Hyrox has seen massive growth throughout the world over the past several years. With that growth, athletes from a large variety of backgrounds have taken on the 8 Stations and 8K of running. Some are pleasantly surprised with their finish time, but most athletes overestimate their fitness while not underestimating how taxing Hyrox events are. If you fall into the majority, or you are worried that you might, implement these 3 keys to crushing your next Hyrox!
**I've included an overall structure of a good training schedule, and what it should look like at the bottom of this article.**
1. BUILD YOUR ENGINE
Hyrox is a long race, so you need to have a really solid endurance base. The best way to build your engine is by putting in a high volume of training at a Zone 2 - 3 Heart Rate in the exact way you will be doing cardio during the event - Running, Rower, Skierg. (Adding in cycling is great too). This is the hardest type of workout for me because I find it extremely boring, but the results are 100% worth it and it's a great time to listen to a podcast or ponder about how you could be sleeping instead. This type of workout should be done 3-4 per week and be 1-2 hours long. Fortunately, you don't need to do the SkiErg for 2 hours!
We designed "Ignite" for the athlete who is newer to Hyrox. With this program, you will train to master each Hyrox Station while building your aerobic fitness. Not everyone wants to be a World Champion at Hyrox, so we've designed this program for 4 days per week of training. You will work hard, don't doubt that, but it won't consume your every waking moment, and it WILL prepare you to perform well at your next/first Hyrox. Click the link and Sign Up today.
2. GET THOSE STRENGTH GAINS
My favorite thing about Hyrox is that you actually do have to be strong to do the sled push/pull, lunges, and farmers carry. They are all decently heavy and you have to move that weight for a long distance. My first Hyrox was the 2024 Pro race in NYC and that sled did not want to move! I would like to say it was because of the carpet, or someone put glue on the bottom of my sled...but I definitely struggled there! Fortunately, I've learned from my mistakes and can pass that wisdom on to you! Try adding 2 strength workouts per week with a focus on compound movements like Barbell Deadlifts, Squats, and Bench press while sticking around the 8-15 rep range.
3. LEARN TO PACE
Unfortunately, it's very common for athletes to come out too hot and crash and burn; resulting in a crawl across the finish line. Not to point any fingers....but I think this happens more often to CrossFit athletes rather than someone coming from a running or Spartan Race background. On the other hand, the runner will get crushed on a lot of the Stations and have to try to recover on the runs. The crash and burn can be avoided! Try adding in 4 circuit training sessions per week by pairing cardio, functional movements, and strength exercises together with the goal of keeping a consistent pace throughout each round.
Basic Weekly Plan Structure
Day 1
60:00 Run - Zone 2
20:00 Circuit
Day 2
60:00 Circuit
Day 3
30:00 Strength Training
10:00 Row, 10:00 Ski, 40:00 Run - Zone 2
Day 4
30:00 Strength
30:00 Circuit
Day 5 90:00 Run - Zone 2 Day 6 45:00 Circuit
Day 7 24:00:00 Rest
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