What Does it Take to do a HYROX?

The Hyrox race is deceptively simple an 8 km race with a functional fitness station at every kilometre. Each part on its own is manageable but stacked together it becomes a gritty test of will power as well as just fitness. The combination of running, jumping, pushing, pulling, carrying and squatting make it a well rounded test of the fundamental human movements. It is designed to test these components in the safest way possible (sleds instead of barbells, carrying instead of climbing etc) which as a coach gives me confidence to recommend it to most people as a way to challenge and improve their fitness. The events are always the same but there are multiple options for taking part: 4 person relay, Doubles, individual and individual pro. In this article I describe the requirements of the race and the best ways to prepare for them.

The Running

Before we get into the stations arguable the most important requirement for HYROX is running. But the fastest runners are not the winners because it’s all about running under fatigue. Each station has a different effect on the body and most are leg dominant which suddenly takes your light breezy 5k pace to a slog through treacle, the stronger you are on the exercises the less impact it will have on your running. In training it is important to practice running after different exercises, steep hill runs also work well to simulate this feeling. The average time to complete an individual hyrox is around 90 minutes, therefore you need to be able to run after an hour of work. Try a few longer runs and workouts at a lower intensity to improve your endurance.

Station 1: Ski Erg

The ski erg is a relatively new cardio machine that have taken off in recent year as the sexy alternative to the old school Concept 2 Rower. It requires you to use your core, lats and triceps to drive the handles down and your posterior chain bring your body back into position. Much like the rower and other ergs, strength can give you powerful strokes but it is predominately a cardiovascular workout, especially when paired with running and all the other hyrox station. When training for Hyrox the ski erg is a great low impact option to increase your cardiovascular endurance if running gets too much on the body.

Coach tip: The ski erg is a trap! During the race the first run is fresh and uncompromised, and when you come into the ski full of excitement and adrenaline you feel like you can hammer down and get straight back to running. Don’t do it! even going 5-10 seconds quicker on the skier can raise your heart rate and make the rest of the race a suffer-fest. Push yourself in training but stay at a comfortable pace during the race.

Station 2: Sled Push

The sleds are the most strength demanding stations. The weight of the push requires you to brace hard through the entire body. This challenges your breathing and completing the 4 X12.5m straights creates a real burn in the quads and calves making the following run take on a whole different feeling. To be prepared for the sled push strengthening the legs and core is key, traditional Front and Back squats are of massive benefit along with Bulgarian split squats, and Zercher carries.

Coach Tip: Don’t sell out!

You may feel it it’s of benefit to continuously push and slog through it. But moving in bursts with short breaks throughout will stop the build up of fatigue and allow you to run instead of stagger out of the station.

Station 3: Sled Pull

The sled Pull works your grip and forearms as well as your posterior chain (lats, lower back, glutes). Standing your ground and pulling with just your arms will blow them out quickly. For most people including the Elite athletes the most effective technique is to take a strong grip and walk it back. This becomes a full body movement working the Quads as well (specifically the VMO). To work on this try sled drags, bent over rows and Poliquin step downs.

Coach Tip: manage the rope, after each pull be sure to shift the rope over to the side or straddle it and tuck it behind you, to avoid tripping over it.

Station 4: Burpee Broad Jump

At this point you have just started to get a feel for the race and then your hit by the burpees. Arguable one of the hardest stations to keep your heart rate down. It is a real test of cardio and explosive power. To train for it you can break the movement apart and do push ups, good-mornings, and broad jumps/bounding. Try adding some into segments of your runs and see how long it takes for you to recover your heart rate.

Coach Tip: know the movement standard. There are various different ways to do the burpee broad jump, as long as you adhere to the movement standard, find what works best for you.

Station 5: Row

After the Burpee broad jumps the row can provide a much needed sit down. But you won’t be resting because 1000m is too short to to relax but too long to blast it out. Much like the Ski erg a controlled pace with smooth full strokes will get you into a rhythm and help you calm down. If rowing with the correct technique you should be working your entire posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, lower and upper back). Using the machine in training with running and other Ergs will increase aerobic capacity and strength movements like Deadlifts will increase your power output.

Coach Tip: practice the pace you want to hit in training and then use it as a guide to determine how well the race is going. If your target pace feels easy your doing well and can finish the race strong. If your target pace feels hard you may have come out too hot so ease up.

Station 6: Farmer Carry

The Farmer Carry is the shortest station and it’s very simple but still no walk in the park. Carry the kettlebells by your side and try a fast walk or a smooth jog to avoid the kettlebells banging about too much. This works your grip strength, traps and core. To train for it try using heavier weights than what is prescribed, deadhangs and trap bar deadlifts are also good moves for farmer carry’s.

Coach Tip: chalk up!! Whether or not you use it in training is up to you but on race day use the chalk bucket provided to give you extra grip.

Station 7: The Lunges

The Lunges test your muscular endurance and strength they create a burn in the quads and glutes that can be hard to shift. At this point tired legs can be shaky and cramp easily. To be prepared for the lunges high rep squats as well as single leg variations like split squats and single leg press can build your leg strength and stability.

Coach Tip: Take a stutter step between each rep to stabilise and relax the leg before going into the next rep, it may be a little slower but stops the build up of fatigue and allows you to continue for longer.

Station 8: The Wall Balls

The wall balls is the most skilled movement in Hyrox it involves a squat to parallel, overhead press, throw and catch for 1 repetition and you have to do 100 of them. The many moving parts to it requires some practice so start with a lighter ball and work on them until they feel smooth and co-ordinated. Aside from the skill it requires muscular endurance of the legs and shoulders and it is a lot more cardiovascular than you think. Goblet squats, front squats, thrusters and overhead press are good exercises to improve your wall balls as well as general aerobic conditioning.

Coach Tip: plan your breaks, only the very best can complete the 100 reps unbroken, so practice different strategies on how you are going to break up the sets. Having a number in your head helps you push and keeps you focused.

Conclusion

The Hyrox race has a stronger emphasis on cardiovascular endurance than similar sports like CrossFit but overall it is a great test to see where your strengths and weaknesses are and the repeatability of it means you can see if you are improving in each area.

For more tips and Strategies check out My YouTube Channel -

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