Want to boost your running? Try this Hyrox workout
We know we like running, and we know we really should be doing strength and conditioning too, so why not combine it all in a way that’s fun? Hyrox, the German full-body fitness race that has blown up in the popularity stakes in just a few years, is a hybrid format with enough running to please those for whom it’s a top priority, as well as lunges, sled pulls, burpees and wall balls. It’s a fast-paced megamix that’s excellent for you all over.
But how do you go about a Hyrox workout? We spoke with Jake Dearden, a Hyrox master trainer and the 2024 Hyrox Doubles World Champion, for expert tips on how to get going with this global fitness craze – and a top training session to try.
What is Hyrox?
Hyrox has only been a thing since 2017, when it was conceived in Germany. Now the Hyrox website promotes races as far afield as Auckland, Johannesburg and Guadalajara, the next World Championships will be in Chicago in June 2025, and there’s probably a gym near you offering the facilities to get started.
But the black and yellow branding and huge venues where the races take place don’t mean this is just a thing for the hyper fit. There are no entry criteria and no cut-off times, so beginners are as welcome as anyone else.
The inclusive nature of Hyrox extends to the very format of each race. Similar to a handicap, participants in all age divisions set off in relevant waves every 10 minutes throughout the day, which means that someone who completes the race in over three hours could cross the finish line at the same time as someone who smashes through it in under one hour.
Hyrox races are also broken down into single, double and relay divisions, where participants tick off the set exercises as individuals, as pairs or as teams of four, respectively.
What are the elements of a Hyrox race?
Running makes up half of a Hyrox race – 8km in total, but ticked off in 1km bursts at a time. In between are a series of functional workouts, in a set order, most requiring you to push, pull, carry or throw something. Here is the exact order:
1km run
1km ski erg
1km run
50m sled push
1km run
50m sled pull
1km run
80m burpee broad jump
1km run
1km row erg
1km run
200m farmer’s carry
1km run
100m sandbag lunges
1km run
100 wall balls
The variety and the pace with which you need to change what you’re doing makes this a fun, adrenaline-packed way to build your fitness. You might be a fast runner but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have the strength and power to be the greatest at some of the other exercises. The whole thing is very accessible, with the races taking place in big indoor venues with specators, which makes for a highly buzzy experience.
‘The event is relatively intense,’ says Dearden, who is also a Red Bull athlete and head coach at Represent 247. ‘It will take an average competitor anything from an hour and a half to two hours to complete a race – the best in the world do it in 54 minutes. There is no cut-off, so the longest time is over four hours.’
As Dearden notes, it’s important to recognise that there aren’t any rest periods during a Hyrox race (unless you run in a pair or in a relay team) – and running plays a big part. ‘You are going to spend over 50% of your time running, so we tend to over-index on running volume in training,’ he says. ‘For lots of people, taking part in running may not be their primary sport and 8km might constitute a serious effort for them.’
For a large proportion of the race, you’ll also be running sub-optimally, as your legs will be fatigued from the previous station. ‘The term for this is “compromised running” – think something similar to fell running fatigue after a large uphill,’ he explains. ‘This means that you’ve got to think tactically about where you push hard and where you take it easier.’
How can Hyrox training benefit runners?
You might think that training for Hyrox will take time away from your beloved running. Dearden says it will actually make you a better runner. Adding one Hyrox workout a week gives you the strength and conditioning benefits that will improve your core and help overall muscle tone, which means faster running.
‘I find that runners can often benefit from some additional strength training,’ he says. ‘Both bi-lateral and single-length strength and core development are incredibly helpful for developing robust healthy runners. Don’t worry about bulking up too much – it’s not as easy as you might think to put on muscle mass, especially if you are running lots.’
Another benefit of Hyrox training – of which runners in particular will rejoice – is increased leg strength. ‘Your legs will become stronger and more powerful,’ says Dearden. ‘You will get better at running under fatigue, especially when you get to the closing miles of your long run, allowing you to push on and run faster.
‘And that’s not to mention the mental strength you’re going to build from all of those burpees,’ he adds.
Hyrox workout to try in the gym
Dearden says that a classic Hyrox training session should incorporate ‘something that drives some leg fatigue – through either a sled push or pull, or a lunge or squat variation – and gets you to run fast with those heavy legs.’
The following three-part session ticks this box and incorporates many of the movements from a Hyrox race. The aim is to combine running with functional strength and conditioning movements so you can improve your power and work capacity and understand how it feels to put these actions together.
Scaling options
If you find this workout tough, start with smaller weights and, as you progress, build yourself up to using the weights recommended below.
If you’d like to do a shorter workout, complete two rounds of each workout. If you’d prefer a longer workout, complete three rounds of each workout.
Do it with a friend and split the movements between you evenly. (That said, you’ll still have to do the runs together, at the same time.)
Warm up
Complete two rounds of the following:
3 minutes of jogging
30-second squat hold
10 air squats
10 side lunges
5 hamstring walkouts
Workout 1
Complete two or three rounds of the following, with a 90-second rest between each round and a three-minute rest at the end of the workout:
250m ski erg
25m sled push (75kg for women / 125kg for men and pro women / 175kg for pro men)
30 wall balls (4kg for women / 6kg for men and pro women / 9kg pro men)
500m run
Rest for three minutes before starting the next workout.
Workout 2
Complete two or three rounds of the following, with a 90-second rest between each round and a three-minute rest at the end of the workout:
500m run
250m row erg
25m sled pull (50kg for women / 75kg for men and pro women / 125kg for pro men)
100m farmer’s carry (16kg for women / 34kg for men and pro women / 32kg for pro men)
Workout 3
Complete two or three rounds of the following, with a 90-second rest between each round and a three-minute rest at the end of the workout:
40m burpee broad jumps
30m sandbag walking lunges (10kg for women / 20kg for men and pro women / 30kg for pro men)
500m run
Cool down
5 minutes on the bike erg
5-10 minutes of static stretching
Workout tips
Try to keep your intensity just below the red line. ‘When you are completing these workouts, you want to think about maintaining something we call Maximum Sustainable Intensity,’ says Dearden. ‘This means that you’re working hard enough to be out of breath and build up the intensity through each round, but not reach a point where you need to stop moving.’
Don’t set out too fast. ‘You want to go at a pace where you can complete each round with minimal rest, but still be out of breath at the end,’ adds Dearden. ‘Make sure you use the entire 90-second rest period between each round.’
Remember that all movements and weights within the session are specific to Hyrox. ‘One of the great things about Hyrox is that you know exactly what the race is, so [if you want to compete in a Hyrox race] you can practise the exact movements. It’s one of the reasons why runners seem to enjoy it so much, you can practise and race just like you would a 5K.’
You Might Also Like
