What is Hyrox and why is it becoming so popular?

what is hyrox

HYROX is a thrilling fitness race that combines endurance, strength, and functional fitness.

Originating from Germany, HYROX is rapidly gaining popularity worldwide, offering a standardized race format that tests athletes with a series of high-intensity workouts and running segments.

What is Hyrox?

Hyrox is a race format that includes 8 exercise stations each preceded by a 1 kilometer run. It aims to make hybrid training (a style of training that mixes running and other conditioning methods with functional strength training) more popular, more competitive and more easily accessible.

what is in a hyrox event

What is in a Hyrox event?

Hyrox races are held all across the globe and are always set in the same format of a designated lap run + the 8 exercise stations that must be completed. The standardization allows to create a worldwide cumulative scoreboard that grants access to the World championship yearly race.ย 

Races are hosted indoors to grant standard conditions and allowing spectators to have a constant view of competitors as they make their way across the 8 stations.

HYROX Stations

What are the Hyrox categories?

Hyrox aims to make fitness and competing in fitness a more accessible experience for everyone therefore creating 4 different categories that allow all type of athletes to take part in the racing. From beginners, to PRO athletes there is a category for everyone:

  • Open: for fitness enthusiasts who may be first time racers.
  • PRO: for more season athletes, features heavier weight across the functional exercise stations.
  • Doubles: split the fun with a teammate. Teams can be MM/FF/FM
  • Relay: splits the race in a 4 way so that each member completes 2 km of running and the respective workout station.

Additionally, the categories are split by gender as well as age with Masters categories being featured.

If you want to prepare for a HYROX competition we have a training program for you!

  • Tips to improve your running technique and performance.
  • Improved strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity.
  • Valuable advice by experienced coaches about what you should do leading up to race day.

What sets Hyrox apart from CrossFit?

Hyrox aims to lower the entry bar for newbies to fitness.

The time format is much longer than what youโ€™d see in a classic CrossFit competition. This is also due to the great importance placed on running.

The functional exercise stations will pose a challenge if you are not strong enough but do not require as much time spent refining technique as some of the more technical exercises classically programmed in CrossFit.

Overall, if you are a fan of running and/or conditioning or want to start with a less technical, more straightforward format of training that still allows you to partake in fun competitions, the Hyrox may be the right option for you.

new sport hyrox

What does Hyrox stand for?

The name “Hyrox” doesn't have a specific meaning. Instead, it is said to have been created by the founders during a night out, when they merged the words “hybrid” and “rock star.” Source: The Rox Lyfe

How fit do you need to be for a Hyrox event?

Hyrox has been made so easily accessible that the requirements to partake in your first race are easily reachable by anyone.

But if you want to really smash it out of the park, itโ€™s nothing a couple of months of focused preparation canโ€™t get you ready for.

If you sign up in a relay, the workload will be minimal, and youโ€™ll be able to pick the exercise stations you feel are most suitable for you.

how fit do you need to be for hyrox

And despite 8 km possibly appearing like quite the distance to run, the stations will allow you to give your joints a break; just be prepared to get uncomfortable as you drag yourself through running the next few km with compromised muscles that have to clear out that lactate.

What are the benefits of Hyrox?

Hyrox is a great gateway into more complex forms of hybrid training. It is also an awesome way to challenge yourself while improving endurance, conditioning and even strength.

Lastly itโ€™s an opportunity to bond with other gym members or training buddies as you prepare to race together.

The community is vibrant and constantly growing so together with the physical benefits there are plenty of social benefits that go hand in hand with it.

How to train for a Hyrox event

If youโ€™re already adding strength training and including forms of higher intensity and longer duration conditioning into your workouts, you are in a good place to kick off your first Hyrox race. It will also come down to your result expectations for said race.

If you donโ€™t want to stress too much about your first go at it and donโ€™t want to excessively change your routine, simply including running intervals once or twice a week into your training and practicing the specific movements of the functional stations will be enough.

If instead you want to make sure to perform at your best we recommend starting off on a Hyrox specific training plan at least two months prior to your race. 

Donโ€™t know where to find a good training plan for you? Check out our official Hyrox program and earn yourself a discount on your next race when you sign up ๐Ÿ˜‰

The programming is designed to meet you where youโ€™re at with your fitness level and packed with tips, tricks and strategies to become more efficient on each station and shave off precious seconds on race day.

If you want to prepare for a HYROX competition we have a training program for you!

  • Tips to improve your running technique and performance.
  • Improved strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity.
  • Valuable advice by experienced coaches about what you should do leading up to race day.
Alexandra Radini

by

Alexandra Radini

Alexandra Radini has been a longstanding contributor to The Progrmโ€™s blog and community. She has a Masterโ€™s degree in Food Science, and uses her background in STEM to teach others about nutrition, optimal recovery strategies and the ins-and-outs of functional fitness. If sheโ€™s not writing youโ€™ll likely find her somewhere perfecting a crazy (food) scientistย recipe.