CrossFit vs HYROX
In the past two decades we’ve seen a clear shift in attitude from the general population when it comes to working out. More and more individuals don’t just want to partake in an activity strictly with an aesthetic purpose, may that be to lose weight or “get jacked”. They want to feel like they are able to use their body in a more “functional” manner that translates to day to day life.
Because of this shift we’ve seen the rise of functional fitness methodologies. Particularly CrossFit has spearheaded this movement by emphasizing the importance of training for health while challenging it by pushing the boundaries of one’s personal fitness. More recently this mindset has evolved in what is known as “hybrid training”, the approach to working out that ultimately led to the birth of HYROX races.
But how did training methodologies lead to so many competitive events across the world?
When you are challenging yourself to push your fitness to the next level it’s normal to develop a certain level of competitiveness both with yourself and others. Therefore it was only natural for both CrossFit and HYROX as brands to create outlets for this competitive desire.
Why Compare CrossFit and HYROX?
Both CrossFit competitions and HYROX races offer many benefits to those who partake in them, but they’re not the same.
Understanding the differences between the two allows for the athlete to determine what is most suitable for their needs, goals and limitations.
Both nurture the competitive desire but can require vastly different levels of preparation and provide different services as well as a different “competition vibe”.
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is a training methodology and brand (Crossfit Inc) that was founded by Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai in 2000.
Born as a training system that gyms could adopt, and promoted through an affiliation system of said gyms, it eventually evolved into a competitive sport with the first CrossFit Games being held on Dave Castro’s ranch in California.
Core Principles and Workouts
CrossFit is a training system that involves all aspects of fitness and therefore includes skills and training aspects for a multitude of other sports and disciplines.
Classic CrossFit workouts will involve Olympic lifting, kettlebell movements, gymnastics movements (both strict and kipping), as well as running, swimming, rowing and biking.
Ideally, no CrossFit training session is ever the same due to the principle of “constantly varied” stimulus.
Global Impact and Popularity
Despite the skepticism received, CrossFit has been crucial in popularizing the term “functional fitness” while promoting the implementation of skill-based strength training that doesn’t strictly rely on classic globo-gym machinery/equipment.
It is CrossFit that ushered in a new era of fitness where there is piqued interest for mixing training modalities like cardio focused exercising (ie. running) and resistance training (moving weight either in the form of a barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, sandbad or weight sled).
What is HYROX?
HYROX, unlike CrossFit, was born as a fitness competition first and foremost. However it relies strongly on the concept of “hybrid training” and has managed to popularize its approach to working out in recent years.
The first event was held in Hamburg, Germany in 2018 and was organized by the founders of HYROX: Christian Toetzke and Moritz Furste.
Standardized Race Format
HYROX races are standardized to be the same in terms of structure and equipment across the globe. Standardization is also possible thanks to holding each race in expo venues, allowing for the running circuit to always be flat and very similar terrain as well as weather conditions.
Each race consists of an 8km run performed in 1km segments separated by having to complete a functional exercise station, therefore totalling 8 stations.
The functional exercises DO NOT involve the use of a barbell or having to perform any sort of gymnastics skill. Instead they heavily rely on machines (row-erg, ski-erg), heavy object “moving” (sled push, sled pull, farmer carries, weighted lunges) as well as body weight exercises (burpee broad jump) and some light weight movements (wall balls).
Growth and Global Reach
HYROX has exploded in popularity since its birth in 2018. This is mainly thanks to its much more accessible nature compared to CrossFit where there is no significant time necessary to learn the required skills.
Additionally, the standardization of the events allows for a more streamlined approach to training where athletes always know what to expect and can be a lot more “time efficient” with the workouts as there is a limited amount of exercises that need to be trained.
This is all reflected in the two mottos that HYROX has assigned to itself: “The World Series of Fitness Racing” and “A sport for Everybody”.
Key Differences Between CrossFit and HYROX
Workout Structure and Variety
Undoubtedly the most obvious difference is the format. HYROX is based on the same racing format repeated over and over. This is more similar to classic racing the public is used to with conventional sports such as track and field.
CrossFit instead has one of its main pillars in “preparing for the unknown” meaning every competition will involve different tests and equipment.
Of course some degree of standardization is expected, but this difference adds a layer of complexity that makes CrossFit harder to train for as well as to explain to the casual viewer who may just be engaging with the sport for entertainment.
Strength vs. Endurance Requirements
When it comes down to more physical aspects just by observing the elite of the sport in the two different disciplines it is quite apparent that the physical demands are quite different.
With a strong emphasis on strength training and gymnastics skill you’ll find PRO-CrossFitters are more muscular and tend to be shorter on average.
In training and competing you can expect to see a lot more attention on explosive movements, olympic lifting and shorter duration events.
HYROX racers have longer leaner bodies that can give them an advantage on the running, ergs and moving of the sleds. The stronger emphasis on endurance means there is less need for strength and therefore elite competitors don’t need to keep on as much muscle mass.
Skill Level and Accessibility
Although CrossFit is born to be an accessible training approach with plenty options to scale down the more demanding skills it undoubtedly appears less accessible to an individual who is just approaching the domain of functional fitness.
The equipment requirements also pose and added limitation that isn’t as strong with HYROX which has removed the more technical aspects of Crossfit to focus more on cardiovascular endurance.
It is undeniable that HYROX has succeeded at taking the concept of functional fitness and making it more approachable and palatable to the masses, especially those new to the world of fitness or coming from the more conventional globo-gym standard of training.
Lastly when discussing accessibility, from a viewership perspective although CrossFit can appear more exciting at first glance the competitive structure of its season, just as the single competitions, poses a challenge as it is not as straightforward as HYROX’s.
Audience and Athlete Profiles
Who Typically Participates in CrossFit?
A lot of retired athletes from other sports end up pursuing CrossFit as it offers a great outlet for their continued competitive drive.
The abundance of skills to learn and the concept that there are always areas that can be improved offers a continued road of progression that can be endearing for the “ex-athlete” especially when paired with the competitive environment of group class WODs (workouts of the days where scores are compared on a whiteboard at the end) as well as more official competitive events.
However CrossFit has managed to become more mainstream, often alluring your average “workout-ers” who want something more challenging that classic group fitness or bodybuilding style training.
Who is HYROX Designed For?
HYROX overlaps a lot of CrossFit partakers. However there are a few differences.
A lot of ex competitive runners or recreational runners might take more interest in HYROX as well as athletes who are naturally on the “thinner” side who may struggle with their strength.
Additionally there is a huge carryover of CrossFit athletes who will take up HYROX training and racing as a new challenge for themselves or that want to dip their toes in the competitive space but might still find CrossFit competitions too intimidating.
Undoubtedly HYROX has managed to attract a new slice of the market from athletes who prefer more endurance based activities to those who wanted to try out functional fitness training but were intimidated by Crossfit.
If you want to prepare for a HYROX competition we have a training program for you!
Training and Preparation
CrossFit Training Approaches
CrossFit’s training structure classically involves a strength or skill section followed by a more conditioning focused section (the WOD). Individuals who want to reach elitè levels of competition will still approach training in a similar manner just with increased volume but might spend a lot more time on skill practice as well as working on hypertrophy, accessories and athletic development.
Training for HYROX
HYROX training involves a lot more focus on cardiovascular development and learning to run “compromised” (= with various muscle groups fatigued by the functional exercises).
There is no set structure to HYROX training and it’s more likely to utilize a more periodized and separate programming for each training session.
Competition and Event Experience
CrossFit Competitions and the CrossFit Games
Any PRO-CrossFit athlete has their eyes on one single competition: the final stage of the CrossFit season, the CrossFit Games. They are the functional fitness’ version of the world championships but with a very specific format of qualification that starts with The Open.
As per its name, The Open is open for all who wish to partake and is an online competition that currently spans three weeks with one workout to be completed each week.
25% of Open participants will qualify to QuarterFinals and of those about 1% will move onto the SemiFinals stage where they will fight to earn their ticket to the Games.
Smaller events also happen throughout the year outside of the classic CrossFit season, some of them may be sanctioned/official CrossFit events and others will be independent competitions.
The comps will vary in size from friendly gym throwdowns, to local community gatherings to regional and national stage. The bigger competitions will draw in athletes globally and can compete in size with the Games although the winning title is not as coveted.
HYROX Events and World Championships
So far HYROX does not require a multiple stage qualification process to reach their version of the World Championship (which go by the same name). Instead anyone can sign up to any category and division and access to World’s is granted based off the best times logged during that year’s season.
It is undoubtedly a much more straightforward process, although it may be less engaging from a community perspective, something CrossFit has excelled at despite its other struggles through the years.
Pros and Cons of CrossFit and HYROX
CrossFit
PROs
CONs
HYROX
PROs
CONs
How to Choose Between CrossFit and HYROX
Choosing between HYROX or CrossFit shouldn’t have anything to do with your fitness level and little to do with your goals as much as it has to do with your individual personality, what you treasure most about training and lifestyle limitations.
If you are in need of a competitive outlet but disciplines will grant you that and give you the opportunity to work up to competing on a global stage. However, with current participation numbers and sport requirements you may find that reaching elite status is easier to do in HYROX.
If you do prefer more endurance based activities for whatever reason, from personal enjoyment to simply being “better at them”, HYROX is the better option.
If you are limited on time but still want to be highly competitive HYROX can be a more “time efficient” sport to train for.
Learning and progressing your strength through the technical skills in CrossFit requires patience and dedication. If you do not have the drive and find yourself already mentally drained for day to day demands (school, work, *life*) then HYROX will be easier to pick up.
If you get bored easily from always doing the same workouts, if you enjoy being constantly challenged and always having something to learn then CrossFit’s training methodology may be better suited for you.
Similarly if you want to pack on some muscle but can’t stand conventional bodybuilding training CrossFit is a more anabolic sport that HYROX whilst still providing a more engaging stimulus than what you’d get with “globo gym” training.
If community is important to you and you feel you need a class environment or just a group of people around you to train with CrossFit might be the better option. However, with HYROX’s exponential growth we can expect to see its community grow, and we are already seeing many HYROX racers organize to have their own training groups or gym classes.
If you want to prepare for a HYROX competition we have a training program for you!
Conclusions
In conclusion, we cannot tell you what discipline is best suited for you but once you have a working understanding of how their competitive events work as well as a clear picture of what YOU are looking for, taking a pic won’t be as challenging.
And don’t forget that they are not mutually exclusive sports. If anything, they are great activities to interchange based on the seasons of your life, your personal goals or to supplement each other.
If you need to improve your strength for the functional stations as a HYROX racer, CrossFit can undoubtedly help with that. While if your cardiovascular capacity needs work in CrossFit signing up for a HYROX race can be a good motivation to finally start improving on it.
Lastly we believe that getting more people to engage in fitness should be the ultimate goal, not who has the bigger sports event or more successful brand or fitter athletes. For once this should NOT be a competition but a collaboration.
Functional training can do so much good for the global health of the population and competitions can help popularize these training systems so no matter which camp you fall in we hope you can be proud of the world of good these sports are doing.
