Hyrox is a multi-stage ‘fitness racing’ competition. It started in Hamburg Germany in 2018 and is the self-proclaimed ‘world series of fitness’. It is comprised of eight 1km runs broken up by 8 fitness stations that must be completed in a specific order against a running clock.
The fitness stations go in the order:
1. 1km SkiErg
2. 50m Sled push
3. 50m Sled pull
4. 80m Burpee broad jump
5. 1km Row
6. 200m Farmers carry
7. 100m Sandbag lunge
8. 75-100 Wall balls
The weights change depending on the category entered and the sex of the competitor, it can be completed as a single racer, pair or 4 person relay. The events normally occur in a convention centre over a single day with people racing in waves of around 20-30 competitors.
So why might Hyrox be for you?
Hyrox competitors come from all walks of life and multiple sports, all shapes and sizes race Hyrox races in different categories. There is a broad discussion on what the best sport to train for the competition is, some argue that the race is 50% running so runners are naturally more prepared for the race. Others argue that CrossFit/Functional athletes are better set up due to their general physical preparedness training, there is a school of thought that triathletes are well trained for Hyrox due the broad fitness over a long time of racing.
So how do I train for it?
- Running - It is an unavoidable fact that Hyrox consists of 8x1km runs. You need to be able to comfortable running to finish the race but also comfortable with compromised running. Believe me when I say your legs will feel like jelly after doing 100m of sandbag lunges and going straight into a run afterwards can be a massive shock to the system.
- Strength- Shifting a heavy sled across a carpeted floor requires some real strength. Super lean lightweight runners can come up to the second station and find themselves wasting a huge amount of time trying to get it moving. Pure running might benefit from a light frame but when you need to shift some weight a few extra pounds of muscle wouldn’t go amiss.
- General Fitness- Often overlooked but just get generally fitter. The quickest runner might do 4:00/km splits but spend 25 minutes on the sleds, and the strongman might move the sleds like they are nothing but walk each run. The generalist will prevail over both, try and prioritise good at all the stations and a good runner than great in a single movement.
Is it for me?
With quite a low injury rate and inclusive weights in the open category Hyrox could be a great event to mix up what you are training for. If you have lost that fire for what you are currently doing and are looking for a new challenge maybe check it out, it could be just the thing you’ve been looking for.
