Chris Hemsworth’s Centr is racing into strength equipment.

What’s happening: The training platform unveiled a range of competition-grade equipment co-created with fitness racing series HYROX.

Starting in 2024, Centr will outfit all global events with sleds, bumper plates, racks, and more. An enterprise-wide partnership, the performance line will also be sold to HYROX’s affiliate gyms and promoted for at-home training along with companion content on the Centr app.

Why it matters: After combining with equipment manufacturer Inspire Fitness in 2022, Centr’s highly marketable brand was primed for growth. The first step, it launched an affordably priced line of home fitness equipment at 4K Walmart stores this September.

Now, Centr’s commercial segment is taking shape, creating a standalone business while hitching its wagon to HYROX’s rapid international ascent — expecting >150K participants and offering training in 1K+ affiliated gyms worldwide in 2023.

Of note, many of the 125+ US affiliate locations are CrossFit boxes, potentially opening the door to an even larger market.

Loading up. Just a week after Nike entered equipment—supplying its fitness studios, commercial partners, and at-home consumers—both brands are suddenly stepping into a competition of strength with outfitters like Rogue Fitness, Eleiko, and Life Fitness-owned Hammer Strength.

Takeaway: Commercial-grade equipment by itself won’t take the lifting world by storm. But, packaged with digital content, built-in supplier agreements, and names that sell, strength experiences from Centr and Nike may be setting a new standard.