Hyrox-Curious? How to Train for the Fitness Race Everyone's Talking About

If your feed has filled up with people collapsing happily onto blue carpet next to a sled, you've already met Hyrox. It's a standardised indoor fitness race, and it has turned "gym fitness" into a competitive and very social sport. Men's titles are publishing nutrition plans for it. Women's titles are covering the run clubs and friend groups who sign up together. It's one of the rare trends that pulls both crowds into the same room.

What actually happens in a race

The format is the same everywhere, which is a big part of the appeal. You run 1 km, then complete a workout station, eight times over. The stations, in order, are:

1. SkiErg (1,000 m)
2. Sled push
3. Sled pull
4. Burpee broad jumps
5. Rowing (1,000 m)
6. Farmer's carry
7. Sandbag lunges
8. Wall balls

There are divisions for open and pro athletes and for doubles and relays, so you can race with a partner or a team of four. Check the official Hyrox website for current weights, divisions and the event calendar, including any races near you.

The HN24 take most first-timers aren't racing for a podium. They're racing to finish, which makes it a fantastic goal to train for.

For him

It exposes your weak link

Hyrox is brutally honest. Strong lifters find the running painful, and runners discover that sled pushes and wall balls feel very different at minute 50. That's exactly why it's addictive for performance-minded men: it rewards being well-rounded. Raw strength and pure endurance each get you only so far.

For her

Strength with a finish line

For many women, Hyrox has become the gateway to heavy lifting. Sleds, sandbags and kettlebells stop being intimidating when they're part of a race you're doing with friends. The doubles format lowers the barrier to entry, and the community feel is a big part of the draw.

The 12-week beginner blueprint

This assumes you can already run 5 km continuously and train three to four times a week. If not, build that base first.

Session 1: Run (endurance) An easy 30 to 50 minutes at a conversational pace. Add 5 to 10 minutes every couple of weeks.

Session 2: Strength Squats, deadlifts or Romanian deadlifts, lunges, rows and overhead presses, at 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps. Station-specific strength (sled, carries, wall balls) builds on this foundation.

Session 3: "Compromised running" This is the Hyrox secret sauce. Alternate a station-style exercise with a run, for example:

• 500 m run, then 20 wall balls
• 500 m run, then 20 m of sandbag or walking lunges
• 500 m run, then 250 m row

Repeat 3 to 5 rounds. You're teaching your legs to run while fatigued.

Session 4 (optional): Intervals Run 6 x 1 km at a hard but controlled effort with 90 seconds of rest, or do intervals on the rower or SkiErg.

Progression: build volume for three weeks, then take an easier fourth week. Two to three weeks before race day, do a full or near-full simulation, then taper.

Fuel it like a race, not a workout

Most finishers take somewhere around 60 to 120 minutes, so this is an endurance event:

• The day before: normal meals with a bit more carbohydrate (rice, pasta, potatoes, bread). This isn't the time for an all-you-can-eat buffet.
• 2 to 3 hours before: a familiar carb-based meal, such as oats with banana, toast with honey, or rice with egg.
• During: water at the station areas. If you'll be out there for well over an hour, a gel or sports drink may help, as long as you've practised it in training.
• Afterwards: protein plus carbohydrate within a few hours. A chicken wrap and a glass of milk is perfect.
• Supplements: caffeine and creatine are the best-supported options for this kind of effort (both are in the AIS Group A). Trial caffeine in training first, and keep it moderate.

Don't get hurt before the start line

• Wall balls and lunges are the highest-volume moves. Build them up gradually.
• Sled work is hard on the calves and Achilles. Ease in.
• Running volume causes most injuries. Increase it slowly, and swap a run for the bike or rower if something niggles.
• Sleep is part of training. In the final week, cut volume, not sleep.

If you're new to exercise or have a heart condition, get checked by a doctor before you take on race-intensity sessions.

Station-by-station technique tips

• SkiErg: drive the movement from your hips and lats, not just your arms. Hinge slightly with each pull.
• Sled push: keep your arms long, lean in with a low body angle and take short, fast steps.
• Sled pull: sit back, keep a low centre of gravity and pull hand over hand with your legs braced.
• Burpee broad jumps: keep a steady rhythm rather than sprinting, because this one punishes going out too hard.
• Rowing: push with your legs, then swing your body, then pull with your arms. Stay at a pace you can hold.
• Farmer's carry: stand tall, use short steps and chalk your hands if it's allowed.
• Sandbag lunges: keep your knee tracking over your toes and your chest up. This is where races are won and lost.
• Wall balls: hit full depth, then use your legs to drive the ball. Break the set into planned chunks before you fail.

The race isn't decided by your best station. It's decided by your worst run.

Gym, or no gym?

You don't need a specialist Hyrox gym to prepare. A commercial gym with a rower, a sled and a wall-ball target covers most of it. If there's no sled, substitute heavy prowler-style pushes on a weight plate over a towel, or uphill walking lunges. If there's no SkiErg, use a cable or band pull-down for upper-body conditioning.

Your first race: a pacing plan

1. Runs 1 and 2: go slower than you think you should.
2. Stations 1 to 4: stay at a steady effort and avoid redlining.
3. Runs 5 to 7: hold your pace. This is where well-paced athletes overtake others.
4. The final wall balls: empty the tank.