A good HYROX training plan trains the exact race: eight rounds of a 1km run followed by one workout station, from the SkiErg to 100 wall balls. For a beginner, that means three or four sessions a week for about 12 weeks: one run session, one strength session, one session practising the stations, and one mixed session where you run between stations. Learn the Open division weights first, because the sled push and pull are the stations HYROX itself tells you to practise before race day.
A fitness race with a date in the diary's a brilliant way to keep training when work gets busy, and HYROX is built for people who aren't elite athletes. Everything below about the race comes from HYROX's own race format page. The training outline is mine, built around that format and the NHS activity guidelines, so treat it as a sensible starting point rather than a coach's prescription, and speak to your GP first if you haven't exercised for a while.
What you're training for
HYROX's race page describes the format as running and functional workout stations: you run 1km, complete one station, and repeat that eight times. The format's the same everywhere in the world, which is why there are global leaderboards. Races take place indoors in exhibition halls, and you can enter as an individual in Open or Pro, as a pair in Doubles, or as a team of four in Relay, where each person runs 2 x 1km and completes stations between them.
| Station | Distance or reps | Women Open | Men Open |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. SkiErg | 1000m | No added load | No added load |
| 2. Sled Push | 2 x 25m | 102kg including sled | 152kg including sled |
| 3. Sled Pull | 2 x 25m | 78kg including sled | 103kg including sled |
| 4. Burpee Broad Jumps | 80m | Bodyweight only | Same as women |
| 5. Rowing | 1000m | No added load | No added load |
| 6. Farmers Carry | 200m | 2 x 16kg | 2 x 24kg |
| 7. Sandbag Lunges | 100m | 10kg | 20kg |
| 8. Wall Balls | 100 reps | 4kg | 6kg |
Pro divisions are heavier: Men Pro pushes 202kg and pulls 153kg, carries 2 x 32kg and lunges with 30kg. HYROX's own tip for the sled push is to try it at least once before race day and wear grippy shoes. Don't skip that.
A 12-week outline you can fit around work
- Weeks 1 to 4, build the base: three sessions a week. One easy run you can talk through, one full-body strength session, and one session learning each station at light weights.
- Weeks 5 to 8, add the race feel: four sessions a week. Keep the easy run, add a strength session focused on legs, grip and pushing, and start combining a 1km run with two or three stations back to back.
- Weeks 9 to 11, practise the race: once a week, run a half simulation of four runs and four stations, and practise the sled at race weight wherever your gym allows.
- Week 12, ease off: shorten every session, keep the movements familiar and arrive rested.
This fits comfortably inside the NHS guidelines for adults, which suggest at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, plus strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week. A HYROX block covers both.
Training each station without a full HYROX gym
Not every gym's got a SkiErg or sleds, so you'll need to improvise. Heavy sled work can be replaced by pushing a loaded prowler or doing walking lunges and wall sits for leg drive. Farmers carry training's easy, and HYROX's own page jokes that you can practise it on your weekly shop. Wall balls need a medicine ball and a target, and burpee broad jumps need nothing but floor space. The rowing machine is in almost every gym, so use it often.
Mistakes first-timers make
- Running every 1km too fast and paying for it at the sled.
- Never practising stations tired, so the wall balls feel twice as hard on the day.
- Ignoring grip, which the farmers carry and sled pull both need.
- Skipping recovery weeks because work is busy, then arriving tired.
- Choosing Pro for the first race. HYROX says you can enter any division, but Open is the standard race.
If you're building your own setup, see my guide to home gym equipment, and this calisthenics workout plan for beginners is a good strength base for the first four weeks.
My advice on training for HYROX
Book the race first, then work back 12 weeks. A date in the diary does more for consistency than any app. Train the run and the stations together from the middle of the plan, because the race is about moving between them, not doing either one perfectly. If you can, enter Doubles with a friend or a co-founder: you run together, split the stations, and it's far easier to keep each other turning up.
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Frequently asked questions
How many stations are in HYROX?
There are eight workout stations, each after a 1km run: SkiErg, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmers carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls.
What are the HYROX Open weights?
HYROX lists the Women Open sled push at 102kg and sled pull at 78kg including the sled, with 2 x 16kg for the farmers carry, a 10kg sandbag and 4kg wall balls. Men Open is 152kg, 103kg, 2 x 24kg, 20kg and 6kg.
How long should I train for my first HYROX?
About 12 weeks of three or four sessions a week suits most beginners who already exercise. Start earlier if you're new to running or strength training.
Can beginners do HYROX?
Yes. HYROX says its races are for everyday fitness enthusiasts as well as professional athletes, and you can choose Open, Doubles or Relay instead of racing the heavier Pro division.
What is HYROX Doubles?
In Doubles, two people run every 1km together and split each workout station between them however they choose.
