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Nine Challenges. Nine Opportunities to Prove Your Capability.
The Forge 9™ Trials brings nine challenges to the Forge Festival™ — open and available to every attendee throughout the day.
Designed to evaluate the foundational qualities of athletic performance, the Forge 9™ Trials consists of nine standardized tests that measure strength, power, endurance, grip, climbing ability, work capacity, and relative strength.
While the NXF Classic™ identifies the most complete athlete through competition, the Forge 9™ Trials allows participants to isolate, measure, and improve the individual capabilities that drive performance.
Whether you're a seasoned competitor, weekend warrior, fitness enthusiast, or first-time participant, the Forge 9™ Trials provides a unique opportunity to discover your strengths, expose your weaknesses, and challenge yourself against others.
Participants may complete individual trials or attempt all nine challenges to earn an official Forge 9™ ranking.
Access
The Forge 9™ Trials is open to all Forge Festival™ attendees.
Whether you arrive as an NXF Classic™ competitor, a spectator, a coach, a family member, or simply someone looking to experience the event, you are welcome to participate.
Visit the Forge 9™ Trials area, and challenge yourself in any of the nine events.
There is no requirement to attempt every challenge. Attempt one. Attempt two. Attempt all nine. The choice is entirely yours.
Participants may attempt individual trials, pursue personal records, compare performances with friends, or complete all nine challenges to earn an official Forge 9™ ranking.
The Forge 9™ Trials transforms spectators into participants and participants into future competitors.
One Festival. One Community. Nine Ways to Test Yourself.
Process
Participation is simple. The Forge 9™ Trials operates throughout the day on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participants may complete a single challenge or pursue all nine trials.
Challenge leaders and top performances are displayed throughout the day, giving attendees the opportunity to chase records, climb the rankings, and test themselves against fellow participants.
Show Up. Step Forward. Take the Trial.
The Challenges
01 — The Grip Forge™
Dead Hang
Grip is the foundation of capability.
The Grip Forge™ challenges athletes to maintain a loaded dead hang for as long as possible, testing grip endurance, mental resilience, and the ability to remain composed under sustained tension.
Score
Maximum Time
Men
50 lb Added Weight
Women
25 lb Added Weight
02 — The Power Forge™
Broad Jump
Power is the ability to generate force quickly.
The Power Forge™ measures lower-body explosiveness and athleticism through a standing broad jump challenge.
Score
Maximum Distance
03 — The Carry Forge™
Farmer Carry
Strength must be applied.
The Carry Forge™ challenges athletes to transport the heaviest possible load over a fixed distance while maintaining control, posture, and movement quality.
Score
Heaviest Successful Carry (25 Feet)
04 — The Press Forge™
Log Press
The Press Forge™ measures full-body strength, force production, and overhead pressing capability.
Score
3-Repetition Maximum
05 — The Climb Forge™
Rope Climb
Climbing demands strength, coordination, efficiency, and determination.
The Climb Forge™ rewards athletes who can move quickly and efficiently from ground to summit.
Score
Fastest Time
06 — The Hinge Forge™
Trap Bar Deadlift
The Hinge Forge™ measures lower-body strength and posterior-chain power through one of the most fundamental human movement patterns.
Score
3-Repetition Maximum
07 — The Engine Forge™
1000m SkiErg
Capability means little without the capacity to sustain it.
The Engine Forge™ tests cardiovascular fitness, pacing strategy, and power endurance over a demanding 1000-meter effort.
Score
Fastest Time
08 — The Pull Forge™
Strict Pull-Ups
The Pull Forge™ evaluates relative strength, muscular endurance, and upper-body control.
No momentum. No shortcuts. Just strength.
Score
Maximum Repetitions
09 — The Work Forge™
Sandbag to Shoulder
The Work Forge™ challenges athletes to repeatedly generate force under fatigue.
Strength. Conditioning. Determination. One minute. Maximum effort.
Score
Maximum Repetitions in 60 Seconds
Recognition
Every Forge 9™ Trial contributes to an athlete's overall standing within the NXF ecosystem.
Participants may compete in individual trials, pursue personal records, or complete all nine challenges to earn an official Forge 9™ ranking.
Athletes can compare performances across divisions, events, and seasons while tracking progress over time.
Rankings recognize not only specialists, but well-rounded athletes capable of performing across multiple domains of fitness.
The top performers in each challenge and overall Forge 9™ standings will be recognized throughout the event and featured within the NXF rankings system.
The Journey
The Forge 9™ Trials serves as a gateway into the NXF experience — but the path is yours to choose.
Some participants begin by testing themselves in individual trials before progressing to all nine challenges and ultimately competing in the NXF Classic™. Others jump directly into the NXF Classic™ and use the Forge 9™ Trials to measure and improve specific capabilities between competitions.
Path A — Build First
Path B — Compete First
There is no wrong starting point.
The only objective is growth.
The Forge 9™ Trials is more than a collection of exercises.
It is a proving ground.
A place where individuals can challenge themselves, measure progress, pursue growth, and discover what they are truly capable of.
Every challenge tells a story.
Every score represents effort.
Every trial is an opportunity to forge something stronger.
Build Capability. Pursue Growth. Forge Your Potential.