How Much Training Does It Really Take to Perform the Hyrox Trick?

My Lifehacker colleague, Beth Skwarecki, is a weightlifter. I’m a marathoner. Together, we make a pretty competent Hyrox athlete—and in a little over a week, we’ll find out if that’s enough. On May 29th, Beth and I will be competing in a Hyrox dual meet. This is a kind of joint experiment to see how little training is necessary before competing in such a competition. I hope we can each play to our strengths, compensate for the other’s weaknesses, and persevere.

But before we get to the testing, let’s look at what proper Hyrox preparation looks like, and what minimal steps you can (probably) take if you want to show up to the competition without a lot of preparation.

What is Hyrox?

Beth goes into more detail elsewhere , but here’s a quick overview of Hyrox. Briefly, it’s a running race that combines functional training stations, repeated eight times. You run 1 km, complete a training station, run another 1 km, complete the next station, and so on. The stations include exercises like sled pushes, rowing, long jumps with burpees, walking lunges, and wall ball throws. While each station may seem doable on its own, they become much more challenging once your legs are fatigued after a few rounds.

You can compete in Hyroc events solo, in pairs, or as part of a relay team. Naturally, your strategy will depend on the chosen format. In pairs, both athletes run together, but you can split up the functional movements as you see fit. This is where proper planning can make all the difference, and this is where Beth and I are currently working to develop the most effective plan.

What does Hyrox training actually look like?

You can sign up for a Hyrox-style class at your local gym and get a great hybrid workout without having to compete in a formal race. “A regular Hyrox class gives you an idea of ​​the format and promotes overall fitness for the event,” says Elaine Cotter, head coach and manager of F45 Gym in Brooklyn . “A specialized training plan is more structured and results-oriented—it includes specific running workouts, both endurance and intervals, strength progression, race simulation, tempo, and recovery. Taking individual classes means, ‘I want to be ready.’ A specialized training plan means, ‘I want to perform as well as I can at the race.'”

If you’re really committed to competing—meaning you want to improve your times and finish with a good score—Cotter recommends starting at least 12 weeks in advance , and ideally 16 weeks. This is enough time to build a running base, develop muscular endurance at all stages, and reduce the risk of injury. But what if you don’t have 12 weeks? What if you have, say, one week?

Is it possible to do Hyrox without any preparation ?

What’s the minimum fitness level theoretically required for an athlete competing in Hyrox? Well, theoretically, “anyone with running or strength training experience can do Hyrox,” says Cotter. “Does that mean you might have to walk part of the distance or spend a lot of time recovering? Probably, but that’s okay.”

Unlike CrossFit (to which it’s constantly compared ), Hyrox is essentially a running race. “Running is the limiting factor for most people, and it takes up the most time in a race,” says Cotter. “So, at a minimum, you should be able to run 8km [about five miles] confidently without getting out of breath. Even 10km [6.2 miles]… will help simulate the required overall endurance.” Strength is also important, and you should be familiar enough with the movements to perform them safely. But ultimately, it’s the running that most people lose time and hit their limits.

However, Hyrox is far from a road race. You perform exercises like throwing heavy balls against a wall or pulling a sled, and then immediately transition to running. Running at such a load is “an incredible feeling,” says Cotter, “and it lasts throughout the race.” Practicing these transitions should be a priority before race day.

Is it possible to prepare for Hyrox by only training in the studio?

This question is relevant to Beth and me, as we each took four or five specialized Hyrox classes in the lead-up to the race. Can attending these classes replace a full 12-week training plan? In a sense, yes, but only if you also run.

“F45 classes and Hyrox training are great for developing the strength, endurance, and stamina needed for racing,” says Cotter, “but group classes don’t necessarily provide the necessary running training. If you only attend classes without running outside of the program, I’m afraid the race will be quite challenging.”

Luckily, before starting our training with Hyrox, I was training for a half marathon on my own, so I’m confident in my endurance. I know Beth has also been prioritizing running over the past few weeks. Those who rely solely on studio training without additional running should temper their expectations for race day.

How long before a Hyrox race should I taper off before the race?

I’m no stranger to the frenzy of competition preparation . Especially if you know you’re underprepared, it’s tempting to keep training until the day of the competition. Unfortunately, this is almost always a mistake. “People fall into the trap of thinking, ‘I’m underprepared, so I need to train until the last second,'” says Cotter. “But in reality, the last week or two aren’t really where you build much new fitness—they’re basically where you decide whether you’ll arrive tired or energized.”

Her recommendation for those who started training late is to choose a shorter taper. The focus should be on maintaining confidence and rhythm, not improving fitness. In the final days, try short 20-30-minute workouts with some intensity and running, but avoid anything that could cause leg pain. “Coming to a workout slightly undertrained but recovered is usually better than coming technically fit but exhausted.”

Her recommendations for gradually reducing the length:

• 7 days: Ideal for most recreational athletes.

• 4-5 days : This will probably be enough if your training volume is not too high.

• 2-3 days: Tolerable, but she would not recommend shortening the period.

Result

If you’re starting from scratch and want to do well at Hyrox, give yourself 12 to 16 weeks of training and build your running base first. If you’re competing in a paired race and already have some fitness, you can probably get by with much less effort—provided you can handle 8 km and know what you’ll encounter at the training stations. (As for Beth and me, there’s reason to hope that our complementary strengths and weaknesses will translate well to the paired format. Beth will likely do more of the heavy lifting—sled pushes, sled pulls, lunges—while I’ll keep us moving in the running sections.)

One final tip: think ahead about how you’ll distribute your efforts at each station. 10 reps? 5? 150-meter intervals? Plan ahead so you don’t end up working halfway through a station with your legs burning—and let the stronger runner finish each station so the one struggling can rest a bit before the next. (Plus, thinking through your strategy is a great way to avoid the temptation to derail your training.)

How will this theory play out in practice? We’ll report on the results soon.

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