HYROX CONCEPT
What is HYROX?
It’s your new global fitness race for every BODY! Around the world athletes compete in the same race, on the same course and each event will host up to 3,000 participants. The competition starts with a 1 km run, followed by 1 functional workout repeated 8 times. This combination of functional exercises and endurance makes HYROX unique yet still attainable for people from varying athletic and fitness backgrounds. Participants wear a timing chip and will receive an individual finishing time, with comparable results through our Global Rankings across all events (Singles or Doubles), divisions (HYROX Women/Men, HYROX Pro Women/Pro Men) and in each age group.
Each season culminates with the World Championships where the athletes with the fastest times from each division in each city go head-to-head.
HYROX events (opens in new tab) are a great way to put your all-round fitness to the test. The mass-participation format was founded in 2017 and puts on races at indoor arenas across Europe and the USA, with each event hosting up to 3,000 participants, plus spectators when permitted, which creates a terrific atmosphere. It launched in the UK in 2021 and returns to London for an event at ExCel on 30th April.
If that sounds appealing, keep in mind that it is a serious physical test. The format requires participants to run 1km, then tackle a functional exercise, eight times. The mathematically minded will have noticed that’s 8km of running in total, and you’ll actually be racking up even more distance through the exercise you do in between those runs.
First up is 1,000m on the SkiErg, a cardio machine that imitates Nordic skiing. Then you do a 50m sled push, followed by a 50m sled pull and 80m of burpee broad jumps. After that it’s 1,000m on the rowing machine, a 200m farmer’s carry, 100m of sandbag lunges and finally 75 or 100 wall balls. It’s probably worth reminding you that in between the exercises you run 1km. It all adds up to an event that will challenge your strength and endurance to the max, and pacing yourself effectively will be crucial.
HYROX combines running and functional training which opens it up to a broad audience of fitness enthusiasts. Everyone can do it, even if you haven’t trained, though we don’t recommend that – you’ll be sore for days afterwards.
How best to train for HYROX depends a little on where you’re coming from. If we were to start with a beginner or someone who’s not familiar with HYROX, the best thing to do is build their base fitness, building endurance and strength.
Once you’ve built your base fitness, you can address your weaknesses and do less of what you’re good at. If you’re a great runner then you need to work on strength and the functional movements. And vice versa, if you’re stronger and a less accomplished runner.
What we don’t suggest is crazy technical lifts, like snatches or Olympic lifts. We stick with the basics.