How to Train for HYROX: A 12-Week Guide From Our Coaches

Most HYROX advice online is a list of workouts. Fine, but workouts without a structure are how people end up with a sore Achilles & a bad race.

This is how our coaches approach it. Structure first. Then the running. Then every station. Then race day. It's the same thinking behind our coached HYROX training, scaled for first-timers & people chasing a PB.

If you want the "why is everyone doing this" side, we covered that in why everyone suddenly seems to be pushing sleds. This one is the how.

What is HYROX?

HYROX is an indoor fitness race. You run 1km, do one functional station, and repeat that eight times. The format is the same at every event, so your time is comparable with anyone else's.

You can enter solo (Open or Pro), in Doubles (two people sharing the work, including mixed), or in a Relay of four. Your age group is set automatically.

Most finishers land somewhere between roughly 1:30 and 2:00. The Pro men's world record is 51:59. Nobody reading this needs to worry about that number.

HYROX weights by division

Sled weights include the sled. Kettlebell weight is per hand. Wall balls are 100 reps in every division now, so ignore older guides that say 75 for women.

Doubles & relay use the weights for the athlete's gender and division. Mixed doubles use the Pro women / Open men weights. Rules change by season, so check hyrox.com for your event.

How long does it take to train for HYROX?

Twelve weeks is a good build for most people who already train regularly. If you're new to running, start earlier & build the running gradually before you add the stations.

Weeks 1-4: aerobic base & strength

Steady zone 2 work. The aim is an engine that keeps you moving through sessions of an hour or more without falling apart. Lift heavy, keep the running easy. We cover why in our zone 2 guide.

Weeks 5-8: lactate threshold & aerobic capacity

This is where it gets uncomfortable. You know the jelly-leg feeling after an 800m sprint, or rowing straight into heavy squats? That's what you're building tolerance to. Heavy lifts stay in.

Weeks 9-12: lactate clearing & simulations

Now you practise the actual race. Train your body to clear lactate while you keep moving, and rehearse the movements & the order. In the last 4 weeks, do a few run-throughs of a HYROX variation, for example with 600m runs between stations.

How should I structure my training week?

HYROX is built on two things that fight each other: strength & endurance. Too much running and the sleds feel heavier. Too much lifting and the running gets miserable. The week below keeps both.

If you're already strong and comfortable on the sled but cardio is your weak point, swap one strength session for another endurance session. If wall balls are your weakness, do a strength session followed by a wall ball workout every week.

What to look for in group classes: heavy compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, cleans), upper body pulling, hamstring accessory work & lower body endurance. Add 1-2 conditioning sessions & a couple of longer mixed-mode sessions in open gym.

The bit people skip: avoid overtraining. Overdo it and you get injury, fatigue, poor sleep & a flat appetite. Be flexible. If you're not feeling 100%, take the rest day.

Why compromised running matters

HYROX isn't 8km of running plus 8 stations. It's running on legs that have just done something hard.

Three terms worth knowing:

• Aerobic capacity: how well you use oxygen. The higher it is, the harder you can work while still producing energy aerobically.
• Lactate threshold: the point where lactate builds up faster than your body clears it. Threshold training raises how much you can cope with.
• Compromised aerobic capacity: your aerobic system working while your muscles are already fatigued from strength work. The sled is the classic example. You go from running to an almost maximal strength effort & straight back to running.

So you need a good running engine, and you need to practise running tired. That's most of HYROX training in two sentences.

How to train your running for HYROX

Start with a time trial. Run a flat 5km before training begins. Your later sessions are paced off that.

Aim for 2-3 runs a week:

• Interval run: improves speed & recovery. This is your hardest run of the week, so keep the day after easy.
• Endurance run or mixed-mode with running: builds baseline & aerobic capacity.
• Recovery run: adds weekly mileage without another hard session. Your last run of the week, 20-40 minutes, really steady.

Interval sessions to try

• 800m effort, 200m light jog, x6-8. Effort is 10-20 seconds per km faster than your 5km pace.
• 4 minutes at 5km pace, 1 minute walk, x4-7.
• 500m hard, 500m easy jog, continuous for 6-8km.
• 1km effort, 90 seconds walk, x4-6.

Beginner? Start at the lower end of the reps, go slower than the paces above & build over the weeks.

Endurance runs

Experienced runners aim for 5-10km, building to a 40-60 minute tempo run. Tempo means a pace you could hold for an hour. You're not chasing an 8km PB. You're building endurance, and zone 2 is fine.

New to running? Start with 1 minute running, 1 minute walking for 20 minutes. Progress to 2 minutes running, 30 seconds walking for 30 minutes, until 5km feels comfortable. A couch-to-5km plan works too.

Warm up properly

Especially before intervals. A 3-5 minute jog, then 15m drills (tiptoe walks, hamstring walks, low & high skips, A skips, B skips, crossovers), jog back, then four 20m sprints building in pace.

How to train each HYROX station

The runs are half the race. The stations are where it's won or lost. Each one below has the pacing approach, what to train & a session to try. "HYROX weight" means the weight for your division in the table above.

Station 1: SkiErg (1,000m)

It's only station one. You have a long way to go.

• Going 30 seconds quicker on the ski burns a lot of energy for 30 seconds saved. Hold a pace that feels like 6/10.
• You want to arrive at the next run & the sleds fresh.
• Pairs: 250m each, or 15-20 strokes each if one of you is stronger on the ski.

Try: 3 minutes ski, 1 minute rest, x5 (good finisher after strength). Or 500m ski, 25m sled pull & 100m farmers carry at HYROX weight, x4.

Station 2: Sled push (50m)

The sled is the only pure strength element of HYROX. You improve it two ways: raw strength & compromised aerobic capacity.

• Keep the runs before, between & after steady. Quads, hamstrings, midline & back are all fatigued after the sled.
• It's hard to start, so once it's moving, keep driving. Push to halfway, take a quick breather, go again. Stay low & make each stride powerful.
• It comes early in the race. Don't empty the tank here.

Build strength with: front squats, front rack walking lunges, single-leg calf raises, deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, weighted step-ups & single-leg bounds.

Try: 400m run, 5 deadlifts at 70% of your 1-rep max, x8. Or 800m hard run, 40m sled push or pull at 115% of sled weight, 2 minutes rest, x6.

Station 3: Sled pull (50m)

You can't walk backwards with the sled. You have to stay in your box, so don't get into the habit in training.

• If the sled is light for you, big arm pulls while driving your hips towards the sled works well.
• With heavier weights (Pro, or mixed doubles) that may not hold up. Walking back two steps with the sled & repeating can be better.
• Mixing techniques is fine if one fatigues you. Whatever you choose, practise it & stick with it. Don't try something new on race day.

Build strength with: sumo deadlift high pulls, Kroc rows, single arm half-kneeling banded rows, pull-ups, seated rows, split stance deadlifts, hip thrusts, bent over rows & sandbag good mornings.

Try: pure sled strength, 10-15m push or pull, 90 seconds rest, x7, building from 60% of HYROX sled weight up to 115%.

Station 4: Burpee broad jumps (80m)

The tough stations are mostly behind you after this one. You can start pushing the runs.

• Hands close to your feet as you drop, chest to the floor, then step up one foot at a time.
• Find a jump that covers decent distance without burning your legs out. You want a pace you can repeat, not a max effort each time.
• Your heart & breathing rate will spike. You'll spend a lot of time at 80%+ of max heart rate. Match the movement to your breath: take a deep breath every time you stand up, or every time you land.

This station is mostly general aerobic capacity, so long conditioning workouts help most.

Try: 40m burpee broad jumps, 40m sled pull, 60 seconds rest, x4. Or 30 calorie row, 20 burpee broad jumps, 3 minutes rest, x4.

Station 5: Row (1,000m)

HYROX isn't won on the ski or the row, but it can be lost here. The difference between a 4:00 and a 3:30 row is only 30 seconds. The energy cost is huge.

• The first four stations are tough. Use the row to compose yourself, settle into a steady pace & get ready to attack the next run.
• Farmers carry is next. Loosen your grip on the handles, engage your lats & take long, powerful strokes.
• Aim for 20-25 strokes per minute. Much above 25 spikes your heart rate. If you can't hold that rate, ask a coach to check your technique.

Try: 500m row sprint, 20 walking lunges, 5 push-ups, 60 seconds rest, x6. Or 3 minutes row, 1 minute rest, x5 as a finisher after strength.

Station 6: Farmers carry (200m)

This one is about grip.

• Smooth jog or fast walk. The less the kettlebells bounce, the better. The faster you move, the less time you spend gripping.
• If you're gassed, use the carry to bring your heart & breathing back under control.
• Aim for 100m without a break, then rest or swap with your partner.
• Lock your thumb over your first finger for a stronger grip.

Build grip with: trap bar holds (load these heavy), chin-above-bar holds, crab grip plate holds, rowing into a kettlebell carry, bicep curls & muscle cleans.

Try: 100m farmers carry at HYROX weight, 90 seconds rest, x3. Or 600m row, 10 dumbbell deadlifts, 10 dumbbell hang cleans, 100m carry, x5.

Station 7: Sandbag lunges (100m)

This is quad endurance. The bag can't touch the floor, so let it rest on your shoulders. Take a big lunge forward, feet together, deep breath, repeat.

Most HYROX-specific training already builds this, as most mixed-mode sessions include lunges or lower body endurance work.

• Pairs: don't swap too often. The bag can't touch the floor, so swap back to back or press it off your back onto your partner's. We suggest one length each.

Try: 800m run, 50 sandbag walking lunges at HYROX weight, x6. Or 500m run, 500m ski, 30 front rack forward lunges, x5.

HYROX is a very lower body event. Look after your legs. Stretch your quads & hamstrings and foam roll.

Station 8: Wall balls (100 reps)

You've been working at a high intensity for over an hour. By now it's mind over matter.

• Big sets won't be on the cards, whether you're a wall ball pro or not. It's easy to do a few & want to rest. A clear plan keeps you going.
• If you're used to a heavier ball, you might manage 5 sets of 20. If not, sets of 10-15 with 5-10 seconds rest is probably quicker.

Try: 10 deadlifts at 50% of your 1-rep max, 20 wall balls, 400m run, x10. Or a 5km build run, speeding up 10-15 seconds every km, finishing with 100 wall balls.

Mixed-mode & monostructural conditioning

These are the sessions that train compromised aerobic capacity. Aim for 1-2 mixed-mode workouts per week in the lead-up to your event. They're the hard ones.

• 800m run, 30 wall balls, 100m farmers carry, 60 seconds rest, x6-8.
• 500m ski, 25m sled pull & 100m farmers carry at HYROX weight, x4.
• 45-minute AMRAP: 500m run, 5 cleans, 500m ski, 25m sled push, 500m row, 25m sled pull.

Monostructural sessions are single-machine or run-based work. Not all of them need to be at 100%. Do some at zone 2 after a hard week of training.

• 10 minutes ski, 2 minutes rest, 10 minutes row, 2 minutes rest, 10 minutes bike, 2 minutes rest, x2.
• 1km row, 500m run, 1km ski, 500m run, x5.

Training for doubles or relay

You still need a solid aerobic base. The difference is rest. As a pair or relay, you get rest while your partner works, so you can hit the same intensity again with shorter rest periods.

That means more interval work as you progress. Shorter, more intense bursts, more speed through the movements & quick recovery. All the solo workouts above work for doubles too.

A pairs session to try: partner 1 runs 500m at steady pace while partner 2 sprints 250m on the ski or row. Switch. Repeat x12.

Race day tips

Fuelling

• Carb load in the 4 days before: pasta, rice, potatoes, orange juice.
• Eat the same breakfast or lunch you usually have before training. Don't change anything on race day.
• Gels sit badly with some people mid-race. Test whatever you plan to use in training, & remember there's water in the Roxzone.

Know your course

• You'll be sent a course run-through the week of your event. Watch the video & study the map. When you're an hour in, your mind goes blank.
• Know exactly which station comes next, and how many laps the 1km run is. It's 2 at some venues & 3 at others.
• There's a big screen on the run lap showing your name & your next station.

Warm up

Take 20-30 minutes. Be at the start line 5 minutes before your start time, after your last toilet break.

• 5 minutes of steady cardio to get your heart going.
• 15m drills, jog back: tiptoe walks, low & high skips, high knees, heel kicks, A skips, B skips, lunges with rotation.
• 3x8 world's greatest stretch, 3x8 gorilla squats, 3x10 single calf raises, 5x5 broad jumps.
• 4 x 12.5m sled push, working up to HYROX weight.

Mistakes we see most

• Going out too hard on the ski, then paying for it at the sleds.
• Training sleds & wall balls but skipping the running.
• Six hard sessions a week with no easy days.
• Changing sled technique, fuel or kit on race day.

Recovery & prehab

HYROX training is hard on your lower body. Look after it.

• Include easy days in zone 2 (around 60-70% of max heart rate), recovery runs & rehab work for hips & knees.
• Stretch & foam roll every week. A sports massage helps as training ramps up.
• Prioritise sleep & food as load goes up.
• Listen to your body. Flexible beats stubborn.

More on why recovery matters in recovery is not a product, and why lifting makes you a better engine in why more runners are lifting weights.

Train for HYROX at Gymnasium

You can follow all of this alone. It's easier with coaching & people around you. Pacing is easier, effort rises naturally & the grindy sessions are less grindy.

Our HYROX training is coaching-led, class-based & scaled to the individual. Through the week that looks like:

• HYROX classes for race-specific skills: pacing, sled technique, wall ball strategy & running tired.
• DELTΔ for the engine & repeatable conditioning.
• Athletica & CrossFit for barbell strength & movement efficiency.
• Run club to keep your running ticking over.
• In-house HYROX simulations so you've done the full race before race day.

HYROX training is available in Brixton, Kennington, Wandsworth, Ealing & Twickenham. Or see how it all fits together on our training page.

HYROX training FAQs

Related Reading

• HYROX Training: Why Everyone Suddenly Seems To Be Pushing Sleds
• HYROX Isn't Replacing Strength Training: It's Exposing Who Skipped It
• Zone 2 Training
• Why More Runners Are Starting To Lift Weights

Sources: station distances & weights from hyrox.com; world records from Red Bull's HYROX records page. Training guidance from Gymnasium's coaches. This is general guidance, not medical advice.