HYROX is a unique fitness race that combines running and functional exercise, testing both endurance and strength. Rapidly growing in popularity, HYROX has now become a true global phenomenon, with 500,000 athletes worldwide expected to take part in the 2024/25 season.
One of HYROX’s unique features are its eight workout stations designed to challenge different aspects of fitness. Though physically demanding, these stations require little to no technical skill, making HYROX a “sport for everyone,” for weekend warriors and elite competitors alike.
HYROX competitor, coach and commentator Greg Williams of Rox Lyfe will walk you through the eight stations, including a description of the exercises, the distance and repetitions required and the weight to use.
Once you’ve completed your initial 1km run, the first station you’ll face is the SkiErg. The requirement here is to run a total of 1km on a Concept2 SkiErg machine. Competitors pull down on the SkiErg handles, mimicking the movement of a ski pole. It’s a steady, controlled movement that requires rhythm, endurance, and good technique to maintain a strong pace without tiring out early in the race.
This may seem like a primarily arm and shoulder workout, but when performed efficiently, it’s a total body workout that also targets your core and lower body muscles.
HYROX events include burpees, sled pushes and sandbag runs
© Hirox
After the second 1km run, it’s time for sled pushing. One of the most physically demanding stations, sled pushing tests leg and total body strength. Participants use their legs and core strength to push a weighted sled along the track for a total distance of 50 metres.
This station often gets athletes in trouble, especially if they get their pacing wrong. Often times, legs get tired here early in the race, making the rest of the race a real struggle. The run right after this station can also be difficult for inexperienced athletes, with tired and heavy legs. A mistake I personally made in my first race was not taking enough short breaks during the push. Although my time at the station was short enough, I really struggled with the run afterwards.
When training at this station, if you have never been on a HYROX it is difficult to know what it will actually feel like on race day. This is because the sled you use, the surface you push it on, the humidity in the room, etc. can affect how the sled moves. You can’t assume that a 152kg sled in your gym is going to feel the same on race day.
Distance: 50 meters (4 x 12.5 meter pushes)
Men’s Professional / Men’s Professional Doubles: 202 kg
Women’s Professional / Women’s Professional Doubles / Men’s Open / Men’s Open Doubles / Mixed Open Doubles / Men’s Relay: 152 kg
Women’s Open / Women’s Open Doubles / Women’s Relay: 102 kg
Mixed relay: Women’s 102kg, Men’s 152kg
After the third 1km run, it’s time for another strength test: sled pulling. Competitors use a rope to pull a sled backwards, covering a total distance of 50 metres. At the end of each lane there is a small box, about 1.7 metres deep, in which they can exercise. This means that sled pulling is not a purely upper body exercise, but rather there is a small space where you can step backwards to move the sled. It is therefore an exercise that tests the posterior chain (back, hips and hamstrings).
One thing to pay attention to at this station is technique and rope management – the further you pull the sled, the more the rope wraps around your feet and can easily trip you up if you’re not careful.
When starting this station, both the sled and the participant must be behind the line. They must then pull the sled the length of the lane (12.5 meters long) over the line, walk back to the other end of the lane and pull the sled back. They must then gain 50 meters by repeating this process. They can take a break at any time if they need to. Going outside the designated area at the end of the lane will result in a penalty.
Distance: 50 meters (4 x 12.5 meter pulls)
Men’s Professional / Men’s Professional Doubles: 153 kg
Women’s Professional / Women’s Professional Doubles / Men’s Open / Men’s Open Doubles / Mixed Open Doubles / Men’s Relay: 103 kg
Women’s Open / Women’s Open Doubles / Women’s Relay: 78 kg
Mixed relay: Women’s 78kg, Men’s 103kg
After Run 4 is the 80m Burpee Broad Jump (BBJ). Combining two demanding movements, the burpee and the broad jump, this station will test your cardiovascular endurance and leg explosiveness.
Start with your hands behind the line and your chest on the floor, then step or jump into a long jump (make sure your feet take off and land parallel – you can’t alternate), being sure your feet don’t go in front of your hands, then drop with your chest back down to the floor, with your hands no more than a foot in front of your feet.
This cycle is repeated until the distance is covered. This can be a very tough station and you should try to maintain an efficient and steady rhythm throughout, if possible (easier said than done).
After your fifth 1km run, you finally have a chance to sit down. However, you can’t take a break because you have to cover a total of 1km on the Concept2 rowing machine. The rowing machine provides a full-body aerobic workout, testing both your endurance and muscular stamina. This is where good and efficient technique is so important, but it’s something that so many athletes get wrong (wasting time and energy).
Proper pacing is important throughout the HYROX, but especially at this station. Pushing yourself too hard won’t necessarily reward you with a significantly faster time. For example, rowing too fast might get you to finish the station 10 seconds faster, but leave you feeling very fatigued for the rest of the race.
Ida Mathilde Steensgaard of Hirox Denmark
© Jesper Gronnemark/Red Bull Content Pool
Farmer’s Carry is the sixth station of HYROX. Participants carry one heavy kettlebell in each hand and walk or run as fast as they can for a distance of 200 meters.
You can put the kettlebell on the floor as many times as you need to, but of course, if you can make it to the end without stopping, you’ll likely save time. This is a station that tests grip strength, shoulder stability, and core endurance, and is usually one of the fastest stations in the race.
Men’s Professional / Men’s Professional Doubles: 32kg per hand
Women’s Professional / Women’s Professional Doubles / Men’s Open / Men’s Open Doubles / Mixed Open Doubles / Men’s Relay: 24kg per hand
Women’s Open / Women’s Open Doubles / Women’s Relay: 16 per hand
Mixed relay: Women’s 16kg, Men’s 24kg
The penultimate station is the Sandbag Lunge: you’re nearing the end of the race and at this point you’re probably so tired that you have to attempt a 100m walking lunge with a weighted sandbag on your back.
The athlete’s knees must contact the floor with every repetition – it’s an incredible test of the quads and glutes, but it also taxes the arms and shoulders, as the bag is never allowed to rest on the floor.
Men’s Professional / Men’s Professional Doubles: 30 kg
Women’s Professional / Women’s Professional Doubles / Men’s Open / Men’s Open Doubles / Mixed Open Doubles / Men’s Relay: 20 kg
Women’s Open / Women’s Open Doubles / Women’s Relay: 10 kg
Mixed relay: Women’s 10kg, Men’s 20kg
Jake Dearden does great work at Wall Balls Station
© Baptiste Fauchl/Red Bull Content Pool
Almost there! The final station is Wall Ball, where contestants crouch with the ball, explode upwards, and throw the ball to hit the target, 100 times in total. After catching the ball, they repeat the motion. Target height and ball weight vary by gender and division.
Proper squat form and depth, as well as accuracy in throwing the ball (to the center of the target) are crucial here. Judges will do “no reps” if necessary, which will add time and fatigue.
This is a station that tests not only your physical abilities (stressing your legs, shoulders and cardiovascular system simultaneously) but also your mental strength and concentration.
Repetitions: 100 wall balls
Men’s Professional / Men’s Professional Doubles: 9kg ball, 10ft / 3.048m target
Women’s Professional / Women’s Professional Doubles / Men’s Open / Men’s Open Doubles / Mixed Open Doubles / Men’s Relay: 6 kg ball, 9 ft / 2.743 m target
Women’s Open / Women’s Open Doubles / Women’s Relay: 4 kg ball, 9 ft / 2.743 m target
Mixed relay: Women’s 4kg, Men’s 6kg
Yes, we said there are eight stations, but consider this a bonus.
Also to consider is the rocks zone, a very important section of the race that often doesn’t get enough attention from athletes.
The Roxzone is the transition area between the running course and the workout stations. The size varies depending on the event, but on average you will have to run a total of 700 meters in the Roxzone during the race. So if you want to run as fast as you can, you can’t slow down more than necessary (i.e. try to maintain your running speed) or get lost in the Roxzone (looking for the workout station you should be doing).
Each station offers unique challenges, targeting different muscle groups and testing endurance, strength and mental toughness. To be successful at HYROX, athletes must not only master the ability to run, but also to efficiently perform these exercises while fatigued. By preparing for each station individually, you’ll build the overall fitness needed to dominate the entire race (while having fun in the process!).
Love HYROX? Watch highlights from the 2024 HYROX World Championships, where the fittest people on the planet clash, for free on Red Bull TV.
25 min
HYROX World Championship Highlights – Nice
Find out why HYROX is an indoor fitness competition that will test your strength, endurance and determination.
