- HYROX is 8 x 1 km runs, each followed by one of eight fixed workout stations.
- The format is identical at every race, so you know exactly what you are training for.
- Open and Doubles are the usual starting points for a first race.
- Train your aerobic engine, leg and grip endurance, and the stations themselves.
- Check station weights and standards in the current official HYROX rulebook.
HYROX in one paragraph
HYROX is an indoor fitness race that combines running with functional exercise. You run 1 km, complete a workout station, run another 1 km, complete the next station, and keep going until you have covered 8 km of running and all eight stations. Every race, in every city, uses the same format, so a finish time from Manchester can be compared with one from London, Berlin or New York, allowing for small differences between venues.
That consistency is a big part of the appeal. Unlike an obstacle race or a CrossFit competition, there are no surprise workouts announced the night before. You know months in advance exactly what you will face, which makes HYROX one of the most coachable events you can enter.
It also means your training can be measured. If your sled push took four minutes in March and three minutes in June, you know something worked.
The race format, station by station
The order never changes. Each station comes straight after a 1 km run:
- 1 km run, then 1,000 m on the SkiErg
- 1 km run, then a 50 m sled push
- 1 km run, then a 50 m sled pull
- 1 km run, then 80 m of burpee broad jumps
- 1 km run, then 1,000 m on the rowing machine
- 1 km run, then a 200 m farmers carry
- 1 km run, then 100 m of sandbag lunges
- 1 km run, then 100 wall balls
The loads for the sleds, kettlebells, sandbag and wall ball depend on your division and category, and they can be reviewed from season to season. Always check the current official HYROX rulebook rather than a number you saw in a video. Our guide to the eight HYROX stations covers what each one really demands and where people lose time.
Notice the shape of the race. The first half leans on your upper body and your ability to push heavy things, while the second half hammers your legs just as they are getting tired. Most people find the last three stations the hardest part by a distance.
What race day actually looks like
HYROX events are held in large indoor venues such as exhibition halls. Athletes start in waves at set times through the day, so you might be off first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. The running course is a loop around the hall and each 1 km is made up of several laps. Counting them is your responsibility: miss one and you risk a penalty or disqualification.
Between the running track and the stations sits the Roxzone, the transition area you pass through to enter and leave every station. The clock never stops, so time spent wandering here counts. At each station, judges watch the movement standards and will call a no-rep if, for example, your wall ball misses the target or your back knee does not touch the floor on a lunge.
The feel is closer to a big city run than a gym competition. There is music, a crowd, a finish line, and a lot of people who have never raced anything before in their lives.
Who HYROX is for
Most people with a reasonable base of fitness and a few months to prepare can finish one. The Open division is built for regular gym-goers, not elite athletes, and nobody will pull you off the course for walking a lap or breaking the wall balls into sets of five.
It tends to suit a few types of person particularly well. It is a good fit if you:
- like having a date in the diary to train towards
- want a mix of running and strength rather than one or the other
- enjoy training alongside other people
- are a runner who wants more strength, or a lifter who wants conditioning that counts for something
If you are starting from a low base, the guide to HYROX training for complete beginners sets out a sensible first few months before you commit to a date.
Racing alone, in pairs or as a team
You do not have to race on your own. Open and Pro are individual divisions, with Pro using heavier loads on several stations. Doubles lets two people share the station work while running every kilometre together, and Relay splits the whole race between a team of four. There are men's, women's and mixed options, and individual results are also ranked by age group.
Racing with others changes the experience. Doubles partners pace each other on the runs and split the stations to suit their strengths, and a Relay team only needs each person to cover 2 km of running and two stations. Both are good ways to get a feel for race day before tackling the whole thing alone.
For a first race, Open or Doubles is where most people start. The full breakdown, including how to choose, is in HYROX divisions explained.
How to start training
The race rewards two qualities above everything else: an aerobic engine that lets you keep running while tired, and strength endurance in your legs, trunk and grip. You build both with a mix of steady running, conditioning intervals, strength work and regular practice of the stations themselves.
A realistic starting week for a newcomer is three or four sessions: one or two runs, one strength session and one session that combines running with station work. After a few weeks of that, you are ready for something structured such as a 12-week HYROX training plan.
Lycan Strength in Irlam is an official HYROX affiliated gym with a full-length turf sled track, where Full Body, Upper and Lower classes build strength for the stations and Engine and Lycan Shred build the conditioning. Members race together in doubles and relays, and the full week is on the class timetable.
Members' guide
Keep reading with your free week
The full guide is for members and people on a free trial. Claim 7 days free and it opens straight away on this device, along with every other guide.
Already a member? Log in to read it
Unlock the full guide
Seven days of classes, free. We will be in touch to book your first session.
Questions
How long is a HYROX race?
You run 8 km in total, split into eight 1 km runs, plus eight workout stations. Most people racing Open take well over an hour, and a first race of somewhere between 90 minutes and two hours is common.
Is HYROX hard for beginners?
It is hard in the way any race is hard, but it is very achievable. You can walk, rest and break stations into small sets, and the Open division is designed for regular gym-goers.
Do I need to be a good runner to do HYROX?
No, but running makes up a large share of your total time, so it pays to train it. A few months of consistent easy running makes a bigger difference than any station drill.
Where can I check the HYROX weights?
Use the current official HYROX rulebook. Weights and standards differ by division and category and can change between seasons.
General guidance for healthy adults. If you have a medical condition, injury or are pregnant, check with a health professional before changing your training or diet.