YOMP Co x Deadly Dozen: Deadly Ruck Training and Partnership
PARTNERSHIP · DEADLY DOZEN × YOMP CO · OCTOBER 2026
YOMP Co × Deadly Dozen.
Rucking meets the UK's hybrid race.
By Matt, Co-founder, YOMP CO
Nearly two years ago we messaged Deadly Dozen to ask where they were based. We were sure they were an American company.
Nope. Macclesfield.
Today we're proud to announce that YOMP Co is partnering with Deadly Dozen, the hybrid fitness race that was born in Britain and is now raced worldwide. Two grassroots UK companies, both obsessed with what they do, building the ruck community together into 2027.
DEADLY DOZEN IN NUMBERS
| COUNTRIES | 44 |
| ATHLETES | 26,000+ |
| RACE FINISHES | 54,000+ |
| RACES SINCE 2024 | 350+ |
| BUILT IN | MACCLESFIELD |
What is Deadly Dozen?
Deadly Dozen is a hybrid fitness race that mixes running with functional strength. The original Track Race is twelve 400m runs, called Journeys, each followed by one of twelve exercise stations, called Labours. That's 4.8km of running between the work.
Race it Solo, in Pairs (sharing the Labours) or as a Relay. Alongside the Track Race sit Deadly Sprint, Deadly Hybrid, Deadly Ultra, Deadly Youth and gym races built around ergs, strongman and barbell work.
And there's Deadly Ruck: the full Track Race in a weighted vest, 10kg for men and 6kg for women, from the first Journey to the last Labour.
The Labours are built on bodyweight, kettlebell, dumbbell and plate movements, so most athletes can train for Deadly Dozen in any standard gym. The scale has grown fast. The standards haven't dropped.
WHY RUCK
Why rucking and Deadly Dozen fit together
A Deadly Dozen race asks you to keep moving while you're tired and loaded. That's exactly what rucking trains. Rucking, or yomping as British forces call it, means moving with weight on your back.
01 · THE ENGINE
Builds the engine without the pounding. Long, steady ruck sessions develop the aerobic base for 4.8km of running between stations, with less impact than piling on extra miles.
02 · THE LABOURS
Strengthens what the Labours hit. Carrying load works the legs, glutes, back, core and shoulders, the same areas the carries, lifts and lunges rely on.
03 · THE FATIGUE
Teaches you to move tired. Twelve Journeys and twelve Labours means arriving at every station already blowing. Ruck sessions train that feeling on purpose.
THE PARTNERSHIP
What YOMP Co × Deadly Dozen means
YOMP Co builds load-carrying gear for people who train under weight. Our Y-CO 1 pack is 1000D Cordura, carries a lifetime warranty, and comes with the hip belt, sternum strap and plate pocket as standard: the perfect setup for a hybrid race, so you can focus on performance. Deadly Dozen builds some of the best races in the world, races that test everything you’ve trained. Together:
- Ruck in the Deadly Dozen world. Growing rucking among their athletes and affiliate gyms through 2027.
- Training content for Deadly Dozen athletes. Practical ruck sessions for race day, starting below.
- Kit built for the job. Packs and plates that hold up to repeated, loaded sessions.
TRAIN FOR IT
How to use rucking to train for Deadly Dozen
Add one or two ruck sessions a week to your Deadly Dozen training. Build the load slowly. Arrive at race day stronger, not sore.
01 · START LIGHT
Around 10% of bodyweight for 3–5km on flat ground. Chest up, hip belt tight, short quick steps.
02 · BUILD OVER WEEKS
Add a little weight or distance each week. Racing Deadly Ruck? Build towards the race load of 10kg men / 6kg women, then go beyond it in training so race day feels light.
03 · ONE LONG, STEADY SESSION
60–90 minutes at a pace you can still talk at. Your aerobic base for the twelve Journeys.
04 · ONE RACE-SHAPED SESSION
Ruck 400m, then a short station: 10 kettlebell swings, 10 lunges or 10 press-ups. Repeat 6–12 times. The Journey-then-Labour rhythm of race day.
05 · BACK OFF
Drop the load and volume in the final week. Start fresh.
New to carrying weight? Build gradually and listen to your body. Want a test under load before race season? The YOMP Hybrid Ruck Series runs from 2 November.
FAQ
Deadly Dozen and rucking
What is a Deadly Dozen race?+
A hybrid fitness race: twelve 400m runs around an athletics track (the Journeys), each followed by an exercise station (the Labours). That's 4.8km of running and twelve stations using kettlebells, dumbbells, weight plates and bodyweight. Race it Solo, in Pairs or as a Relay.
What are the 12 Labours and their weights?+
Six Labours move along a 30m lane and six are done on the spot. Track Race standards:
| # | LABOUR | WORK | MEN | WOMEN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kettlebell farmers carry | 240m | 2 × 24kg | 2 × 16kg |
| 2 | Kettlebell deadlift | 60 reps | 32kg | 24kg |
| 3 | Dumbbell lunge | 60m | 2 × 12.5kg | 2 × 7.5kg |
| 4 | Dumbbell snatch | 60 reps | 15kg | 9kg |
| 5 | Burpee broad jump | 60m | Bodyweight | Bodyweight |
| 6 | Kettlebell goblet squat | 60 reps | 16kg | 12kg |
| 7 | Plate front carry | 240m | 25kg | 20kg |
| 8 | Dumbbell push press | 60 reps | 2 × 12.5kg | 2 × 6kg |
| 9 | Bear crawl | 120m | Bodyweight | Bodyweight |
| 10 | Plate clean and press | 60 reps | 15kg | 10kg |
| 11 | Plate overhead carry | 180m | 15kg | 10kg |
| 12 | Dumbbell devil press | 20 reps | 2 × 10kg | 2 × 5kg |
Source: Deadly Dozen race formats.
What is Deadly Ruck?+
Deadly Ruck is the full Deadly Dozen Track Race completed start to finish in a weighted vest: 10kg for men and 6kg for women. Every Journey and every Labour, under load.
How should I train for Deadly Ruck?+
Train in your vest at race weight, not just on race day. Build up from lighter loads over several weeks, add one long steady ruck a week for your engine, and practise the carries and burpee broad jumps with the vest on. Ruck sessions with a pack are a good way to build the base before you add the vest.
Is rucking good training for Deadly Dozen?+
Yes. Rucking builds aerobic fitness and strength in the legs, back and core with less impact than extra running. It also trains you to keep moving when you're tired, which is exactly what twelve Journeys and twelve Labours demand.
How is Deadly Dozen different from HYROX?+
Both mix running with functional work. Deadly Dozen is 12 × 400m runs and 12 Labours, raced outdoors on an athletics track, with kettlebells, dumbbells and plates instead of machines and sleds. There's no time limit, and you can race Solo, in Pairs or as a Relay.
Can beginners do Deadly Dozen?+
Anyone aged 18 or over can enter, and you can go at your own pace. For a first race, Deadly Dozen suggests the Deadly Sprint: 12 × 200m runs indoors with half the reps and the same weights.
Is there a time limit?+
No. The Track Race has no time limit, so you can finish at your own pace.
Can I race with a partner or a team?+
Yes. In Pairs you share the runs and split the Labours however you like. In a Relay, teammates alternate one Journey and one Labour at a time.
Is there a Deadly Dozen without running?+
Yes. Gym races at affiliate gyms swap the runs for rowing, ski or bike ergs, and Deadly Swim replaces them with three 400m swims.
How do I qualify for the Deadly Dozen championships?+
Every official Track Race in the qualifying window counts. The 12 fastest athletes in each age group per division qualify automatically, with remaining places shared across host countries. For the 2028 UK & Ireland Championships, the window runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027.
Who is Deadly Dozen's ruck partner?+
YOMP Co, the British rucking brand, is partnering with Deadly Dozen to grow rucking across its community into 2027.
Train for it. Race it.
Two grassroots UK companies. The same high standards. No compromise.
2027 is going to be a big one for the ruck community.
