Welcome to the world of Hyrox, an intense and challenging competition that tests your endurance, strength, and athletic prowess. Whether you’re new to Hyrox or a seasoned athlete, this article will walk you through the key elements of Hyrox, how to train effectively, and how the Hybrid Athlete Club can help you achieve your goals.
Based on insights shared during our recent Hyrox Manchester webinar, we’ll cover everything from what Hyrox entails to how to structure your training to maximise performance on race day.
What is Hyrox?
Hyrox is a fixed and repeatable test of movement capacity, with most athletes finding it to be a challenge of aerobic capacity and muscular endurance. It is not a sprint. The average finish time at the Manchester event last year was 1:28 for men and 1:34 for women in the open category, emphasising that pacing, not speed, is key.
Key Elements of Hyrox:
- Aerobic Capacity: Endurance is critical for maintaining performance across the race.
- Muscular Endurance: Each workout station tests your ability to sustain performance under fatigue.
- Efficiency: Efficient movement is essential for conserving energy, particularly during the run segments.
The Importance of Pacing
The Hyrox race is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. Understanding your pacing and your limits is essential to succeed in this competition. The goal is to move fast without compromising movement efficiency. For many athletes, this means learning how to conserve energy on workout stations and optimize running performance.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
Before diving into training, it’s important to determine your personal goals for Hyrox. Whether you aim to complete the race or compete for a podium finish, understanding your motivations will help guide your training and set you up for a successful experience.
Completing vs. Competing
- Completing: If your goal is simply to finish the race with a smile, your focus should be on building a broad capacity to handle the workout stations and running segments confidently.
- Competing: If you’re aiming for a specific time or ranking, you’ll need to approach training with more specificity and rigour. This means hitting all your benchmarks and getting in all the required sessions.
Training Phases for Hyrox Success
Effective training for Hyrox can be broken down into three distinct phases: Base, Build, and Peak. Each phase has a specific focus to help you develop the capacity, strength, and skills needed for race day.
1. Base Phase: Building Capacity and Strength
In this phase, the goal is to build a large aerobic and strength base. Increasing your aerobic capacity will allow you to recover faster and handle more intense training later on. Strength training will focus on improving your power output, which is crucial for Hyrox’s demanding workout stations, such as sled pushes and pulls.
- Focus on aerobic conditioning and strength development.
- Avoid high-intensity Hyrox simulations at this stage.
2. Build Phase: Introducing Hyrox Movements
Once a solid base is built, the Build Phase integrates Hyrox-specific movements into your training. This phase is about learning to move efficiently under load and practicing how to push through fatigue without compromising your running pace.
- Use EMOMs (Every Minute On the Minute) to practice Hyrox movements in isolation.
- Start combining different movements to introduce the fatigue you’ll experience during the race.
3. Peak Phase: Simulating Race Day Conditions
The Peak Phase focuses on training under conditions that closely resemble the race. You’ll learn how to manage lactate tolerance and practice pacing under fatigue. This phase will have you simulate full Hyrox race scenarios, ensuring you’re physically and mentally prepared for the event.
- Focus on compromised running—running after heavy, fatiguing stations like sled pushes or burpee broad jumps.
- Perform full-race simulations to get a feel for the intensity of race day.
Evidence-Based Confidence
Throughout your training, it’s essential to build evidence of success. Confidence on race day should be rooted in the data you’ve gathered from your training. By tracking your progress and ensuring you can perform each workout station at your target pace, you’ll arrive at race day with the knowledge that you’re prepared.
- Use benchmarks for each station (e.g., 1,000m Ski Erg target time, burpee broad jumps per minute) to track progress.
- Build your training around specific targets using tools like the Hyrox Race Calculator, which breaks down your race into achievable goals for each station and running segment.
Tools and Resources: The Hyrox Race Calculator
The Hyrox Race Calculator is an invaluable tool for helping you set realistic targets and track your progress throughout your training. It breaks down your target race time into achievable goals for each workout station and running segment, allowing you to focus on specific areas that need improvement.
- Example: For a 1,000m Ski Erg, if your target time is 4:27, you should train to hit 500m splits of 2:14.
- For burpee broad jumps, knowing that each jump covers approximately 1.5m, you can calculate how many reps per minute are needed to complete the station in your target time.
Putting It All Together: Structuring Your Training Plan
With around four months to prepare for your next Hyrox event, it’s time to build your training plan. Here’s a broad outline:
Weeks 1-8: Base Phase
- Focus on aerobic conditioning and strength.
- Develop proficiency in Hyrox movements in isolation.
Weeks 9-12: Build Phase
- Integrate Hyrox movements into your training.
- Gradually introduce fatigue by combining movements (e.g., burpees followed by running).
Weeks 13-16: Peak Phase
- Simulate race conditions with compromised running and full-race scenarios.
- Focus on pacing and lactate tolerance training.
Conclusion
Hyrox is a demanding yet rewarding challenge, and with the right preparation, you can achieve your personal best—whether that’s completing the race or competing at the highest level. By following a structured training plan and using tools like the Hyrox Race Calculator, you can ensure you’re building the evidence needed to step confidently onto the start line.
Ready to take the next step? Hybrid Athlete Club is here to support you with expert coaching, tailored programs, and the resources you need to succeed.
