What is Hyrox? Your questions answered

From sold-out arenas to gym floors across the UK, Hyrox is transforming how people train for strength and endurance

Anyone who has stepped foot in a gym recently (well done you) may have noticed that the landscape is gradually changing. Where they were once temples to dumbbells, weight plates and complicated-looking muscle-building contraptions, many are now catering to the hybrid fitness enthusiast.

Skiers, weighted sleds, sandbags, rowing machines and medicine balls now form the core of functional fitness training areas, and their recent meteoric rise in popularity can arguably be attributed to one thing: Hyrox.

What is Hyrox?

Founded in Hamburg, Germany, by successful endurance athlete Christian Toetzke and Olympic hockey medallist Moritz Fürste, Hyrox was designed to blend elements of functional fitness training and running.

Unlike CrossFit, which fuses strength, endurance and gymnastics, as well as the element of surprise in so much as no two races are ever the same, Hyrox follows a more predictable format.

Competitors will always have to complete eight 1km runs (preferably as fast as possible), each followed by a functional workout station.

The races are nearly always held indoors, and the functional workout stations that follow each running section include:

Just reading that has likely caused sweat to form on the forehead, but there are also racing categories to consider, which impact the amount of weight competitors have to use. Open is a standard weight category, while Pro uses heavier weights for more experienced Hyrox athletes.

Finally, there are Doubles and Relay four-person team races that allow partners or teams to split the workload of the functional training elements… although all parties still have to complete the 8km of total running in a Doubles event.

How hard is Hyrox?

“The great thing about Hyrox is that anyone can do it,” explains Ross Fisher, Head Coach at Hyrox Training Club Christchurch, where I personally train. A seasoned Hyrox athlete, he has participated in numerous Hyrox races across the UK, setting enviable times in both the Men’s Pro weight category and Men’s Doubles events.

“Anyone can pick up a pair of kettlebells and walk with them, anyone can push a sled. There are movement standards and nuances, but it’s easy enough to create a training programme for these, even for absolute beginners,” he adds.

This is arguably why Hyrox has exploded in popularity over recent years, with the organisation claiming the number of annual participants has grown from roughly 600 in 2018 to over 550,000 in 2025.

A staggering 40,000 competitors headed to London last year for one of the UK’s most popular races, marking Hyrox out as arguably the world’s fastest-growing ‘fitness sport’.

This is perhaps where people underestimate Hyrox, because from personal experience, I can admit that I initially thought these short, sharp functional workouts seemed fairly easy and simple on the surface. But completing them after running 1km at my fastest possible pace is no mean feat.

But don’t fret if the thought of running that sort of distance seems daunting because, like almost everything in Hyrox, it’s relatively simple to train for it, gradually increasing running distances and pace as form and confidence grow.

This is what makes Hyrox feel more accessible than, say, CrossFit, as tackling a farmer’s carry or a series of wall balls is infinitely simpler to both learn and train for than the muscle-up, heavy barbell snatches and handstand push-ups.

Similarly, training for a triathlon or Ironman is just as daunting, as these ‘hybrid’ events also require months of intensive endurance training to prepare for, owing to the distances covered and the technical nature of a 1.5km open water swim.

What equipment do I need to get started in Hyrox?

While the movements are designed to be simple, natural and functional, the strict format means you will need to get some experience with ‘specialist’ equipment, some of which many commercial gyms lack.

These include a rowing machine and skier, both of which can be bought for home gyms and domestic settings, opening up the prospect of ‘all-hours’ training.

Other specialist items include a weighted sled and track, which creates friction when pushing and pulling movements, sandbags for weighted lunges, and a medicine ball and target for practising wall balls.

As with most training, there are ways to work around a lack of equipment, such as using dumbbells for farmer’s carries and lunges, or mastering weighted squats to prepare the body for wall balls.

From personal experience, it is difficult to train for the sled push and pull sections without the appropriate equipment, as real technique is required to move them as efficiently as possible.

Similarly, improving running pace and form can be tricky when pounding the pavement and trails, which is why a treadmill has been an essential element of my training.

It has allowed me to gradually increase the pace and intensity safely and conveniently, all while avoiding the cold and inclement weather.

Is Hyrox For Me?

One of the biggest draws of joining a Hyrox-affiliated training club is the camaraderie that comes along with it, as most members understand the focus required to get in shape for a race.

There’s a real “we are all in this together” atmosphere during the more gruelling sessions, and many tackle their first competition with a partner — of which there are usually many willing volunteers to choose from.

What’s more, around 64% of participants are female, making it one of the most balanced participation fitness sports out there, while coaching sessions and weekly workouts are often attended by a healthy male/female split.

Of course, it is perfectly possible to build your own plan and train alone, but an affiliated coach can take the guesswork out of producing an effective programme. They can teach the nuances of individual races and ensure participants remain safe and injury-free with the correct form and appropriate exercise load.

Above all else, anyone can dip their toe into the water. Why not try out a taster session? But be warned, once you’ve been bitten by the Hyrox bug, it’s very difficult to go back to the same old workouts.