We sent a survey, and 225 Hyrox athletes filled it out. The goal was to get a GENERAL picture of how athletes are training for Hyrox. We hope you find the results as interesting and insightful as well did. At the very end of the article, we have the average for each question listed so you can see what the average Hyrox athlete is doing for training.
Question 1: How many MILES do you run PER WEEK ON AVERAGE? (We understand that the distance will vary, but choose the answer that fits best. Please convert KM to Miles for the sake of our Data)
Okay, let's talk about this data. If you aren't doing any running training for Hyrox, you're probably having a rough race considering that there is a lot of running in Hyrox. So, probably run. 1-5 Miles per week is something, but if you want to improve at Hyrox, you probably need to be 10-20 miles per week. A lot is dependent on your background and time, but run enough to improve at running.
Question 2: Do you ever Simulate a Hyrox event (it could be a full simulation or a partial simulation) in your training?
There are a LOT of people who say that simulations don't improve your performance - that they aren't the best way to improve. HOWEVER, if you have never done a Hyrox, or you have only done a few, it could be extremely beneficial to simulate the whole event, or part of the event so you can get a feel for it, test fueling and hydration, and so on. Experience for a specific event does matter in performance.
Ignite breaks down the complexity of Hyrox into manageable steps. You'll master each component of the race, from Sled Pushes and Wall Balls to Burpees and Rowing, with a clear and structured plan. Tailored to suit all fitness levels, our workouts ensure that everyone can participate and progress. Sign up for Ignite - Training For Hyrox Athletes.
Question 3: Which Hyrox Stations do you train for specifically? Select all for which you specifically train.
Wall Ball got the most love. I think it's fitting that Broad Jump Burpees got the second most votes. We've put out polls in the past, and the majority of people in the polls have said that Broad Jump Burpees are the one they struggle with most. There are a lot of people NOT focusing a ton on the Carries, Rower, and Skierg. Maybe it's because they are good at it already, or maybe they struggle with the other stations and put focus there.
Question 4: Which STATION/PORTION of Hyrox is MOST challenging for YOU PERSONALLY?
Everyone has the Farmers Carry down...except one. Here is another example of what I said above - the Burpee Broad Jump being challenging for a lot of people. Sled Pull/Push...I wonder if that is due to access to sleds, or people just aren't training them. Wall Balls get some attention here...it's tough. Especially to go unbroken on Wall Balls. These results aren't super surprising overall though.
Question 5: How much time ON AVERAGE do you spend each day working out? (We know it will vary, just choose the closest time that fits)
Most people are training 45-90 minutes. That's a significant range in training time. We didn't source competitive athletes verses recreational for this survey, but that would be the next level to dive into to see how the time spent training affects the performance and so on. You might think that more time means better performance, but that isn't always true. 90+ minutes is a long workout, but if you are fit enough for it, go for it.
Question 6: ON AVERAGE, how many DAYS PER WEEK do you typically workout?
This is 100% life and goal dependent. If you want to be be a great Hyrox athlete, 3 days of training won't likely be enough. If you just do it for fun and want to keep trying to improve, absolutely, 3-4 days per week can do that with good programming. I like to train 5-6 days per week, so this data looks good to me!
Question 7: ROUGHLY what Percentage of your training on a weekly basis is STRENGTH TRAINING? (Pick the percentage that sounds closest to how you normally train)
So, a race like Hyrox demands more strength than some other Hybrid competitions like Deka Fit, but it's still not at a crazy level. That being said, it's all goal dependent, so if you struggle with the strength, do more strength training. If you struggle with the running, do less strength training and work on the running.
Question 8: How many Hyrox events have you completed so far?
Well, turns out, most of the people who completed the survey are only a little bit experienced with Hyrox. 3 events is a good base, but I don't think you could realistically call yourself very experienced until you get closer to the 10 events mark - and event that isn't a TON of experience. Simulations are a good way to get some decent experience, but there is nothing like the real thing - that's true of any event/competition.
Question 9: In your day-to-day life, how seriously do you take Proper Hydration and Eating Healthy foods? (Choose the response that most closely fits you)
The two who don't care at all...that's fine. You aren't going to get nearly the progress in your fitness or the recovery or performance if you aren't doing those things well. It's good to see most people taking it somewhat seriously. I get it. If you aren't trying to be competitive, you still want to enjoy life, so it's good to have a balance. If you are COMPETING, you need to get hydration and nutrition on point for top performance.
And now, here is how your average Hyrox athlete is training:
They are:
Running 6-15 miles per week
Performing at least partial race simulations
Training for the Wall Ball, Broad Jump Burpees, & Sled Push/Pull most
Struggle most with the Broad Jump Burpees & Sled Push/Pull
Spend 45-90 minutes working out per session
Train 5-6 days per week
About 35% of their training is Strength Training
Have completed 1-3 events
Are working decently hard on good nutrition and hydration.
That's it! Thanks for reading. We really appreciate your time, and we hope that you found something beneficial with these results.
A very good synopsis for someone to understand and take their HYROX training to the next level.