- 8 × 1 km runs, each followed by the same 8 stations in the same order
- Weights depend on your division: Women, Men, Women Pro or Men Pro
- Most penalties are for movement standards, so learn them before race day
- Wall balls and burpee broad jumps take most people the longest
The race at a glance
Every HYROX race is a 1 km run followed by one workout station, repeated eight times. The stations always come in the same order, so you can train for exactly what's coming.
Between each run and station you pass through the Roxzone, the transition area. Most people lose more time there than they realise, so plan your route in and out before the race.
Weights by division (26/27 season)
| Station | Women | Men / Women Pro | Men Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkiErg | 1,000 m | 1,000 m | 1,000 m |
| Sled push (50 m) | 102 kg | 152 kg | 202 kg |
| Sled pull (50 m) | 78 kg | 103 kg | 153 kg |
| Burpee broad jumps | 80 m | 80 m | 80 m |
| Rowing | 1,000 m | 1,000 m | 1,000 m |
| Farmers carry (200 m) | 2 × 16 kg | 2 × 24 kg | 2 × 32 kg |
| Sandbag lunges (100 m) | 10 kg | 20 kg | 30 kg |
| Wall balls (100 reps) | 4 kg to 2.70 m | 6 kg to 3.00 m (Women Pro 2.70 m) | 9 kg to 3.00 m |
How long each station takes
Running makes up roughly half of most people's finish time. Of the stations, wall balls and burpee broad jumps usually take the longest, and the farmers carry is the quickest.
- Wall balls6:44
- Burpee broad jumps5:42
- Sled pull5:18
- Sandbag lunges5:11
- Rowing5:01
- SkiErg4:42
- Sled push3:01
- Farmers carry2:12
SkiErg: 1,000 m
A pulling movement on a ski machine that works the lats, core and legs. It comes straight after your first run, so it's easy to go out too fast.
Hinge at the hips and use your body weight rather than just your arms, and settle into a pace you could hold for twice the distance.
Sled push: 50 m
4 lengths of 12.5 m, and it's the station people worry about most. Keep your arms long, your body low and take short, driving steps. Restarting a stopped sled is the hardest part, so keep it moving.
Sled pull: 50 m
Also 4 lengths of 12.5 m, this time pulling the sled towards you with a rope. Sit back into your legs and pull hand over hand with your whole body, not just your arms, then run to the other end and go again.
Grip and leg strength matter here, which is why strength training pays off in HYROX.
Burpee broad jumps: 80 m
A burpee with your chest touching the floor, then a two-footed jump forward, again and again for 80 m. It's as much about rhythm as fitness.
You're allowed to step back and step up instead of jumping in and out of the burpee, which saves energy. Steady and unbroken beats fast and stopping.
Rowing: 1,000 m
Halfway through, the row is a chance to settle your breathing. Push with the legs first, then lean back, then pull with the arms.
Long, strong strokes at a steady rate are more efficient than short, frantic ones.
Farmers carry: 200 m
Two kettlebells, one in each hand, carried for 200 m. It tests grip, posture and your ability to keep moving with tired legs.
Stand tall, take quick steps and try not to put the bells down. Every stop costs time getting them back up.
Sandbag lunges: 100 m
Alternating walking lunges with a sandbag on your shoulders. This is where the legs really start to burn.
Find a rhythm you can hold and keep your chest up. Lunges in your strength sessions, like Leg Day and Lower Day, make a big difference here.
Wall balls: 100 reps
Squat with a medicine ball and throw it to a target, 100 times. It's the last station, so your legs are already tired.
Break the reps into sets from the start, for example 10 or 15 at a time with short, planned rests, rather than going until you can't.
Penalties that cost people time
Most movement faults get one warning, then 15 seconds per infringement. Some mistakes cost much more:
| Mistake | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Missing a run lap | 3 to 7 minutes per lap, depending on the course |
| Stations in the wrong order | 3 minutes, then disqualification |
| Using an IN arch to exit (or OUT to enter) | 2 minutes each time |
| Your own chalk, or chalk outside the sled pull and farmers carry | 2 minutes |
| Pouring water over yourself | 2 minutes |
| Kettlebells or sandbag not returned properly | 30 seconds |
| Not finishing a station, or skipping a run | Disqualification |
How to train for the stations
HYROX rewards a strong engine, strong legs and grip, and the skill of working when you're already tired. Train all three each week, with running or erg work, strength sessions and practice at the stations themselves.
Our conditioning floor in Narellan is set up for HYROX, with sled lanes, wall ball targets, SkiErgs, RowErgs and BikeErgs, and our coaches scale every station until you're ready for race weights.
- MondayHYROX EngineHYROX5am – 6pm · 5 sessions
- ThursdayHYROX TrainingHYROX5am – 5:10pm · 5 sessions
- FridayCardio ConditioningConditioning5am – 5:10pm · 4 sessions
- SaturdayFull BodyStrength7am – 8:10am · 2 sessions
Questions
Can I change the damper on the SkiErg and rower?
Yes. Both are preset to 6 for every division, and you can adjust them as often as you like during the race.
Can I put the kettlebells down during the farmers carry?
Yes, as long as they don't move forward when you put them down. Return them to the box with the handles upright at the end.
Do I have to jump out of the burpee in the burpee broad jumps?
No. You can step back into the burpee and step out of it. The broad jump itself has to be two-footed, taking off and landing together.
Can I use my own chalk?
No. Only the chalk HYROX provides, and only at the sled pull and the farmers carry. Anything else is a 2-minute penalty.
What weight are the women's wall balls?
4 kg to a 2.70 m target in the Women division. Women Pro use a 6 kg ball to the same 2.70 m target.
