop-up tents to help athletes fuel up, try out new products, and recover after their efforts. 

REP Fitness offered attendies the opportunity to try out their brand-new lineup of cardio equipment. Raechel Sinuk, Product Marketing Coordinator at REP and the event's MC walked users through how to adjust the Strive™ Curved Treadmill from free running into sled mode for sled work, and how to choose your level of resistance on the innovative Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™.

1st Phorm passed out healthy snacks and supplements to help fuel athletes before and after their competition. The Therabody booth featured percussion massagers to activate muscles and support recovery, with their CEO leading a group stretch before the big event. Plus, FLOWWATER, BW Sauna, and Concept2 were active brand sponsors across the event.

Beats by Disco Lines 

"The vibes were high-energy and electric thanks to the DJ set," says Lauren Jacaruso, REP Partnerships and Affiliate Manager, who joined in for the workout. At the helm of the vibes was American DJ and electronic music producer, Disco Lines — if you're in the know, you've probably heard his "No Broke Boys" remix with Tinashe. Mixing the soundtrack throughout the event, with music you can't help but dance and shimmy to: house, bass, and edits to popular songs that reinvent with charm. 

Equipment, Powered by REP Fitness

REP Fitness brought in the equipment to support this challenge, with sleds, weight plates, barbells, sandbags, plyo boxes, and rigs — as far as the eye could see and ready to take a beating.

The Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR was the focal piece, taking up rows of space, ready to challenge each competitor. This air bike wasn't like any air bike these competitors had ever seen, with VPR™ technology that allows each athlete to choose their level of resistance, and a ratcheting seat that made adjustments between partners quick and painless.

Additional callouts go to Polar and Garmin, who helped athletes track their training, Concept2 for supplying rowers through the Cardio Assault block, and to Therabody for aiding in recovery and muscle activation!

Where the Real Training Happens

Phorm Energy teamed up with REP Fitness to challenge competitors through efforts targeting strength, endurance, and sheer determination. "We had NFL and HYROX athletes, REP partners, sweepstakes winners, commercial gym owners, and more," says Ryziw. 

Demi Bagby, a CrossFit® athlete and fitness influencer; Brent Fikowski, profesional CrossFit Games competitor; Michael Chandler, UFC lightweight contender; Christian Harris, NFL linebacker; James Jackson, face of the popular Wandering Weights Instagram account; Brandon Schram, fitness model and motivational speaker; along with many other elite athletes, local trainers, and gym owners, took the challenge head-on. "The atmosphere encouraged people to push one another in a competitive, yet fun and accepting way," says Ryziw.

Team Silver Lightning claimed the top spot on the podium with a team-based calorie burn or more than 12,000!

The Workout

Grab your equipment, a water bottle, and a friend, and you too can tackle this hour-long partner workout. You have a 5-minute warm-up and cool down, and six 8-minute blocks of work. Take two minutes to recover between blocks and move to your next workout.

Gridiron Push: Load up a weight sled and push it back and forth as many times as possible. When you need to catch your breath, swap out and allow your partner to tap in and push and pull. Continue swapping back and forth for 8 minutes.

Cardio Assault: The Training Camp features three pieces of cardio equipment: the Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™, a Concept2 Rower, and a Ski Erg. Athletes cycle through each piece of equipment, working for one minute and resting for one minute, repeating the first cardio effort they tackled for a total of four sets.

Barbell Blitz: Tackle front-loaded squats with a barbell, loaded with enough weight that's challenging yet manageable for a full minute of work. Tackle as many rounds as possible for a minute, then allow your partner to tap in as you take a minute to rest. Complete four sets.

Bodyweight Beatdown: This round cycles back and forth between burpees and pull-ups (or an alternative to pull-ups like knee raises or dead hangs, level depending). There isn't any programmed rest but use your time on the mat as active recovery. Tackle four sets, 8 minutes total.

Sandbag Gauntlet: Toss a 50lb, 75lb, or 100lb sandbag over your shoulder and step up onto a plyo box. Work for 1 minute, rest for 1 minute, for 8 minutes and four sets.

Takeaway

By bringing together pro athletes, weekend warriors, and everyone in between, Phorm Energy Training Camp, Powered by REP, was a test of grit, innovation, and community. With the release of Phorm's Silver Lightning and the competition debut of the REP® Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™, the challenge showcased what happens when cutting edge equipment, premium energy, and driven athletes collide.