HYROX is quickly becoming one of the most exciting endurance fitness events, combining elements of functional fitness with endurance, strength, and grit. It’s the ultimate test of an athlete’s physical capacity, designed to push you to your limits through a blend of running and functional exercises. Whether you’re looking to challenge yourself, improve your fitness, or get into competitive racing, this guide will help you understand the world of HYROX and prepare for your first event.
What is HYROX?
History of HYROX
Founded in 2017 by fitness industry expert Christian Toetzke, HYROX was designed to fill the gap between strength-based competitions like CrossFit and traditional endurance events like marathons. Toetzke envisioned a race that would challenge athletes across all disciplines, combining strength and endurance in a single competition.
What started in Germany has now grown into a global fitness phenomenon, with events held in major cities around the world. The beauty of HYROX is that it’s standardised—the same race, workouts, and format in every city. This allows athletes to compare their times with competitors worldwide, tracking their progress from event to event.
The Growth of HYROX
The sport's rise has been meteoric. HYROX has attracted a diverse group of participants, from elite athletes looking to test their limits to everyday fitness enthusiasts aiming for a new challenge. With different divisions (Men, Women, Pro, Doubles, Relay), it’s accessible to anyone regardless of their fitness level.
The HYROX Event: A Breakdown
HYROX is designed as an indoor race, combining 8 kilometers of running with 8 functional fitness workouts. You’ll be running 1 km in between each station, for a total of 8 km. Each functional workout is designed to test your strength, endurance, and overall fitness level.
The HYROX Race Layout:
1 km run
1st workout: 1,000m SkiErg
1 km run
2nd workout: Sled Push (152kg for Men, 102kg for Women)
1 km run
3rd workout: Sled Pull (103kg for Men, 78kg for Women)
1 km run
4th workout: Burpee Broad Jumps (80m)
1 km run
5th workout: 1,000m Row
1 km run
6th workout: Farmers Carry (24kg kettlebells for Men, 16kg for Women)
1 km run
7th workout: Sandbag Lunges (20kg for Men, 10kg for Women)
1 km run
8th workout: Wall Balls (100 reps with 6kg for Men, 4kg for Women)
The challenge lies in the combination of running and functional exercises, which require both cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. Your ability to efficiently transition between each element is key to a successful race.
Training for HYROX: The 12-Week Plan
This 12-week training plan is designed for beginners aiming to complete their first HYROX event. The plan progressively builds running endurance, functional strength, and incorporates compromised running—running immediately after completing strength exercises, which simulates the fatigue you’ll feel during the race.
Key Focus Areas:
Running Sessions: Detailed and specific, progressively increasing distance, speed, and complexity.
Strength Training: Generalised full-body workouts to build overall strength, with flexibility to tailor weights and exercises.
Compromised Running: Structured to progressively challenge your ability to run efficiently after functional movements, mirroring the HYROX race.
Types of Runs Within This Plan
1. Easy Runs: These runs are done at a conversational pace, where you should be able to speak without gasping for air. The goal is to build aerobic endurance without overstraining your body.
2. Tempo Runs: These are moderate-intensity runs performed at a pace that’s comfortably hard but sustainable for the duration of the run (usually around 80–90% of your maximum effort). They help improve your lactate threshold, which means you can run faster for longer.
3. Interval Runs: High-intensity sessions where you alternate between fast running and slow recovery jogs or walking. These runs improve your speed, power, and ability to recover quickly.
4. Long Runs: Designed to build endurance, these runs are slower and longer in duration, helping to increase your stamina for race day.
5. Compromised Runs: These runs are performed immediately after completing a functional exercise (like sled pushes or burpees). They mimic the challenges you’ll face in HYROX, helping you manage fatigue and maintain speed after strength tasks.
Phase 1: Base Building (Weeks 1–4)
Objective: Establish a foundation of running endurance and basic strength, and introduce initial compromised running workouts.
Week 1:
Run 1 (Easy):
25-minute easy run.
Focus: Build aerobic base.
Run 2 (Easy):
30-minute easy run.
Run 3 (Long Run):
40-minute slow run.
Strength Training:
Full-body general physical preparedness focusing on basic movement patterns (squats, lunges, push-ups, planks). Progressively increase volume.
Compromised Running Session:
Incorporate running with the some/all of the eight functional HYROX stations. Your aim should be to transition smoothly between running and the functional movements to mimic race conditions. You don’t need a full simulation race-day simulation, but simulate elements of your race (especially weaknesses) as much as possible.
Example session: 500m Run → 500m SkiErg→500m Run → 25m Sled Push x4
I often post Hyrox simulations/compromised on my instagram page, so if your looking for some inspiration then look no further.
Week 2:
Run 1 (Easy):
30-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Tempo):
10-minute warm-up → 10-minute tempo run → 10-minute cool-down.
Run 3 (Long Run):
45-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Full-body routine, focussing on progressive overload with emphasis on fundamental movements (deadlifts, overhead presses, rows).
Compromised Running Session:
Combine running with functional exercises like SkiErg or Burpee Broad Jumps. The goal is to practice managing fatigue and transitioning between activities.
Week 3:
Run 1 (Easy):
30-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Interval):
5x 2 minutes hard run → 2 minutes recovery jog.
Run 3 (Long Run):
50-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Full-body workout, focusing on progressive overload with basic lifts and bodyweight exercises.
Compromised Running Session:
Integrate running with exercises like Burpee Broad Jumps and Wall Balls. Focus on running after high-intensity functional work to simulate race conditions.
Week 4:
Run 1 (Easy):
35-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Tempo):
10-minute warm-up → 15-minute tempo run → 10-minute cool-down.
Run 3 (Long Run):
55-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Continue with full-body progressive sessions, focusing on enhancing strength and endurance.
Compromised Running Session:
Combine running with Sled Pushes and Wall Balls. Focus on increasing the intensity and managing fatigue.
Phase 2: Build & Strength (Weeks 5–8)
Objective: Increase the complexity and intensity of workouts, incorporating more HYROX-specific elements.
Week 5:
Run 1 (Easy):
35-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Tempo):
10-minute warm-up → 20-minute tempo run → 10-minute cool-down.
Run 3 (Long Run):
60-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Continue with full-body progressive sessions, focusing on enhancing strength and endurance.
Compromised Running Session:
Incorporate running with heavier functional exercises such as Sled Pushes and Wall Balls. Focus on transitioning effectively.
Week 6:
Run 1 (Easy):
40-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Interval):
6x 400m fast → 1-minute jog recoveries.
Run 3 (Long Run):
65-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Continue with full-body progressive sessions, focusing on enhancing strength and endurance.
Compromised Running Session:
Combine running with heavy Sled Pushes and Wall Balls. The goal is to simulate higher intensity and more demanding transitions.
Week 7:
Run 1 (Easy):
40-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Tempo):
10-minute warm-up → 25-minute tempo run → 10-minute cool-down.
Run 3 (Long Run):
70-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Continue with full-body progressive sessions, focusing on enhancing strength and endurance.
Compromised Running Session:
Combine running with high-volume exercises like Rowing and Sled Pushes. Focus on managing fatigue and mimicking race conditions.
Week 8:
Run 1 (Easy):
45-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Interval):
4x 800m fast → 2-minute jog recoveries.
Run 3 (Long Run):
75-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Continue with full-body progressive sessions, focusing on enhancing strength and endurance.
Compromised Running Session:
Integrate running with multiple functional exercises like Rowing, Sandbag Lunges, and Wall Balls. Aim to closely replicate the demands of HYROX.
Phase 3: Peak & Taper (Weeks 9–12)
Objective: Sharpen race-specific skills, simulate race conditions, and taper towards race day.
Week 9:
Run 1 (Easy):
45-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Tempo):
10-minute warm-up → 30-minute tempo run → 10-minute cool-down.
Run 3 (Long Run):
80-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Full-body sessions with a focus on maintaining strength and preparing for race-specific demands.
Compromised Running Session:
Incorporate running with various HYROX stations (e.g., Sled Pushes, Wall Balls, Rowing). Simulate the transitions and intensity of race conditions.
Week 10:
Run 1 (Easy):
50-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Interval):
5x 1 km at race pace → 2-minute jog recoveries.
Run 3 (Long Run):
90-minute steady run.
Strength Training:
Full-body progressive routine with a focus on endurance and strength maintenance.
Compromised Running Session:
Simulate race conditions with running combined with heavy resistance exercises like Sled Pushes and Sandbag Lunges. Aim for a high-intensity workout to test race readiness.
Week 11:
Run 1 (Race-Pace Simulation):
1x 8 km run at race pace.
Run 2 (Tempo):
10-minute warm-up → 25-minute tempo run → 10-minute cool-down.
Run 3 (Interval):
4x 1.5 km at race pace → 3-minute jog recoveries.
Strength Training:
Full-body routine with a focus on maintaining strength and readiness for the event.
Compromised Running Session:
Perform a high-intensity simulation incorporating running with multiple HYROX stations (e.g., Sled Pushes, Rowing, Wall Balls). Focus on replicating the race environment as closely as possible.
Focus: Push yourself to handle race fatigue with multi-modal functional movements.
Week 12: (Race Week – Taper)
During taper week for HYROX, some people opt for a lighter, easier approach to ensure they enter race day fresh and minimise injury risk, while others prefer lower volume but higher intensity workouts to maintain sharpness. I opt for the latter.
Objective: Allow for recovery, maintain fitness, and prepare mentally for race day.
Run 1 (Easy):
20-minute easy run.
Run 2 (Race-Pace Simulation):
5 km run at race pace.
Run 3 (Easy):
15-minute easy run with a few race pace intervals sprinkled in.
Strength Training:
Light full-body routine focusing on mobility and maintenance.
Rest & Recovery:
Focus on hydration, nutrition, and mental preparation for race day.
Personalised Coaching for Your HYROX Journey
While this guide offers a brief outline of how to train for your first HYROX, it is not the holy grail as everyone’s fitness journey is unique. If you're looking for more detailed and personalised training, my online coaching program can provide:
Tailored training plans based on your fitness level, race goals, and schedule
Compromised running strategies specific to your pace and performance
Weekly feedback and adjustments to optimise your training progress
Race preparation tips, including mental strategies, pacing, nutrition, and tapering advice
1-on-1 support, ensuring you're fully prepared for every phase of your HYROX
To enquire about my online coaching services simply send an email to info@philipgoncalves.com and we can arrange a free consultation to discuss how I can help you to reach your goals in the most effective and efficient ways possible.
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