There’s no doubt about it—Gladiator fever is back and motivating us all to get fitter. While American Gladiators kicked things off in 1989, the recent success of international reboots in Australia, France and the United Kingdom has reignited the global phenomenon once again. And it is in the U.K. that a world’s first “Gladiators Experience” has opened its doors at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. So, as a childhood Gladiators fan who is now a grown-up fitness writer, I couldn’t resist the chance to step inside the arena, and while I soon learned that winning is not always possible, I also found out that giving your best effort is non-negotiable.
Writing for M&F is not your average day job. In the last few years I’ve trained with the world’s strongest men, been bumped around in pro wrestling, and even squashed by the England Rugby League Team. And, during each of these painful yet highly inspiring sessions, I’ve learned that the enjoyment of sports is not limited to those who are elite athletes. Fortunately, it was this positive, if somewhat naive attitude, that took over as I put on my contender uniform and readied myself for a solo walk through of the final Gladiators assault course known as “The Eliminator.” It was here that my experience became epic.
M&F Writer Takes on The Eliminator at The Gladiators Experience
The climax of each episode of Gladiators requires two contenders to race through The Eliminator assault course, in order to win the show outright. As a journalist, my initial plan was to have a gentle walk around the circuit with my photographer, mainly for illustration purposes, but this plan to swerve the full physicality of the course was soon thwarted when actual Gladiators contender, and record-breaking Eliminator finisher, Nathan Bland tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I wanted to race him. My answer? Of course not! And yet seconds later, a whistle was blown and I found myself navigating the course’s torturous terrain. In all transparency, Bland, who reached the semi-finals of the actual show, was never in any danger of losing to me, often slowing down to encourage my progress along the way, but it all felt far from easy as I tested body and mind, and left it all on The Eliminator floor in Birmingham.
For the uninitiated, The Eliminator course is broadly the same in each country, and involves challenges such as obstacle beams, balancing beams, cargo nets, a seriously high zip wire, and the famous travelator. As the whistle blew, Bland explained that the initial obstacle beams needed a “big jump” to get over, and so far, so good. I then pulled myself up, via a rope, to the raised platform and gingerly crossed the first balancing beam before scaling the never-ending cargo net that goes high up into the rafters. “This is the worst part,” offered Bland, as I tried to clamber to the top, lactic acid in full effect.
Still, what goes up, must come down, and I managed to twist both feet under my knees as I ended my zip wire journey with the kind of crash landing that makes audible crunching sounds in both of your legs. It must be said here that the health and safety team were right there to check on me, but with my contender-turned-coach spurring me on once again, I picked myself up and completed the final set of balancing beams before running up the travelator and falling flat on my face. Still, the adrenaline levels were through the roof at this point, so I scrambled back to my feet and grabbed the final rope to swing through the finish line. Battered? Yes! Bruised? Certainly? Proud myself? Absolutely!
You Don’t Have to Be a Gladiator to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
While you don’t have to be a Gladiator to try this experience out, it’s comforting to know that contenders like Nathan Bland are on hand to lend some much-needed support. And, it must be said, that even the Gladiators themselves face difficulties with certain events. Gladiator Fire (Montell Douglas) held the British woman’s record for fastest 100m sprint at 11.05 seconds but competing in events like “Hang Tough,” where she must tackle contenders by swinging through a series of highly positioned rings puts her in unfamiliar territory. “The more you do it, the better you get,” Fire tells M&F.
For Gladiator Electro (Jade Packer), who is one of the fastest runners in the world and an IFBB Pro Bodybuilder, one of the biggest challenges comes, surprisingly, from sprinting events like “Unleashed,” where the pace is set from the beginning. “You’ve only got one shot,” explains Electro of catching up with her contender.
Elsewhere, Gladiator Athena (Karenjeet Kaur Bains) is a medal winning powerhouse, but says the higher events test her low center of gravity. On the other hand, Diamond (Livi Sheldon) prefers “The Wall,” but this is Cyclone’s (Lystus Ebsosel’s) least favorite event. No doubt, each athlete’s differing disciplines lead to varied strengths and weaknesses, and such a revelation is inspiring, because it means that no matter our own level of fitness, or where we are in our journey to greatness, the whole point of the Gladiators Experience is to find the hero in all of us and push through our own perceived mental and physical limits.
“To begin with, I am not your friend,” explains Gladiator Phantom of the way he approaches his contenders. “Because I want you to do the job without any handouts, without any aid. I want you to bring your best self, and then at the end of it, we can break bread.”
Fortunately, the Gladiators Experience, while being as close as you can get to the intensity of TV show, is a very much a family affair. “It’s bringing what we do to life,” says Fire. “But also, just how tough, and fun it is.”
The Gladiators Experience continues at the NEC in Birmingham, England until August 31, 2026. For more information, click here!