If you’ve been thinking about taking on a new fitness challenge, you might feel overwhelmed by the myriad of trends flooding the world of health and fitness.
While the choice of events and activities seems endless, you might also feel that many are geared towards those with an already-high level of fitness – or designed for people in their 20s.
However, HYROX is a fitness event that has made its accessibility one of its stand-out features. And while it does have its fair share of ultra-fit participants, it’s also become an event in which people of all ages and fitness levels can feel welcome, capable, and comfortable.
It’s attracted many first-time participants who are well into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Many of those, like Drita Nunes, Simon Passmore, and Celia Duff, have found HYROX propelling them to their best ever physical condition, and firmly believe it’s never too late to start training for HYROX.
If your interest is piqued, read on to find out more details about how the divisions work, what the races look like, and how you can get race-ready.
What is HYROX?
Created in 2017 by sporting event entrepreneur, Christian Toetzke, and field hockey player and Olympian, Moritz Fürste, HYROX is a “global fitness race”.
The mass participation event combines running and functional workouts, with participants moving from station to station. HYROX allows people from all over the world to compete against themselves and each other, and put their strength, endurance, and overall fitness to the test.
Sound a little intense? Well, it can be, but it doesn’t have to be either. The beauty of HYROX – and a reason it’s become so popular – is that it’s accessible to everyone, from beginners to elite athletes. Events are now held across 11 countries and 30 metropolises, with more than 50,000 finishers per year.
Whether you’re a runner, strength trainer, or general health and fitness enthusiast, HYROX offers a challenging yet thoroughly achievable way to push your limits. More than that, it’s incredibly fun, a wonderful thing to be part of, and might connect you with new friends.
How many HYROX divisions are there?
There are four different divisions for HYROX racers: pro, open, doubles, and relay
Pro
For experienced racers, the pro category is the same race but with heavier weights and perhaps a more competitive edge.
Open
Separate male and female open divisions offer a healthy competitive category, with lighter weights than the pro category. There’s no cut-off, so even if you take a little longer, you’ll get to finish every station in your own time.
Doubles
The doubles category is fantastic for you and a friend to take on together, particularly if the race feels like a lot to do alone. You’ll both run each of the eight different kilometre running stages, but you’ll alternate the stations, doing half each.
Relay
Another division that makes the race accessible to those who don’t fancy doing the full eight stages alone, the relay division splits the stations so that each person on a team of four does two of the kilometre runs, followed by two functional stations.
Age groups
Each of the four divisions is also separated into different age groups, so that those in their 40s, 50s and 60s will race within their groups.
If you’re tempted to try HYROX, the wide range of entry options will hopefully make it feel less daunting. But what exactly does the race entail?
What happens during a HYROX race?
Wherever you sign up to participate in a HYROX race, and whatever division you choose, you can be sure that it’ll follow a set format. There are no surprises, and exercises are always completed in the same order, making it easier to train and plan accordingly.
Participants will complete eight runs of 1 km each. After each kilometre, you’ll go to a different ‘functional exercise’ station. Functional exercise, unlike many bodybuilding exercises, is geared towards genuinely improving your functional strength, or your ability to complete day-to-day physical tasks or play other sports.
The eight different functional exercise stations are as follows…
Station 1 – SkiErg
The first functional station is the Ski Erg, a tall machine with two cables located up high, which are pulled to mimic the movements used by cross-country skiers as they use their poles to propel themselves forward (its original training purpose was for ski training). It’s a full-body exercise targeting arms, shoulders, core, and legs. You’ll have to complete 1000m at this station.
Station 2 – Sled push
At just 50m, this lower-body burner might sound quite short, but it’s not to be underestimated, especially straight after running a kilometre. You’ll have to push a weighted ‘sled’ for 50m, using your core, back, glutes and legs. Make sure you have good, grippy shoes for this one!
Station 3 – Sled pull
Another 50m exercise, this time pulling a similar weighted sled towards you, using a thick battle rope. You’ll certainly feel this in your arms, but if you rely too heavily on your arms, you might find it a struggle – this is one that you’ll need to engage your glutes, back, biceps, and core to complete efficiently.
Station 4 – Burpee broad jumps
Here, 80m of forward jumps are performed with a burpee upon each landing. This exercise was invented in 1939 as a fitness test. It’s truly the marmite of exercises, with newbies tending to find it a little intimidating, but the more seasoned HYROX contenders consider it their favourite station.
Station 5 – Rowing
A cardio-heavy exercise that, like the Ski Erg, uses an ergometer to measure the effort you expend. The rowing machine is a full-body workout, but at least you get to sit down…and it marks the beginning of the second half of your race.
Station 6 – Farmers carry
This is a 200m walk during which you’ll carry weights at your hips, with straight arms. This exercise will test your grip strength, upper back strength, and core stability. Those of you who are familiar with lugging heavy shopping bags to the car or home from the shops will already have a head start with this event.
Station 7 – Sandbag lunges
Sandbag lunges involve lunge-walking 100m with either a 10kg, 20kg or 30kg sandbag on your shoulders. This one will burn the thighs and glutes, especially as you’ll be feeling the fatigue now as you near the end of the race. But if you’ve made it this far, you won’t let the burn stop you now. Just one more kilometre run and then…
Station 8 – Wall balls
This is the final station, a squat-and-throw movement during which you’ll have to hit a high target with a ball 100 times. It being the last exercise, you can let it take the last ounce of your strength because once it’s done, you’re finished!
Check out the video below to see how HYROX works in practice…
How to get started with HYROX
1. First, figure out how fit you are
Are you starting from scratch? Have you been regularly running or cycling, and have a good base level of cardiovascular fitness? Maybe you’re already something of a gym buff. HYROX isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely achievable.
You should, however, have a realistic idea of your fitness levels, so that you know which division you need to enter and how much training you need to do to be ready to race. You can complete a quick questionnaire on the HYROX site to help you find your division, too.
2. Get training
It’s never too late to take on a challenge like HYROX, and it’s never too early to start training for it either. Whatever division you enter, you’ll want to show up for yourself and/or your partner or teammates on the day of the event, and feel ready to take on your part, whether it’s just a portion of the race or the whole thing.
Try to take a balanced and realistic approach to training, and always prioritise your warm-ups and recoveries to avoid any injuries or strains. It’s also a good idea to keep training varied, covering the three bases below.
Cardiovascular training
Depending on what level you’re at, start running or doing walking/running intervals. You can build up your distance as you go, and get to a place where you know you can comfortably complete the required distance for the division you intend to enter.
Functional training
You’ll find most of the equipment you need for functional training at your local gym, from rowing machines and Ski Ergs to sandbags for lunging.
If it’s all a bit overwhelming, you can ask a member of staff to show you around the equipment. Or, better, why not join a scheduled gym class where you’ll learn how to perform many of the exercises and use the machines that feature in the race?
Supplementary training
Working on your core stability and mobility will help with every part of the race, and is probably one of the most important areas of physical fitness for ‘future-proofing’ our bodies. Try to make time to stretch as well as to perform exercises like planks, glute bridges, and single-leg stands.
If you’d like a little more guidance, you can check out some official Hyrox “workout of the week” training videos on YouTube to inspire your training schedule.
3. Fuel your strength
Your nutrition is a hugely important part of getting fit for a HYROX event (and staying healthy and energetic in general). Health experts recommend eating plenty of lean protein like chicken, fish and eggs, and making sure you’re taking any supplements you may need like vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium, which is great for loosening aching muscles.
Note: You should always speak to your GP before adding any new supplements to your diet.
4. Register for an event!
The most important step is to take the plunge and register for an event near you (or with such incredible locations on offer, wherever you’d like to enter one).
You can find all the event locations and dates on Hyrox.com. Remember to register early to make sure you get your spot and give yourself a hard deadline for your training regimen.
On the day…
On the day of the event, you’ll want to be well prepared and have all the right gear to help you perform at your best. You might like to consider putting together a checklist of everything you’ll need – water, electrolyte gels or a banana, a change of clothing or hoodie for afterwards – so that you can keep your mind clear, ready to fully focus on the task at hand.
Remember to arrive early to give yourself time to get your bearings, check in, and do a gentle (but not too draining) warm-up. Then, during the race, pace yourself and conserve enough energy to complete every stage you need to complete.
After the event, make sure to warm down properly before treating yourself to a slap-up post-race meal!
Final thoughts…
The idea of entering an event like HYROX can feel intimidating – even pie in the sky. But the truth is that HYROX is designed to be “a race for everybody”; an inclusive and welcoming fitness space that’s about challenging yourself and achieving something great, while surrounded by like-minded people.
What’s more, signing up can be the push you need to have you tying up your running shoes and hitting the pavement, or heading to the gym to start working on your strength. So if you’ve been toying with the idea of taking on a new challenge, upping your fitness levels, or pushing yourself to go farther than you ever have, this is the perfect way and the most fun and encouraging environment in which to do it.
For more ideas and inspiration, head over to our fitness and exercise section.
Have you ever entered a HYROX event or a similar endurance fitness event? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments. Tell us your training tips, your on-the-day advice and how you treated yourself afterwards!
