The Rise of Hyrox: A New Era of Fitness Racing and Training

Recently, a new type of fitness competition has emerged: Hyrox. Founded in 2017 by Christian Toetzke and Moritz Furste in Germany, Hyrox has quickly become a global sensation, attracting former athletes to regular gym-goers who want to get fitter.

This unique fitness-racing format combines functional strength exercises with endurance ones, creating a challenging competition. It has similarities with Crossfit, using a competition-style workout but with less heavy lifting and Olympic-style lifts.

But what exactly is Hyrox, and why has it gained such popularity?

What is Hyrox?

Hyrox is a fitness-racing sport and a new type of workout that tests participants’ strength, stamina, and mental toughness. The competition format consists of eight workout stations, each separated by a 1km run (.6 miles), totaling 8 kilometers with a series of functional strength exercises mixed in. 

These stations include exercises such as sled pushes, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmers’ carries, sandbag lunges, wall balls, and SkiErg. The goal is to complete all tasks as quickly as possible, with the total time determining the winner.

Hyrox is also a fast-growing partner with gyms, without the gyms becoming considered “Hyrox Gyms”, although there are gyms that brand themselves exclusively with Hyrox. 

The Appeal of Hyrox

One key reason for Hyrox’s rapid rise in popularity is its accessibility. Unlike other fitness competitions, Hyrox is open to everyone, regardless of their fitness level. It doesn’t require specialized equipment or vast experience with Olympic lifting, Hyrox uses simple and often familiar movements. 

This inclusivity has attracted diverse participants, from regular gym-goers to former professional athletes. Also, the standardized format ensures that each race is identical, allowing athletes to compare their times and progress globally. You can compete against those in your gym and across the world.

The Hyrox Community

The Hyrox community is known for its strong sense of camaraderie and support. Athletes often share training tips and encourage each other, creating a positive and uplifting environment. This community spirit has contributed to the growth of Hyrox, with events now held in major cities across Europe, North America, and Internationally.

Hyrox events are also run in waves, promoting a strong community atmosphere where participants can support and compete against one another. The event format encourages both personal motivation and teamwork, as teams and individuals push each other through the challenges. There are individual, doubles, and team events.

In addition, the consistent structure of Hyrox events means that athletes can train specifically for them. With standardization across locations and times, participants can measure their performance against others globally — this tracking of fitness progression is appealing to people who thrive on competition.

For a list of events, gyms, and community events check out https://hyrox.com/

History of Hyrox

Hyrox was founded to create a standardized, accessible fitness competition that combines strength and endurance challenges. Since its launch in Germany in 2017, HYROX has swiftly become one of the world’s fastest-growing fitness sports, expanding to races in over 11 countries and more than 30 cities.

Former athletes from various sports and entertainment entertainers participate and help promote Hyrox events. The company and participants have done a good job of growing it with social media and community events throughout the world. The founders’ vision of making fitness more engaging and competitive has resonated with many, leading to Hyrox’s continued success. 

Hyrox vs. CrossFit

While Hyrox and CrossFit share some similarities, there are differences between the two. Both involve functional fitness exercises and require participants to have excellent conditioning. However, Hyrox focuses more on endurance and combines running with different exercises, whereas CrossFit emphasizes high-intensity, varied workouts that change daily.

CrossFit on the other hand, comprises WODs or Workouts of the Day) that change every day. These workouts are not limited to a fixed structure, allowing for a more diverse training approach but lacking the standardized competition format of Hyrox.

Although Crossfit is strength and endurance-based too, their lifts are usually more technical. Heavy deadlifts, back and front squats, power and hang cleans, butterfly pull-ups, cleans, swimming, etc. are all added to various CrossFit events and workouts. Hyrox usually just uses the 8 exercises mixed in the 1 Kilometer runs. Hyrox events are standardized and identical worldwide, while CrossFit workouts can vary significantly from one gym to another.

Hyrox Exercises 

For those looking to take their fitness to the next level, here are some Hyrox exercises and basic training programs to incorporate into your training routine:

1. Start with a 1 Kilometer Run
2. Sled Pushes and Pulls: Incorporate sled pushes and pulls into your workouts to build lower body strength and endurance. Aim for 3 sets of 20 meters, increasing the weight as you progress.
3. Burpee Broad Jumps: Perform Burpee broad jumps to improve explosive power and cardiovascular endurance. Start with 3 sets of 10 jumps, gradually increasing the number of sets and reps.
4. Rowing: Rowing is a key component of Hyrox, so include it in your training. Aim for 200-300 meters to start, gradually increasing until you can hit up to 1,000 meters.
5. Farmers’ Carries (2×24/16 kg; heavier for competition): Farmers’ Carries are excellent for building grip strength and overall body stability. Perform 3 sets of 40 yards/meters, holding a heavy weight in each hand.
6. Sandbag Lunges (10 kg/22 lbs, 20 kg/44 lbs, 30 kg/66 lbs): Sandbag lunges are great for targeting the lower body muscles. Do 3 sets of 12 lunges on each leg, using a sandbag on your back. In Hyrox rules, the knee has to touch the ground so make sure you are doing the full movement. If you don’t have sandbags, you can use dumbbells, kettlebells, and walking barbell back lunges for advanced lifters.
7. Wall Balls (9/6 kg.): Wall balls are a full-body exercise that combines strength muscle and cardio endurance. Hit different numbers with various workouts, such as 15-20-25 reps
8. SkiErg: The SkiErg is a staple in Hyrox competitions, so incorporate it into your workouts. Perform various sets of time and meters for this exercise to improve your aerobic capacity. For example: 200 meters for time, rest, and repeat 5 times. Gradually increase the amount of meters or time worked on the SkiErg.

Running plays a significant role in Hyrox, so incorporating long runs, interval training, and pace assessment is important. Athletes should aim for a balance between distance runs and sprint workouts to effectively prepare for the segment of running between stations.

Hyrox Training Tips

1. Endurance Training:

Running plays a significant role in Hyrox, incorporating long runs, interval training, and pace assessments is crucial. There are multiple .6 miles/ 1 km run per event and workout. Depending on your running ability and cardio, that could be anywhere from 6–8 minutes for general fitness people. Runners and those with good running cardio would be anywhere from 4–6 minutes. So working in these run lengths would be beneficial for the running portion of Hyrox.

Also, it’s good to aim for a good balance between distance runs and sprint workouts to effectively prepare for the segment of running between stations. Getting faster will help with running, and having endurance will help you push through with the Hyrox runs. 

2. Strength Training:

Developing the strength to do well at the functional stations of Hyrox is very important as well. It’s not fun to struggle with these exercises, trying to push or pull a sled without the strength to handle the exercise well. Or your legs giving out on the long sandbag lounges. So developing the strength to handle these movements is essential. 

Compound lifts are a great way to build the overall strength necessary to compete. Although you want to work in a lot of the Hyrox exercises, these exercises will help you gain overall strength and should improve the movements you’ll be competing in:

• Deadlifts, Squats, Step-ups with weights, Romanian Deadlifts, Split Squats and Bulgarian Split-Squat, Hamstring Curls, Side-Lunges
• Row variations (cabled, seated, inverted, machine), Military or Overhead Bar and Dumbell Presses, Pull-ups/Pull-downs, Carries

3. Interval Workouts:

Incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) routines specifically targeting the movements in the Hyrox course will be helpful for your training. Sequences that include sled pushes, burpees, and kettlebell swings can condition the body to the demands of the competition.

You can also use other equipment to mix up your interval workouts. Jump rope, rowing, broad or squat jumps, ball slams and throws, etc. These will help get your heart rate up and improve cardio so that you can handle different stations during Hyrox workouts. 

4. Mobility, Recovery, and Rest:

Flexibility and mobility work cannot be overlooked, as they help prevent injury and maintain proper form under fatigue. Regularly scheduled recovery sessions, foam rolling, and stretching should be integrated into the training program.

If you don’t do mobility or stretching much on your own, maybe join a nearby class so that you’re encouraged to do these recovery exercises. Also remember that resting properly between these intense exercises is important, especially if you are new or haven’t done this type of training in a while. 

Will You Give Hyrox a Try?

Hyrox has come up in the fitness world with its unique combination of functional fitness and cardio blended together. Its accessibility, standardized format, and strong community have contributed to its rapid rise in popularity. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or a fitness enthusiast looking for a new challenge, Hyrox offers an exciting and demanding experience that will push you to your limits.

With its methodical structures, competitive driving force, and a focus on overall fitness, Hyrox is not just a passing trend; it’s a similar but new alternative to those not wanting to train Crossfit. Its demanding workouts will push you and encourage competitors, and those wanting to get fit with a challenging workout, to train hard and have fun doing it. 

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