HYROX Training: Building Your Hybrid Athlete Blueprint
- Benjamin Duperron
- May 22
- 6 min read
HYROX events have absolutely exploded in popularity over the last year, transforming the landscape of functional fitness. What began as a niche competition in Germany has rapidly become a global phenomenon, with events selling out worldwide and a significant surge in gyms offering dedicated HYROX fitness classes. This rise can be attributed to its unique blend of endurance running and accessible functional movements, creating a challenging yet achievable benchmark for everyday athletes, unlike the more complex and skill-heavy demands of traditional CrossFit. With so many people now embracing this exciting format, the critical question for aspiring participants becomes: what is the best way to meticulously prepare yourself for a HYROX event to ensure optimal performance?
Understanding the HYROX Format
Before diving into training, understanding the HYROX event structure is essential. Each competition consists of an 8 km run alternating with 8 different functional workouts. These workouts in order include:
1000m Ski Erg
50m Sled Push: Pushing a weighted sled across a designated distance (usually broken into 4 x 12.5m lengths).
50m Sled Pull: Pulling a weighted sled with a rope across a designated distance.
80m Burpee Broad Jumps: A combination of a burpee followed by a broad jump forward, covering a total distance of 80m.
1000m Row
200m Farmer's Carry: Carrying two heavy kettlebells (one in each hand) for a total of 200m.
100m Sandbag Lunges: Performing lunges with a sandbag on your back, covering a total distance of 100m (alternating legs, with the back knee touching the ground).
Wall balls
Training for a HYROX competition requires a comprehensive approach that combines endurance, strength, and functional fitness. It's not just about being good at running or strong in the gym; it's about seamlessly transitioning between the two under fatigue.
Setting Your Goals
Establishing clear goals is crucial for effective training. Think about whether you want to compete for time, build endurance, or improve your strength. Setting specific, measurable goals can keep you motivated. For instance, you might aim to finish the competition under 1 hour and 30 minutes or improve your sled push time by 20%.
Keep track of your goals. Write them down, and let them guide your training sessions. A clear focus can help you stay committed.
Training Plan Structure 12 Week Example
A well-structured 12-week mesocycle is the cornerstone of effective HYROX preparation, systematically guiding an athlete from foundational fitness to race-day readiness.
Weeks 1-4, or the "Base Building" phase, are dedicated to establishing a robust aerobic engine and solid strength foundations. During this crucial period, the emphasis is placed on mastering movement patterns for all functional exercises, ensuring efficiency and injury prevention. Concurrently, given that 50% of the HYROX event is running, a significant focus is on building consistent running mileage at a comfortable, aerobic pace to develop a strong cardiovascular base. This fundamental running volume, coupled with developing general strength through compound lifts performed with controlled repetitions, sets the essential groundwork for tolerating the demands of the entire race.
Weeks 5-8, the "Specific Preparatory Phase (SPP)" phase, pivot towards increasing the physiological demands, introducing higher intensity running intervals and threshold work to boost speed and lactate tolerance, alongside a gradual increase in repetitions in strength training, critically integrating more partial or full HYROX simulations to acclimatize the body to the unique run-to-exercise transitions under fatigue.
Weeks 9-12 constitute the "Peak/Taper" phase, where training becomes highly specific, mimicking race-day conditions with more frequent and demanding simulations, before strategically reducing overall volume in the final one to two weeks—the taper—to ensure the body is fully recovered, energized, and primed for optimal performance on event day.
Sample Week
Here's a sample week in the Specific Preparatory Phase (SPP) for a HYROX event (Weeks 5-8), designed as a 5-day split for an athlete. This week emphasizes increased intensity, compromised running, and partial HYROX simulations.
Monday: Strength Endurance (Lower Body & Push) + Compromised Run
Tuesday: Running - Intervals for Speed & Lactate Tolerance
Wednesday: Full Body Strength & Pull + Grip Focus
Thursday: Rest or Active Recovery / Mobility
Friday: HYROX Partial Race Simulation
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Long Endurance (Hybrid)
Sample workout
Monday: Strength Endurance (Lower Body & Push) + Compromised Run
Focus: Build muscular endurance for sleds, lunges, and wall balls, and practice running under fatigue.
Workout:
Warm-up: 10 min easy jog, dynamic stretches.
A. Strength Circuit (3-4 rounds, 60-90 sec rest between rounds):
Goblet Squats: 12-15 reps (moderate-heavy weight)
Walking Lunges (with dumbbells or light sandbag): 10-12 reps per leg
Box Step-ups: 10-12 reps per leg (controlled, stepping down)
Wall Sits: 45-60 seconds
B. Upper Body Push & Core:
Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Push-ups: 3 sets to failure or challenging rep count
Plank variations (e.g., side plank, plank shoulder taps): 3 sets of 30-45 seconds
C. Compromised Run:
Immediately after completing the A circuit, do a 1km Threshold Run (comfortably hard pace).
Cool-down: Static stretches.
Key Exercises to Include In Training Plan
SkiErg & Row: Focus on pacing, stroke rate, and consistent power output.
Sled Push/Pull: Refine technique, body angle, and continuous movement.
Burpee Broad Jumps: Work on rhythm, efficiency of the burpee, and consistent jump distance.
Farmer's Carry: Focus on posture and relentless grip.
Sandbag Lunges: Master the sandbag position and consistent knee touch.
Wall Balls: Develop a smooth squat-to-throw motion, hitting the target consistently.
Focus on maintaining proper form and technique. Gradually increase weights and intensity as you become more skilled.
Movement Economy & Skill Practice:
Beyond pure strength and endurance, the meticulous practice of each functional movement in a HYROX event is paramount for both efficiency and success. Dedicating specific training time to the sled push and pull, burpee broad jumps, farmer's carries, sandbag lunges, and wall balls allows athletes to ingrain proper technique, identify the most economical movement patterns, and build specific muscular endurance for each station. This consistent repetition not only translates to faster completion times by reducing wasted energy, but critically, it rules out the frustrating and time-consuming possibility of getting "no-repped" at competitions. Understanding and executing the precise standards for each movement ensures every effort counts, transforming potential delays into seamless transitions and ultimately, a more competitive race performance.
Weights Used In HYROX Events
Here's a quick overview of the weights used in HYROX events, converted to pounds (lbs) for clarity. Keep in mind that sled weights always include the weight of the sled itself.
HYROX Open Division (Individual Men / Women, and typically most Doubles/Relay categories):
Sled Push (50m):
Men: 335 lbs
Women: 225 lbs
Sled Pull (50m):
Men: 227 lbs
Women: 172 lbs
Farmer's Carry (200m, per hand):
Men: 53 lbs (each hand)
Women: 35 lbs (each hand)
Sandbag Lunges (100m):
Men: 45 lbs
Women: 22 lbs
Wall Balls (100 reps):
Men: 13 lbs (to 10 ft target)
Women: 9 lbs (to 9 ft target)
HYROX Pro Division (Individual Men Pro / Women Pro, and some Pro Doubles categories):
Sled Push (50m):
Men: 445 lbs
Women: 335 lbs
Sled Pull (50m):
Men: 337 lbs
Women: 227 lbs
Farmer's Carry (200m, per hand):
Men: 70 lbs (each hand)
Women: 53 lbs (each hand)
Sandbag Lunges (100m):
Men: 66 lbs
Women: 45 lbs
Wall Balls (100 reps):
Men: 20 lbs (to 10 ft target)
Women: 13 lbs (to 9 ft target)
Mixed Doubles and Relays (General Guidelines):
Mixed Doubles often use the men's Open sled weights (335 lbs push, 227 lbs pull), but will use the women's Pro weights for Farmer's Carry (53 lbs/hand), Sandbag Lunges (45 lbs), and Wall Balls (13 lbs).
Relay teams generally use the Open division weights for their respective genders (e.g., a male relay participant uses men's Open weights, a female relay participant uses women's Open weights).
Remember to always check the official HYROX rulebook for the most current and precise standards for your specific event and division.
Get Ready to Compete
Preparing for your first HYROX event represents a significant commitment to advanced functional fitness. This journey demands a strategic blend of rigorous training, dedicated recovery, and focused mental conditioning. By implementing a structured program that expertly integrates both sustained running endurance and targeted functional strength exercises, you will systematically build the comprehensive physical capacity required for this unique challenge.
Every training session serves as a vital step in honing your efficiency, enhancing your resilience, and refining your performance. Embrace the demanding nature of this preparation, maintaining consistency in your efforts. Each disciplined action brings you measurably closer to achieving your athletic objective.
Initiate your specialized HYROX training today, and prepare to excel on race day.
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