I’ve done 11 HYROX races – here are my 8 top workout tips and what it takes to win the competition

WHEN I completed my first HYROX in 2021, the word was practically unheard of.

Fast forward three years, and this indoor fitness competition now takes place in over 11 countries, attracting more than 90,000 athletes across all age groups, as well as a staggering 50,000 spectators. 

Lucy Gornall

Personal trainer and health writer Lucy Gornall at a HYROX race[/caption]

Lucy Gornall

Lucy in action, pushing a sled between runs[/caption]

Dubbed “the fitness race for everybody”, HYROX is a test of endurance.

Participants run 1km, followed by a functional workout station, and this is repeated eight times.

The workout stations are 1,000m SkiErg, 50m sled push, 50m sled pull, 80m burpee broad jumps (jump forward, drop into a burpee), 1,000m row, 200m farmers carry (literally walking a set distance with a weight in each hand), 100m sandbag lunges, and 100 wall balls (squat down and throw the weighted ball to a high target as you come up).  

Yes, it sounds brutal. And yes, having done 11 HYROX competitions, from solo to relay, and same-sex and mixed doubles, I can confirm it is definitely pretty brutal. 

In fact, it’s physically and mentally demanding, but there’s a reason people keep going back for more.

HYROX is addictive torture.

The feeling of euphoria you get when you cross the finish line, when your legs are throbbing and your heart feels like it’s about to beat out of your chest…well, it’s like nothing else. 

For last year’s London November HYROX, a ballot system was introduced to allocate race places.

A huge 66,000 people applied for 15,000 spaces. That just shows how popular HYROX has become.

Tempted to give it a go yourself? To help you on your way, I’ve shared a few nuggets of advice, as well as lessons I’ve picked up along the way…

1. Get to grips with the workout 

The premise of every HYROX is the same.

Each takes place in a huge indoor arena (for example, London’s Excel) with the eight workout stations placed in the middle ‘Roxzone’ area, and a running track which loops around it.

To complete the 1km run, you typically have to do two or three laps of the track.

The Roxzone has two big inflatable arches; one marked ‘Entrance’ and one marked ‘Exit’.

After the 1km run, you pass through the Entrance and head to your workout.

Each station is clearly marked from one to eight.

Then, when you’ve done your workout, you leave through the Exit and run again. Phew. 

2. Master the moves 

Squats, burpees and lunges; you need to be able to do all of these, several times, with some weight.

Squats and lunges you likely know, but burpees (aka the devil’s exercise) involve a squat, jumping back into a plank, lowering yourself down to the floor, pushing yourself back into plank, then jumping back into a squat and coming back to standing. It’s quite intense. 

To help you master the moves, why not try a HYROX training session?

Most gyms now offer some sort of HYROX-based workout so you can train specifically for your chosen race.

Click here to find a gym near you.

3. Learn to run

Not a keen runner? Or perhaps you’re an amateur?

Well, the good news is you only need to run eight lots of 1km during a HYROX.

Yes, there are workouts in between, but you don’t need to devote hours of your day to boring long runs like you would if you were training for a marathon.

You do need to run a little though.

Forget the no-carb diet; if you’re going to be on the move for an hour or two, you need some carbohydrates

Lucy GornallHYROX fanatic

Lace up, get outside or on the treadmill, and run or jog 1.5km (I always add more to the runs to help my fitness and make the 1km race feel like a breeze). 

Take a break, then go again. And repeat this eight times, even if you have to slow right down to complete them. 

Once you’ve got a little comfortable with the runs, it’s time to take things up a gear.

4. Train your legs

HYROX is a full body workout, but your legs end up doing a lot of the work.

Just think how tired they are from the run alone, never mind the workouts in between.

My advice? Train your legs to be able to handle a high volume of work.

Jog or run 1km and then go straight into 20 forward lunges.

As this gets easier, add dumbbells to the lunges to make them harder and increase the number of lunges you do.

Then add 30 squats after the lunges.

Basically, keep challenging your legs; being able to run isn’t enough if you really want to do well. 

5. Work with a partner 

You can choose to enter the race alone. But from experience, entering with a partner and working together not only ensures you get a better time (after all, you can split the workouts between you), it’s also far more enjoyable having someone by your side.

The catch? You both have to complete the runs, side by side.

However, the eight exercise stations can be divided up as you wish.

So, if you’re particularly good at lunges and your partner is an absolute strength machine and can push a sled with ease, then you divvy up the workload to suit.

Lucy Gornall

Lucy and her HYROX partner Saffron Steelson[/caption]

Lucy Gornall

Lucy says the sled pull is one of her weaker workout stations[/caption]

6. Learn to push and pull

For me, the sled push and sled pull are my two weakest workout stations.

The weight varies across different categories, with the women’s open weight being considerably lighter than the men’s pro weight, for example.

But still, moving an awkwardly shaped sled up and down a track four times is tough.

On the sled pull, you must stay within the marked box when pulling.

As the sled gets closer, and the rope gets shorter, this gets easier.

When pulling, squat down and step back.

Use the space within the box and make this a full body exercise, not just an arm exercise. 

On the sled push, lean right into the sled and get low.

This is a big leg exercise rather than an upper body exercise.

7. You need to eat

Forget the no-carb diet; if you’re going to be on the move for an hour or two, you need some carbohydrates.

A couple of hours before you race, enjoy a bowl of porridge with berries or eggs on toast.

Then, during the race, stay hydrated (there are water stations on the course where you can grab some much needed H20) and maybe even consider using an energy gel.

These are small, portable packets of liquid, sugary carbohydrates which provide a quick burst of energy.

But make sure you test these out beforehand. Gels are renowned for causing upset tummies.

The last thing you need when you’re halfway through a HYROX is an urgent number-two springing up on you.

8. It’s a race, but there’s no prize

Unless you’re planning on making it to the HYROX World Championships and beyond, there is no ‘prize’ for doing well.

So whilst I will always encourage everyone to give it their absolute max, if you simply just fancy entering and making it over the finish line at your own pace, then go for it.

To be able to say you’ve even completed a HYROX is a huge achievement in itself!

Lucy Gornall

How to win a HYROX

I haven’t won a HYROX race – yet.

But if that’s what you’re aiming for, my three top tips to nail the competition would be:

Top three tips to nail a Hyrox

1. Train your legs. If you don’t master runs followed by leg-based exercises, you will struggle.
2. Do it with a partner who can run as fast as you or slightly quicker, not slower. If you do doubles and your partner is slower than you, you will have to run with them as you need to run together. This won’t help you win!
3. Be ready to push yourself to your max, and then a bit more. If you really want to do well, your heart rate will be maxing out the whole time!