First man to swim around Great Britain launches a brand new fitness challenge for 2026: The Stoic Games

6th January, 2026 - Gym King announces the launch of The Stoic Games, an athletic challenge co-created with Ross Edgley.

Launching immediately after the release of Edgley’s second Stoic Collection with Gym King, and coinciding with his Channel 4 documentary of his Icelandic swim on 7th February 2026, The Stoic Games represent the next stage of the Stoic movement, turning philosophy into physical practice and mindset into measurable performance.

The Stoic Games draw inspiration from the original purpose of the gymnasium as a place where the body was trained, the mind sharpened, and the community strengthened.

Unlike traditional races or competitive events, The Stoic Games use a 1,000-point scoring model. Participants give maximum effort across seven disciplines, with five minutes allocated to each:

• Max-kg deadlift

• Max press-ups

• Max calories on SkiErg

• Max calories on BikeErg

• Max calories on rower

• Max calories on curved treadmill run

• Max wall balls

Participants score as many points as possible in each discipline. The point values listed for each discipline represent the thresholds required to reach the 1,000 Club, not minimum standards for entry.

During trial runs of the format, one in 200 participants achieved the full 1,000 points.

Participants will also have access to a dedicated recovery zone throughout the event, including physiotherapy support and recovery equipment.

Ross Edgley, co-creator of The Stoic Games, said:

“After launching the Stoic collections with Gym King following the Great British Swim and the Icelandic Swim, the natural next step was to build a physical arena where people could live the message. Thank you to Gym King for enabling The Stoic Games and creating a platform where discipline, resilience, and community can thrive.”

Jay Parker, CEO and founder of Gym King, said:

“Working with Ross Edgley, we’ve created an event that goes beyond traditional hybrid performance events. The Stoic Games introduce a new category of fitness for 2026. At Gym King, our foundation is built on continuous development and a resilient mindset, inspiring individuals to believe in themselves. We’re proud to partner with Ross to bring this challenge to Manchester in February.”

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