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HYROXHalf the race is running, and the research says train it like it. · 3 min read · Updated October 1, 2026
How we made this guide: we built it from the research below and checked every number against it: HYROX official race format; Brandt et al., HYROX physiology study (2025); Rappelt et al., seven seasons of PRO and ELITE results (2026); Gutiérrez-Hellín et al., HYScience pacing study (2026).
HYROX looks like a strength event with some running in between. The first studies of the race suggest it’s closer to the opposite.
Eight 1 km runs, each followed by one workout station, always in the same order (HYROX). Loads for the Open divisions:
| # | Station (after each 1 km run) | Distance | Women (Open) | Men (Open) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SkiErg | 1,000 m | — | — |
| 2 | Sled push | 2 × 25 m | 102 kg | 152 kg |
| 3 | Sled pull | 2 × 25 m | 78 kg | 103 kg |
| 4 | Burpee broad jumps | 80 m | — | — |
| 5 | Rowing | 1,000 m | — | — |
| 6 | Farmers carry | 200 m | 2 × 16 kg | 2 × 24 kg |
| 7 | Sandbag lunges | 100 m | 10 kg | 20 kg |
| 8 | Wall balls | 100 reps | 4 kg | 6 kg |
Sled weights include the sled. Pro divisions are heavier; check the official page for yours.
Brandt and colleagues (2025) timed 11 recreational HYROX athletes through a simulated race. The median finish was 86.5 minutes, of which about 51 minutes was running and about 33 minutes was stations. Heart rate sat in the “very hard” zone (90–100% of max) for about 80% of the race, and the hardest moment by heart rate, lactate and effort was the last station: wall balls.
Across seven seasons of PRO and ELITE results, Rappelt and colleagues (2026) found running consistently made up about 50% of race time, and the top 100 got faster mostly through faster running.
| Factor | Linked to a faster finish? |
|---|---|
| Aerobic fitness (VO2max) | Yes |
| Weekly endurance training volume | Yes |
| Grip strength | Not significant |
| Weekly resistance training volume | Not significant |
From the Brandt study: 11 athletes, all already strong enough for the race loads. Correlations, not cause and effect.
The important caveat: everyone in that study could already handle the sleds and carries, so it can’t tell us what happens when the loads are heavy for you. In the seven-season results, the strength-based stations produced more reshuffling of places and bigger time losses among slower athletes (Rappelt et al.), which suggests strength can cost time until you can move the loads. Beyond that point, in this small study, finish time tracked running fitness rather than strength.
In 24 PRO men at an official race (Gutiérrez-Hellín et al., 2026), running speed dropped from about 16.1 km/h on the first run to about 13.6 km/h on the eighth, and the average running intensity was only about 76% of the speed at their VO2max. The runs are run tired, and they slow down. Practicing running straight off a station is part of the training.
HYROX training mixes runs, lifts and station work, and it’s easy to lose track of how much running you actually did. We built My Track Record so a run or a station session is one spoken sentence, so the week’s runs and lifts are all on record.
General information for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you’re new to running or lifting, build up gradually and learn the movements with a qualified coach.