Affiliate League — Competition Rules & Structure
Official Rules Document — Spring 2026 Edition
Affiliate League is an independent fitness competition based on head-to-head live, in-person matches.
Table of Contents
- Overview
- Geographic Structure
- League & Season Structure
- Team Registration & Composition
- Competition Formats
- Athletes & Eligibility
- Match Structure
- Lineup Rules
- Workouts
- Judging & No-Reps
- Scoring
- Standings
- Playoffs & Championship
- Captain Responsibilities
- Scheduling Rules
- Score Disputes
- Grievances
- Forfeits
- Fees & Payments
- Platform & Administration
Appendices
1. Overview
The Affiliate League is a structured, multi-week team fitness competition operated through the affiliateleague.net platform. Teams composed of athletes from local fitness affiliates (gyms) compete against one another in head-to-head matches during a regular season, with top teams advancing to a city championship.
The competition is designed to be:
- Decentralized — Captains self-manage scheduling, lineups, and score entry within platform-enforced rules.
- Community-driven — Matches are hosted at member gyms; athletes travel to each other's facilities.
- Scalable — The structure is designed to support multiple cities, regions, and competition formats simultaneously.
- Honor-based — Teams judge each other. The system relies on mutual accountability between competing teams.
- Gym-supported — Affiliate gyms that join the partner program receive a direct share of registration revenue at the end of each season. Teams nominate their home gym at registration; payouts flow automatically at season's end.
2. Geographic Structure
The Affiliate League organizes its leagues within a defined geographic hierarchy:
```
Regions → Areas → Leagues → Seasons → Teams
```
Regions are the broadest geographic grouping (e.g., Northern California).
Areas are subdivisions within a region (e.g., San Francisco & Peninsula, East Bay/Diablo, Sacramento).
Leagues are city- or community-level competition units, each operating within one area.
Seasons are time-bounded competitions within a league.
This structure is designed to allow for expansion into new cities and regions while maintaining centralized administration of competition rules, workout programming, and format definitions from a single global admin system.
3. League & Season Structure
3.1 Seasons
Each league runs one or more seasons. A season has:
- A defined name (e.g., "Spring 2026")
- A start date and end date
- A number of weeks (typically 4)
- A designated competition format (see Section 5)
- A defined maximum number of teams
- A registration fee for teams and athletes
3.2 Season Statuses
A season progresses through the following statuses, controlled by league administration:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
registration | Open for team and athlete registration |
active | Regular season matches in progress |
playoffs | Playoff bracket in progress |
complete | Season concluded |
3.3 Workout Programming
Three workouts are programmed per season. These workouts are the same for every match in that season — regular season and playoffs. Workouts do not change week to week within a season. A new set of workouts is programmed each new season.
Workouts are published before the season begins, giving all teams equal preparation time.
4. Team Registration & Composition
4.1 Team Formation
A team is created by a captain, who registers the team through the platform and pays the team registration fee. Upon creation, the captain receives a permanent invite link to share with prospective athletes.
4.2 Captain & Co-Captain
Each team has one captain and may designate one co-captain. Captains and co-captains share the same permissions:
- Scheduling match dates and times
- Setting the match lineup
- Entering match scores
- Approving opponent scores
4.3 Roster Size
- There is no maximum roster size.
- The minimum number of paid athletes required to compete in a match is determined by the season's competition format (see Section 5).
- Athletes must have completed registration and payment to appear on the public roster or be eligible to compete.
4.4 Team Exclusivity
An athlete may not be registered on more than one team within the same season.
4.5 Team Fee Payment
The team registration fee is paid by the captain at the time of team creation. If the team fee is not paid, the team will not appear publicly and cannot participate in matches.
5. Competition Formats
The competition format for a season is set by league administration before the season opens. The format defines the required lineup composition for each team in a match. The following formats are available:
Format 1: 2M + 2W Teams (Standard)
Description: The standard format. Each team fields 2 men and 2 women. All four compete together on each workout.
Lineup requirement per team: 2 male athletes + 2 female athletes = 4 total competitors
Slot structure:
- Men — Individual × 2
- Women — Individual × 2
Format 2: Extended Co-ed Team
Description: Three men and three women per team. Designed for larger rosters or to allow more depth in the lineup.
Lineup requirement per team: 3 male athletes + 3 female athletes = 6 total competitors
Slot structure:
- Men — Individual × 3
- Women — Individual × 3
Format 3: Gender Pairs
Description: Two male pairs and two female pairs per team. Each pair competes as a unit.
Lineup requirement per team: 4 male athletes (as 2 pairs) + 4 female athletes (as 2 pairs) = 8 total competitors
Slot structure:
- Male Pair — Pair (2 athletes) × 2
- Female Pair — Pair (2 athletes) × 2
Format 4: Mixed Pairs
Description: Two mixed pairs per team. Each pair consists of one man and one woman.
Lineup requirement per team: 2 male athletes + 2 female athletes = 4 total competitors
Slot structure:
- Mixed Pair — Pair (1M + 1W) × 2
Format 5: Mixed Singles
Description: One man and one woman per team. The closest format to individual competition within the team structure.
Lineup requirement per team: 1 male athlete + 1 female athlete = 2 total competitors
Slot structure:
- Man — Individual × 1
- Woman — Individual × 1
Format 6: Co-ed Pair
Description: The smallest competitive unit. One co-ed pair per team — one man and one woman compete together.
Lineup requirement per team: 1 male athlete + 1 female athlete = 2 total competitors
Slot structure:
- Mixed Pair — Pair (1M + 1W) × 1
Format Definitions — Key Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Individual | One athlete occupying one slot |
| Pair | Two athletes occupying one slot, competing as a unit |
| Mixed | One male and one female athlete |
| Slot count | Number of this slot type required in the lineup |
Custom Formats
League administration may define additional formats using the slot builder system. A format is defined by one or more slot groups, each specifying:
- A label (display name)
- A gender requirement (male, female, mixed, or any)
- Whether the slot is filled by an individual or a pair
- The number of slots of this type required
- An optional level cap (Section 6.5)
- An optional age minimum (Section 6.6)
Slot groups stack constraints. A single slot may simultaneously require, for example, a Female athlete who is Level 5 or below and at least 40 years old by the eligibility cutoff date. The platform validates lineups by attempting to assign each rostered competitor to a valid slot position; if any constraint cannot be satisfied, the lineup is rejected.
6. Athletes & Eligibility
6.1 Registration
Athletes join a team via an invite link provided by the captain. Each athlete must create an account on the platform and complete payment of the athlete registration fee to be eligible to compete.
6.2 Paid Athlete Visibility
Unpaid athletes are visible only to the team captain. An athlete must complete payment before appearing on the public roster or being added to a match lineup.
6.3 Playoff Eligibility
To be eligible to compete in playoff matches, an athlete must have competed as a competitor in at least 2 regular season matches during that season. Eligibility is tracked automatically by the platform and is visible on each team's roster page.
Captains may not add a playoff-ineligible athlete to a playoff match lineup. The platform enforces this restriction.
6.4 Date of Birth
Each athlete must provide their date of birth at the time of account creation. Date of birth is a required field and cannot be changed by the athlete after submission.
- Date of birth is used solely to determine eligibility for age-restricted slots within a format.
- Date of birth is not displayed on public profile or roster pages.
- An athlete may request a correction to their date of birth by contacting league administration. League administration may correct date of birth at its discretion.
6.5 Athlete Level
Each athlete may self-rate a competition Level on their profile, on a scale from Level 1 (new to fitness) to Level 10 (CrossFit Games Semifinal-caliber competitor). The Level field is optional and may be updated by the athlete at any time.
When a format defines a slot group with a level cap (e.g., "Level 5 or below"), only athletes whose self-rated Level is less than or equal to the cap are eligible to fill that slot. Athletes who have not yet self-rated a Level are not eligible to fill any slot with a level cap.
Levels are self-reported. League administration reserves the right to adjust an athlete's Level based on observed competition results.
6.6 Age Categories
A format may include slot groups with an age minimum, expressed as 18+, 30+, 40+, or 50+. An athlete is eligible for a given age-minimum slot only if the athlete will have reached the specified age by January 1 of the season's start year (the eligibility cutoff date).
For example, in a season beginning May 1, 2026, an athlete must have been born on or before January 1, 1986 to be eligible for a "40+" slot.
Athletes without a recorded date of birth are not eligible for any age-minimum slot.
6.7 Stacked Constraints
A slot may stack gender, level, and age constraints. An athlete must satisfy all defined constraints for a slot to be eligible to fill it. The platform enforces all constraints at the time the lineup is set.
7. Match Structure
7.1 Definition
A match is a head-to-head competition between two teams: one home team and one away team.
7.2 Format
Each match consists of three workouts. Both teams complete the same three workouts. The team that wins the most workouts wins the match. The winner is determined on a best-of-three basis.
7.3 Location
Matches are hosted at the home team's affiliate gym. The away team travels to the home team's location.
7.4 Match Week
Matches are assigned to a specific week of the season. The match week determines the team's standing in the season schedule.
7.5 Match Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
scheduled | Match created, not yet confirmed |
proposed | Date/time proposed, pending confirmation |
confirmed | Date and time agreed by both captains |
complete | Scores approved, result finalized |
disputed | Score disagreement flagged for admin review |
forfeit | One team forfeited; result assigned |
7.6 Match Start Time
Matches must begin within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time.
7.7 Late Arrival
Teams are granted a 15-minute grace period. If a team cannot field a complete, format-compliant lineup after 15 minutes, the match is declared a forfeit.
7.8 Minimum Match Requirement
A match must include at least 2 of the 3 programmed workouts completed to be considered valid. If this requirement is not met:
- The match is marked invalid
- League administration may assign a double loss or determine an appropriate outcome
7.9 Interrupted Matches
If a match is interrupted:
- Completed workouts stand
- Incomplete workouts may be resumed later or voided by agreement between captains
If no agreement is reached, both teams receive a loss.
8. Lineup Rules
8.1 Setting the Lineup
The home team captain sets the lineup for their team. The away team captain sets the lineup for their team. Each captain may only add athletes from their own team's active, paid roster.
Co-captains have the same lineup-setting permissions as the captain.
League administrators may edit any team's lineup.
8.2 Lineup Composition
The lineup must match the season's competition format exactly. A captain cannot submit more athletes of a given gender than the format allows, and a match cannot proceed unless both teams have complete, format-compliant lineups.
8.3 Platform Enforcement
The platform prevents adding athletes to the lineup if:
- The athlete is not on the team's active, paid roster
- Adding the athlete would result in no valid assignment of all current competitors to the format's slot positions, where each athlete must satisfy the gender, level cap, and age minimum constraints of the slot to which they are assigned
- The match is a playoff match and the athlete has not met the playoff eligibility requirement (2+ regular season matches)
The platform performs constraint validation at the lineup level, not the slot level. A captain selects athletes for the lineup; the platform determines whether a valid assignment to the format's slot positions exists. Athletes who cannot be placed in any remaining slot are blocked from being added.
8.4 Lineup Visibility
Lineups are visible to all registered athletes on either team once set. Availability status (yes/maybe/no) is visible to the captain and co-captain of the respective team, and to league administrators. Availability is not visible to the opposing team.
8.5 Auto-Availability
When a captain adds an athlete to the lineup as a competitor, that athlete's availability for the match is automatically marked as "yes."
8.6 Lineup Exchange
Each team must present a complete, format-compliant lineup at the time of the match. Lineups are exchanged between captains prior to the start of the first workout.
8.7 Lineup Changes
Once the first workout begins, lineup changes are only permitted in the case of injury, illness, or athlete no-show. Replacement athletes must:
- Be on the active, paid roster
- Meet all format requirements
9. Workouts
9.1 Programming
The three workouts for a season are set by league administration through the Workout Templates system. A workout template contains up to three workout definitions. Once published to a season, those workouts appear on every match page for that season.
9.2 Consistency
The same three workouts are used for every match in the season, including playoffs. Workouts are not rotated or varied by week.
9.3 Workout Definition Fields
Each workout is defined by:
- Name
- Description (movement prescription)
- Score type:
time_seconds,reps,rounds_reps, orweight_lbs - Time cap (optional)
- Movement standards (optional additional detail)
- Equipment needed (optional)
9.4 Score Types
| Score Type | Description | Winner Determination |
|---|---|---|
time_seconds | Fastest time wins | Lower score wins |
reps | Most reps wins | Higher score wins |
rounds_reps | Most rounds + reps wins | Higher score wins |
weight_lbs | Heaviest lift wins | Higher score wins |
10. Judging & No-Reps
10.1 Peer Judging
Teams judge each other. The competing athletes from one team judge the competing athletes from the other team, and vice versa. There is no third-party judge and no league staff present at matches.
10.2 No-Rep Standard
A no-rep is called by the judge when a repetition does not meet the published movement standard for that workout. When a no-rep is called:
- The judge calls "no-rep" clearly and immediately.
- The athlete performs the repetition again to the correct standard.
- No-reps are not grounds for dispute after the fact.
10.3 Pre-Match Standards Agreement
Both teams are expected to review and agree on movement standards before the workout begins. Disagreements about standards should be resolved before, not during, a workout.
10.4 Equipment
The home team is responsible for providing the equipment required for that season's workouts. Any substitutions (e.g., different manufacturer of rower, different box height) must be agreed upon by both captains before the workout begins.
10.5 Conduct & Sportsmanship
All participants are expected to compete in good faith and demonstrate fair play, respect for opponents, and respect for judges. Unsportsmanlike conduct may result in match forfeiture, removal from the league, or restriction from future participation.
11. Scoring
11.1 Team Score per Workout
Each team receives one score per workout. Scores represent the team's combined performance, not the average of individual athletes' scores. The method for combining individual performances into one team score is defined per workout in the workout description.
11.2 Score Entry
After the match, one captain enters scores for both teams across all three workouts in a single submission on the match page. Either captain (home or away) may submit. The submitting captain can re-enter and re-submit at any time before the other captain approves.
11.3 Score Approval
After scores are submitted, the other captain — the one who did not submit — sees a single Approve button covering all three workouts. Clicking Approve locks the results and updates standings automatically.
If the reviewing captain believes any of the scores are incorrect, they should not approve. Instead, they should contact the submitting captain directly to align on the correct results. Once both captains agree, the submitting captain re-enters the corrected scores and re-submits, and the reviewing captain can then approve.
Approved scores are locked and cannot be changed except by league administration.
11.4 Workout Winner Determination
For each workout, the platform compares the two teams' scores and determines the workout winner based on the workout's score type:
- For
time_seconds: the team with the lower score wins - For all other score types: the team with the higher score wins
11.5 Match Winner
The team that wins the most of the three workouts wins the match (best 2 of 3). The match result and winner are set automatically when scores are approved. A match result may be corrected by league administration in the case of a verified error.
11.6 Score Deadline
Scores must be submitted and approved within 24 hours of match completion. If scores are not submitted and approved within this window:
- The match is marked unresolved
- Both teams receive a loss
12. Standings
12.1 Structure
Teams within a season are ranked by the following criteria, in order:
- Match wins (primary) — Total number of matches won during the regular season
- Workout wins (tiebreaker) — Total number of individual workouts won across all regular season matches
12.2 Live Updates
Standings update automatically when match scores are approved.
12.3 Losses
A match loss is recorded for the team that wins fewer workouts. In the event of a forfeit, the forfeiting team receives a loss and the opposing team receives a win.
13. Playoffs & Championship
13.1 Advancement
The top teams from the regular season standings advance to the playoffs. The number of teams advancing is defined by league administration before the season begins.
13.2 Playoff Format
The playoff bracket format (single elimination, double elimination, or other) is defined by league administration and communicated to all teams before the season begins.
13.3 City Championship
The team that wins the playoff bracket is the city champion for that season.
13.4 Playoff Eligibility Enforcement
Athlete playoff eligibility (minimum 2 regular season matches) is enforced by the platform. Ineligible athletes cannot be added to a playoff match lineup.
13.5 Team Eligibility for Playoffs
Teams must complete at least 3 regular season matches to qualify for playoffs. Teams with 2 or more forfeits are ineligible for playoff participation.
14. Captain Responsibilities
Captains are the primary operators of their team within the Affiliate League system. Captains (and co-captains) are responsible for:
- Roster management — Inviting athletes, confirming rosters before the season's deadline
- Match scheduling — Setting date, time, and location for home matches; coordinating with the opposing captain; responding to scheduling communication within 48 hours
- Lineup setting — Selecting the athletes who will compete in each match, in compliance with the format; ensuring lineup compliance at match time
- Score entry — Entering accurate scores for both teams across all three workouts after each match (one captain submits per match)
- Score approval — Reviewing and approving the submitted scores within the 24-hour score deadline; if scores look wrong, contacting the submitting captain directly to resolve before approving (see §16)
- Conduct & accountability — Holding athletes on their team to the standards in §10 and §17, and filing grievances with league administration where warranted
Captains are expected to communicate directly with opposing captains to coordinate scheduling. The platform provides match detail pages that both captains can access.
Failure to meet these responsibilities may result in match forfeiture, team penalties, or removal from the league.
15. Scheduling Rules
15.1 Who Sets the Schedule
The home team captain sets the match date, time, and location.
15.2 Scheduling Window
Match dates may be edited by the home captain until 24 hours before the scheduled match time. After that point, changes require league administration approval.
15.3 Away Captain Coordination
The away team captain may contact the home captain to request timing adjustments. Final scheduling authority rests with the home captain, within the constraints of the season schedule.
15.4 Schedule Locking
Once the 24-hour pre-match window begins, the schedule is locked. Neither captain may unilaterally change the match time.
15.5 Scheduling Compliance
Captains are expected to coordinate match timing in good faith. Failure to reasonably coordinate scheduling may result in forfeiture or administrative intervention.
16. Score Disputes
16.1 Captain-to-Captain Resolution
Score disputes are expected to be resolved directly between the two captains. The reviewing captain should not approve scores they believe are incorrect; instead, they contact the submitting captain to align on the correct results. The submitting captain then re-enters and re-submits, and the reviewing captain can approve.
The platform does not provide a "dispute" button for scores. The league is honor-based and decentralized — captains are expected to resolve disagreements between themselves in good faith.
16.2 Non-Reviewable Items
Judging decisions — including no-reps and movement standards — are not subject to review after the workout is completed. These must be resolved at the time of the workout per §10.
16.3 Escalation to Administration
League administration should only be contacted about scores when both captains have made a good-faith attempt to resolve the disagreement and cannot reach agreement. In that case, either captain may email admin@affiliateleague.net with:
- The match in question
- The disputed scores and the version each captain claims is correct
- The substance of the disagreement and any supporting evidence
Administration's decision is final and binding. Frivolous or repeated escalation without genuine attempt at captain-level resolution may itself be grounds for a grievance under §17.
16.4 Unresolved Matches
If scores are not submitted and approved within the 24-hour deadline (§11.6), the match is marked unresolved and both teams receive a loss, regardless of the underlying disagreement.
17. Grievances
Grievances are formal complaints raised against a team or athlete for conduct or eligibility issues that cannot be resolved between the parties involved. Grievances are distinct from score disputes (§16) — they concern behavior or athlete eligibility, not match results.
17.1 Grounds for a Grievance
A grievance may be filed for any of the following:
- Abusive language or behavior — verbal abuse, threats, harassment, intimidation, or physical aggression by an athlete, captain, or team supporter directed at any member of the league community (athletes, captains, judges, spectators, or staff).
- Unsportsmanlike conduct — repeated disregard for movement standards, deliberate cheating, sabotage of equipment, refusal to judge in good faith, or behavior that brings the league into disrepute.
- Athlete level misrepresentation (sandbagging) — an athlete competing at a Level (per §6.5) clearly below their actual ability. Examples: an athlete registered as Level 4 (intermediate) who demonstrates muscle-ups, a 500+ lb deadlift, or other markers consistent with a Level 8 or 9 athlete.
17.2 Filing a Grievance
Any captain or registered athlete may file a grievance by emailing admin@affiliateleague.net with the following:
- The team or athlete the grievance concerns
- The match (or matches) involved, if applicable
- A clear, factual description of the conduct or eligibility issue
- Supporting evidence — video, photos, witness names, training logs, public social media posts, competition results from other organizations, or other documentation
The more specific and substantiated the grievance, the more decisively administration can act.
17.3 Resolution
League administration reviews each grievance and may take any of the following actions, in proportion to the severity and substantiation of the complaint:
- Issue a warning to the team or athlete
- Require the athlete to compete at a corrected Level for the remainder of the season
- Disqualify an athlete from one or more matches
- Forfeit a specific match or workout result
- Remove the athlete or team from the current season
- Ban the athlete or team from future seasons
Administration's decision is final and binding. The league reserves the right to act on conduct issues observed directly by administration even in the absence of a filed grievance.
17.4 Good Faith
Grievances must be filed in good faith and based on genuine concern. Filing repeated frivolous or retaliatory grievances may itself be grounds for a grievance against the filer.
17.5 Confidentiality
The identity of the filer is not shared with the subject of the grievance unless disclosure is required for resolution. Administration uses discretion in disclosing the substance of any complaint.
18. Forfeits
18.1 Forfeit Conditions
A team forfeits a match if:
- They fail to appear within the 15-minute grace period
- They cannot field a format-compliant lineup at match time
- They fail to reasonably participate in scheduling
- A team withdraws from the season mid-competition
18.2 Forfeit Result
When a forfeit is declared:
- The forfeiting team receives a match loss
- The opposing team receives a match win
- The match is marked as
forfeitin the system
18.3 Workout Wins on Forfeit
Workout wins are not awarded on a forfeit match. The match win is credited in standings, but no workout win statistics are recorded.
19. Fees & Payments
19.1 Team Registration Fee
A one-time team registration fee is paid by the captain at the time of team creation. The current fee is $65.00 USD.
19.2 Athlete Registration Fee
Each athlete pays a one-time registration fee to join a team for the season. The current fee is $65.00 USD.
19.3 No Recurring Fees
There are no recurring membership fees, dues, or subscription charges for athletes or captains. All fees are paid once per season.
19.4 Payment and Eligibility
- A team that has not paid its team registration fee will not appear publicly and cannot be scheduled for matches.
- An athlete who has not paid their registration fee will not appear on the public roster and cannot be added to a match lineup.
19.5 Refunds
Refund policies are determined by league administration on a per-season basis and communicated at the time of registration.
19.6 Affiliate Revenue Sharing
Gyms registered as Affiliate League partner affiliates receive a percentage of registration fees collected from teams and athletes who designate that gym at registration time.
How it works:
- When a team captain registers a team, they may select an affiliate gym from the partner list. All athletes on that team who complete registration also contribute to that gym's revenue pool for the season.
- Gyms must complete Stripe Connect onboarding before payouts can be issued. Gyms that have not completed onboarding will not receive a payout until onboarding is complete.
- Revenue is distributed once per season, at season's end. There are no mid-season payouts.
- All payout records are maintained in the platform's audit trail.
To apply to become an affiliate partner gym, contact admin@affiliateleague.net.
20. Platform & Administration
20.1 Platform
The Affiliate League is operated through the web platform at affiliateleague.net. All team management, scheduling, score entry, standings, and administrative functions are conducted through this platform.
20.2 Global Administration
A single global administrator account controls all leagues, seasons, workout programming, and competition formats across all regions. The global administrator may:
- Create and manage regions, areas, and leagues
- Define and publish competition formats
- Program workouts and publish them to any season
- Activate, pause, or complete any season
- Override any match result
- Add or remove any athlete from any roster
- Reopen completed matches for score correction
- Declare forfeits
- Issue warnings, disqualifications, or bans pursuant to grievance resolution (§17)
20.3 Scoped Administration (Future)
The platform is designed to support scoped area- or league-level coordinators in the future. A scoped coordinator would have management permissions limited to their assigned area or league and would not have access to global administration functions such as workout programming or format creation.
20.4 Data and Records
All match results, scores, lineups, and standings are stored on the platform and constitute the official record of competition. Platform records supersede any unofficial records kept by athletes or captains.
Appendix A — Movement Standards Reference
The Affiliate League publishes movement standards at affiliateleague.net/standards. These standards define the valid start position, valid repetition, and common no-rep criteria for each movement that may be programmed in any season's workouts.
Movement standards are updated at league administration's discretion. The standards in effect at the start of a season govern all matches during that season.
A.1 Synchronized Reps in Team Workouts
Some team workouts require athletes to perform reps in synchronization. A synchronized rep ("synchro rep") is a single repetition completed by two or more athletes at the same time, meeting a defined sync point. The synchronization requirement applies only to workouts whose description explicitly calls for synchronized reps; in workouts without a synchro call-out, athletes work independently to the standard.
General synchronization rules:
- Athletes must perform the movement together — not staggered, not chasing.
- The judge looks at the sync point defined for that movement (see A.2 and A.3). Athletes must hit the sync point at the same time.
- "At the same time" is judged generously but in good faith — a clearly staggered rep is a no-rep.
- If one athlete is no-repped on a sync rep, the other athlete(s) must repeat the rep with them. A single athlete cannot bank a rep that a partner did not complete in sync.
- A sync rep that is not synced is a no-rep for all athletes on that rep.
Unless otherwise stated, athletes synchronize at the top of the movement (full extension / completion position).
A.2 Sync Points for Existing Movements
Weightlifting
| Movement | Sync Point |
|---|---|
| Wall ball | At the top — ball contacts the wall above the target |
| Thruster | At the top — hips, knees, and arms fully extended overhead |
| Deadlift | At the top — hips and knees fully extended, shoulders behind the bar |
| Power clean | At the top — hips and knees fully extended, bar racked on the shoulders |
| Squat clean | At the top — hips and knees fully extended, bar racked on the shoulders |
| Power snatch | At the top — hips, knees, and arms fully extended, bar overhead |
| Squat snatch | At the top — hips, knees, and arms fully extended, bar overhead |
| Clean & jerk | At the top of the jerk — hips, knees, and arms fully extended, bar overhead |
| Shoulder to overhead | At the top — hips, knees, and arms fully extended, bar overhead |
Gymnastics
| Movement | Sync Point |
|---|---|
| Pull-up | At the top — chin clearly over the bar |
| Chest-to-bar pull-up | At the top — chest touches the bar |
| Bar muscle-up | At lockout — arms straight, supported over the bar |
| Ring muscle-up | At lockout — arms straight on top of the rings |
| Toes-to-bar | At the end of the rep — toes touch the bar |
| Burpee | At the bottom — chest and thighs on the ground |
| Box jump | At the top — full extension standing on the box |
| Box jump over | At the end — both feet on the opposite side of the box |
| Double-under | Athletes jump at the same time |
| Lunge (for reps) | At the top — standing, full extension with feet together |
| Lunge (for distance) | At the top — standing, full extension with feet together at the new position |
A.3 New Movement Standards
The following movement standards apply in addition to the standards published at affiliateleague.net/standards and may be programmed in any season's workouts.
Clean & Jerk
- Setup: Bar starts on the floor.
- Good rep: The bar is lifted from the floor to the shoulders (the clean), then driven overhead in a single jerk (push press, push jerk, or split jerk). The rep finishes with the bar overhead — hips, knees, and arms fully extended, bar stacked over the middle of the foot — with the athlete showing control at the top.
- Common no-reps: Press-out instead of a jerk drive; hips, knees, or arms not fully extended at lockout; bar forward or behind the head at lockout; failing to recover feet from a split before showing the lockout.
- Synchro: Synchronize at the top of the jerk — bar overhead, full extension.
Shoulder to Overhead
- Setup: Bar in the front rack on the shoulders.
- Good rep: The athlete drives the bar from the shoulders to a fully locked-out overhead position by any means (strict press, push press, push jerk, or split jerk). The rep finishes with the bar overhead — hips, knees, and arms fully extended, bar stacked over the middle of the foot.
- Common no-reps: Bar fails to reach full lockout; hips or knees not fully extended at lockout; failing to recover feet from a split before showing the lockout; bar drifting forward of the midline.
- Synchro: Synchronize at the top — bar overhead, full extension.
Power Snatch vs. Squat Snatch
Power snatch and squat snatch are judged as separate movements. A workout will specify which is required.
- Power snatch good rep: The bar is pulled from the floor to overhead in one motion and received with the hips above parallel (i.e., not catching in a squat below parallel). The rep finishes with the bar overhead — hips, knees, and arms fully extended.
- Squat snatch good rep: The bar is pulled from the floor to overhead in one motion and received in a full overhead squat (hip crease below the top of the knee). The athlete then stands to full extension with the bar overhead.
- Synchro (either variation): Synchronize at the top — bar overhead, hips, knees, and arms fully extended.
Lunge — For Reps
- Setup: Standing, feet together. Hands may hold an implement as prescribed (e.g., dumbbells at the sides, barbell in the front rack, barbell overhead).
- Good rep: The athlete steps into a lunge (forward, backward, or as prescribed). The back knee touches the floor. The athlete returns to a standing position with both feet together and full hip and knee extension. Each leg counts as one rep unless the workout description states otherwise.
- Common no-reps: Back knee does not touch the floor; failure to stand fully upright with feet together between reps; loss of control or position of the implement during the rep.
- Synchro: Synchronize at the top — standing with feet together, full extension.
Lunge — For Distance (Walking Lunge)
- Setup: Standing at the starting line. Hands may hold an implement as prescribed.
- Good rep: The athlete steps forward into a lunge. The back knee touches the floor. The athlete brings the back foot forward to a standing position with both feet together and full hip and knee extension before initiating the next step. Distance is measured at the forward-most foot at the conclusion of each completed rep (or counted by rep over a fixed distance, as the workout prescribes).
- Common no-reps: Back knee does not touch the floor; failure to bring the back foot fully forward and stand with feet together between steps; loss of control or position of the implement during the rep.
- Synchro: Synchronize at the top — standing with feet together at the new position, full extension.
Appendix B — Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Affiliate | A member gym or fitness facility |
| Affiliate Partner | A gym that has opted into the Affiliate League partner program and is eligible to receive a share of registration revenue generated by its registered teams and athletes at each season's end |
| Age Minimum | A slot constraint expressed as 18+, 30+, 40+, or 50+, requiring the athlete to have reached the specified age by January 1 of the season's start year |
| Captain | The designated team leader, responsible for scheduling, lineups, and score entry |
| Co-Captain | An athlete granted the same permissions as the captain by the captain |
| Competitor | An athlete designated in the match lineup to perform the workouts |
| Eligibility Cutoff Date | January 1 of the season's start year, used to determine an athlete's age for age-minimum slots |
| Format | The defined lineup composition for a season (e.g., 2M + 2W) |
| Home Team | The team hosting the match at their affiliate |
| Away Team | The team traveling to the home team's affiliate |
| Level | An athlete's self-reported competition level on a 1–10 scale (1 = new to fitness; 10 = Games-caliber competitor) |
| Level Cap | A slot constraint requiring the athlete's Level to be less than or equal to the cap (e.g., "Level 5 or below") |
| Lineup | The specific athletes selected to compete in a given match |
| Match | A head-to-head competition between two teams consisting of three workouts |
| No-Rep | A repetition that does not meet the movement standard and is not counted |
| Regular Season | The weeks of scheduled matches before the playoff bracket |
| Revenue Share | The portion of gross registration fees attributed to an affiliate partner gym that is transferred to that gym at the end of each season |
| Roster | The full list of paid, registered athletes on a team |
| Season | A time-bounded competition within a league |
| Slot | A position in the lineup defined by gender, individual/pair status, and any optional level or age constraints |
| Stacked Constraints | The combined application of gender, level, and age constraints to a single slot |
| Sync Point | The defined position in a movement at which athletes must arrive together on a synchronized rep (see Appendix A.1) |
| Synchronized Rep | A repetition completed by two or more athletes at the same time, meeting the movement's defined sync point |
| Workout Win | Credit awarded to the team that posts the better score on a single workout |
Appendix C — Match Day Flow
This is a practical reference for athletes and captains on what to expect from arrival to final score entry. Times are guidelines; the hard start at 0:20 is the only enforced threshold.
C.1 Pre-Match (0:00 – 0:20)
Duration: 20 minutes
- General and specific warm-up
- Both teams review movement standards together
- Captains assign judges
- Lineups are exchanged between captains
- Home team chooses which team performs first; that team goes first in all three workouts
Hard start at 0:20. Any team that cannot field a complete, format-compliant lineup by 0:20 is subject to the late arrival and forfeit rules (see §7.7).
C.2 Workout 1 (0:20 – 0:55)
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 0:20 – 0:35 | Team A performs (15 min) |
| 0:35 – 0:40 | Transition — reset equipment, judges switch, prep Team B |
| 0:40 – 0:55 | Team B performs (15 min) |
C.3 Workout 2 (0:55 – 1:30)
Same order as Workout 1 — the team that went first in Workout 1 goes first again.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 0:55 – 1:10 | Team A performs (15 min) |
| 1:10 – 1:15 | Transition — reset equipment, judges switch, prep Team B |
| 1:15 – 1:30 | Team B performs (15 min) |
C.4 Workout 3 (1:30 – 2:05)
Same order as Workouts 1 and 2 — Team A goes first.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 1:30 – 1:45 | Team A performs (15 min) |
| 1:45 – 1:50 | Transition — reset equipment, judges switch, prep Team B |
| 1:50 – 2:05 | Team B performs (15 min) |
C.5 Post-Match (2:05 – 2:15)
Duration: ~10 minutes
- Both captains confirm scores verbally
- One captain enters scores for both teams across all three workouts on the platform
- The other captain reviews and approves scores on the platform
- Quick equipment cleanup
Scores must be approved within 24 hours of match completion (see §11.6).
C.6 Order Summary
| Workout | Goes First |
|---|---|
| Workout 1 | Team A (home team's choice) |
| Workout 2 | Team A |
| Workout 3 | Team A |
The home team's choice carries through all three workouts. Same order every workout — simpler to run and predictable for both teams.
Document version: Spring 2026
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