HYROX 101 - How To Avoid Failure at Your First Hyrox
What is Hyrox…?
Recently, it has been hard not to see content relating to Hyrox, whether tips and advice splashed all over social media or guys and girls in the gym gathered around the Hyrox equipment talking about their previous or upcoming race.
Hyrox is a relative newcomer to the fitness world it originated in Hamburg in 2017 and since its popularity has grown rapidly, with races all over the globe with 45 events being held in 5 continents this year.
This guide aims to provide everything a beginner needs to know about Hyrox.
Let’s get stuck in!
The History of Hyrox
Hyrox is fairly new in the world of fitness racing, I have provided a brief overview of the Hyrox history.
Hyrox was created by its founders Christian Toetzke one of the world’s most successful mass participation race organisers and Moritz Furste 3-time Olympic gold medal winner, in 2017 in Germany.
Toetzke came up with the concept of a sport that combines non-technical gym exercises and running allowing everyday exercisers could compete in the same space as elite athletes and therefore creating a sport for gym goers who call working out their sport.
The first-ever Hyrox event was held in 2018 in Hamburg Germany with only 650 competitors, fast forward 7 years the sport has exploded across Europe and the US and has now started spreading across the globe.
You can watch the Hyrox story below.
What Is HYROX? The Basics Explained
HYROX is a global fitness competition that has become somewhat of a global phenomenon over the past two years. If you are in any way interested in health and fitness, you would need to be living under a rock to not have heard or seen Hyrox.
Hyrox is a fitness endurance race that combines non-technical functional exercises with running, it consists of eight 1km runs followed by an exercise station, designed to push your boundaries and challenge your endurance, strength and mental toughness.
The race is timed; however, there is no cut-off time, so anyone can enter regardless of their fitness level.
It is reported that 91% of competitors are members of a local gym.
The accessibility and inclusiveness are the reasons I think that Hyrox has experienced such massive growth over the past few years, and I do not see it slowing any time soon.
The Stations
Hyrox remains consistent throughout with the same 8 functional exercise stations, the stations have been picked especially for their non-technical nature.
Running
Running makes up 50% of the Hyrox race, with eight intervals of 1km.
Although you do not need to run 8km all in one go, I would advise you to try and accustom yourself to a level of endurance and running with compromised legs (running with tired legs).
A lot of people get carried away with training for the stations and battering out simulations and neglect the most important aspect of the hyrox race RUNNING!
In my opinion, you should concentrate on building a strong foundation in running before tackling anything else.
Ski Erg
1km Ski Erg, this is the first station after your first 1km run, it can be easy to get carried away at the first station and go all out, I would advise you to try and stick to your race plan and not get swept up in the excitement.
The Ski Erg is predominantly an upper-body movement, although it also incorporates your core, hip flexors, hamstrings, calves and glutes, so you can easily see that your whole body will be screaming if you go out too quickly.
Sled Push
50m sled push is completed on a 12.5m track, this means you have to push the sledge along the track 4 times to get the 50m. The weight of the sled depends on the category of race you have entered.
No matter what category you enter this is the heaviest station and can often catch people out on the day when they try and move the sled. When training I would advise you to train with heavier weights, so you are not surprised on race day by how sticky the sled feels.
Sled Pull
As with the sled push the sled pull follows the same rules. The sled has a rope attached at both sides and the sled is pulled along a 12.5m track, this means you have to pull the sledge along the track 4 times to get the 50m. The weight of the sled depends on the category of race you have entered.
80m Burpee Broad Jump
This is the station where you are going to start considering your choices and how they have led you here.
In all seriousness, this is a very tough station, it is 80m of burpee broad jumps (BBJ), and if you have ever done any sort of HIIT style training you will know exactly how hard burpees can be, now add a broad-jump at the end of each burpee.
The good thing is that once you have completed this station you know you are halfway to the finish which is a slight bit of comfort.
1000m Row Erg
A 1km row sounds not too bad, and many people like to think that they can rest whilst on the row but if you get too complacent it will make a serious dent in your time.
The first time I did doubles myself and my partner got caught out on this station, we took our foot off the gas, and we struggled with our transition costing us at least a minute.
If you are competing in doubles one piece of advice is to practice your technique and your transitions before race day.
200m Farmers Carry
200m carrying a kettlebell, this is going to be a put to the test here and your shoulders will be on fire by the end of it, however, your legs are not being battered so the following run might be better.
I would suggest you try and get through it as quickly as possible though, I try and go for a slight jog whereas others go full pelt. The longer you are holding the kettlebell the more times you will need to drop and reset increasing your overall time.
100m Sandbag Weighted Lunges
Get ready to hate your life, this is a very tough station, especially at this stage of the race. The sandbags vary in weight again this depends on the category in which you are participating.
This is going to hit your glutes and thighs, with fatigue setting it is common for your legs to start cramping, the run after this station is going to feel very shaky, but it is the last run, Woo…
100 Wall Balls
This station is nasty, you have just put yourself through 8km of hell and 7 stations and the worst is yet to come, 100 wall balls with a weighted medicine ball and squat below 90 degrees, your quads are going to be screaming throughout this station.
I try and split this up into sets of 25, and take a small break between the sets, this makes it slightly more manageable.
This is the last station so try and go full at it; you are almost there!
Can you get 100 unbroken??
On the day
On the day, you will want to arrive at the venue early. It’s good to get there and get a feel for the course. Although the races are standardised, the layout can be very different. It’s also good to just soak up the atmosphere and feel the buzz. It is electric at these events.
You need to register for your race, this can be done at the event on the day, however, it can be very busy with long queues, sometimes you can register at a local Sports Direct, and can be done ahead of time.
When you register this is where you bib number and your wristband that allows you access to the event for the full weekend and your timing chip (make sure you keep your chip safe).
Once you are registered and settled with plenty of time before your heat, get yourself down to the warm-up area, and try and get a shot on all the equipment, I like to try out the sleds as it will generally be very similar to how they are going to feel out on the course.
Once you are warmed up make your way to the starting tent, the atmosphere inside the tent can be quite intense but my advice is just soak it up and enjoy it!
Now it is racing time, get out there and smash it!!
The competition, categories and weights
There are different categories: Open, Pro, Doubles, and Relay. Each category has its own set of weights or rules. Check it out here on the official Hyrox website.
Each of the exercises has strict rules (check out the rule book here) on how they should be performed and there are judges and marshals throughout the course to ensure that everyone is adhering to the rules.
One of the worst things you can hear from a judge is when you are 70 wallballs deep into your 100 is NO REP! Believe me, this is a killer, maintaining good form will help reduce the amount of no reps.
Understanding The Timing
Your timings are measured using your timing chip, you attach the chip to your ankle on the day and when you go through the gates it registers what time you entered and exited the rox zone and the stations.
I think a lot of people can get themselves caught up in the finishing time for Hyrox, especially if you follow certain people on social media, and you are seeing some incredible finishing times.
My advice for the average Hyroxer is to concentrate on your own game plan and your own pace and not get caught up in trying to kill yourself trying to hit an unrealistic time, try and enjoy yourself as much as possible.
Average Finishing Times 23/24
You might be surprised at where your time sits!
Elite Races and World Championships
The Elite 15 is a series of competitions in which the top 15 male athletes and the top 15 female athletes battle it out to earn a spot at the world championships and the chance to be crowned Hyrox world champions.
The elite 15 races are classed as majors and are held in cities across the world, and for season 2024/2025 the season majors are being held in:
- Amsterdam (Major)
- Hong Kong (Major)
- Las Vegas (Major)
- Glasgow (Major)
- Chicago (World Championships)
The current world champions are Megan Jacoby (USA) and Alexander Roncevic (Austria), will they be able to defend their titles at this season’s championships?
As well as the elite 15 at the world championships everyone that competes throughout the season has a chance to qualify to compete at the worlds. To qualify you need to grab a podium spot at any of the Hyrox races that take place throughout the season.
Current World Records
The current world records in Hyrox showcase the breathtaking fitness of some of the athletes who compete.
Just looking at some of the finishing times listed in the table below is astonishing. It is almost unnatural how fast these athletes are.
What Makes HYROX Unique?
The main unique feature of Hyrox in my opinion is that it is almost always held in a controlled indoor setting, ensuring consistency across all the events no matter where they are being held.
Unlike traditional races or obstacle courses, Hyrox events stick to the same format no matter where you are in the world. You’ll find that it consists of eight 1km runs followed by the same eight functional exercise stations.
It is very straightforward, and this standardised setup ensures each race is the same, creating a level playing field for everyone.
The official ranking system of HYROX further elevates its uniqueness by enabling you to track your races and progress no matter where you have raced. You also have the chance to benchmark your results against your friends and athletes from all over the world, fostering a competitive yet community-driven atmosphere.
There is nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition to keep you going.
How does it differ from CrossFit?
While there are similarities in the sports, they are not the same thing! However, it is easy to see why they are compared with one another.
The main differences are:
- Intensity: CrossFit workouts are generally shorter but more intense, whereas Hyrox is focused more on endurance.
- Strength: The strength required to complete a CrossFit race workout is in general much higher than that needed to complete a Hyrox race.
- Complexity: The exercises in a Hyrox are specifically chosen to be simple to allow anyone to have a go at the sport, whereas some of the movements in CrossFit are very complex, requiring technique and skill.
- Standardisation: Every Hyrox race that takes place will follow the same basic format with an 8 x 1km run followed by a functional exercise, CrossFit on the other hand can consist of many different exercises and a lot of the time you do not find out what the race consists of until you are there.
I have seen a lot of CrossFit enthusiasts hating on Hyrox say things like:
‘Hyrox is just a CrossFit WOD’
‘Hyrox people could never hack it in CrossFit’
I really don’t understand the hate at all, in my opinion, both sports have their own set of skills and disciplines, they are both hybrid-based sports requiring strength and cardiovascular fitness, and the sports can easily coexist in the hybrid world.
Why You Should Try HYROX
I might be slightly biased when it comes to Hyrox, but I think it is is great sport for anyone to get involved with, this is why I think you should get involved…
It is fun but also challenging!
If you are anything like I am going to the gym can sometimes be a drag especially if you have been going for a while, doing the same lifts week in and week out, doing the same 30 minutes of cardio at the end of your session BORING!
This is where comes in and changes things up!
Hyrox gives you a range of things to work on, improving cardiovascular fitness, strength and endurance, which means you will not get bored with your workouts as easily.
With it being a hybrid-based sport there is a range of areas to work on, speed, strength, cardiovascular fitness, endurance and possibly mental toughness (there are going to be times during the training and race that you want to give up but just keep pushing you are stronger than your mind likes to make you think).
Once you have completed your first race the sense of achievement is like nothing else and I bet you will be looking to book your next race on the way home.
The Community
It has a great community of people from all backgrounds and all age groups, this creates an atmosphere unlike any other that I have experienced when it comes to fitness racing, it really is a very welcoming sport with a community of people rooting for you to succeed.
It’s beginner-friendly, with scalable weights and workout modifications, to get started all you need is a gym membership and you can start with basic Hyrox workouts that can be found (see an example below)
Not to mention that training for Hyrox will improve your strength, fitness and well-being, which cannot be a bad thing in my opinion.
So, what’s stopping you…?
How Train For Your First Hyrox
So, you might be thinking where do I start, how do I get myself ready for my first hyrox?
I mentioned above all you really need is a gym membership, which is correct, but this comes down to where you are on your fitness journey.
For the sake of this article, I will assume that you are fairly new to fitness but have a base level of fitness (can jog 3km without stopping) and know your way around the gym.
If you are a total beginner this will also help but I suggest you consult a trainer to get you started.
Running
It can be easily overlooked but when considered running makes up half of a hyrox, I strongly advise you to make it a priority to improve your running.
I would aim for at least two runs per week, preferably three, if possible but don’t stress too much, life is busy and it’s difficult fitting it in sometimes believe me I get it with two small kids at home and a teenager.
For example:
one interval-style run, and one longer run and if you can fit the third in a threshold run.
- Interval Run – 6 x 800m at about 80-90% of your maximum effort.
- Long Run – 10km at an easy conversational pace.
- Threshold – 1km warm-up @ easy pace, 5 minutes at threshold pace (70-80% 0f maximum effort) with 90s walking rest x4, 1km cool down.
The interval run is going to improve your anaerobic base, and the long run is going to improve your aerobic base, this basically means the short intense intervals will improve your fitness, and the long run will improve your endurance.
Start Slow
The above is just an example, if you are going to be increasing your volume (the amount of running you do in a week) I advise doing it gradually.
What do I mean by that?
Well, if you run zero times a week right now, try and get out for 1 run a week, if you currently run once a week up your runs to twice a week, you get the picture.
If you currently run once a week and try to increase your training to three times a week you are increasing your chance of injury, try to aim for a couple of kilometres extra per week.
A good goal to chase with your running before your hyrox is being able to run at least 8km non-stop and even better be able to run for the same amount of time as you expect to finish a hyrox.
Strength and Conditioning
This is where you can be a bit more creative with your movements.
Conditioning
I do advise you to do a simulation to get a feel for how you will cope with running under the conditions of a hyrox. This will get you comfortable with the stations and standards required for the race.
The last thing you want on race day is any surprises.
Although you do not need to be banging out a full hyrox sim every week, I would try adding some smaller workouts that incorporate the same movements.
For example, you could try this small workout:
- 500m SkiErg
- 25 Wallballs (heavier than category weight)
- 500m RowErg
- 25 Wallballs (heavier than category weight)
Tag this on to the end of your strength workout for 1 round to start with and once you start to get used to it build it up to 2 – 4 rounds.
Strength
You should build up a good base of strength, and focus on compound movements such as back squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses and wide grip pull-downs.
Once you have a decent base of strength, you can start to incorporate different movements, I have listed some of my favourite ones below and why they help.
For example, the following is a strength workout you could follow:
- 3 x 6 Romanian Split Squats (Go quite heavy) – Hitting the quads and glute that will help with the sandbag lunges.
- 3 x 10 Dumbbell Squat Press – Imitates the same movement for the wallballs.
- 3 x 10 Seated Cable Row – Helps strengthen the back muscles required for the sled pull.
- 3 x 8 Hack Squats – Strengthening legs for sled push.
- 3 x 8 Weighted Calf Raises – Strengthening calves for sled push.
Above is just an example, you can play around with the number of sets and reps to suit you and the time that you have.
Remember if tagging the condition workout on at the end they can become quite long.
Lets Wrap It Up
So, that went on a bit longer than expected!
I have tried to cover everything that I think could help and I hope you have taken something away from it.
I would love to hear from you, about where and when are you competing whether it is your first or you are more experienced let me know in the comments below or contact me through our contact page.
One last thing, whatever you do go out and enjoy the experience.