How to Train for Hyrox: A Guide from a Top-Level Coach
Date Published: April 22, 2026
Updated on: May 22, 2026
Eight kilometres of running interspersed with eight individual workout stations involving various functional movements. For most, it's all over in around 90 minutes. Hyrox sounds fairly simple on paper, but training for one of the fastest-growing hybrid sports in the world requires some planning.
Founded in Germany in 2017, Hyrox has since expanded to more than 30 countries worldwide, and the organisers have their sights set on 1 million annual participants in the near future.
Competitors are a healthy mix of genders (almost 64% women, in fact), while it is not uncommon to train with a wide range of age groups. Hyrox is now putting more athletes through events than any other mass-participation fitness race format.
At first glance, it looks like a hybrid form of strength and conditioning training. But the reality is more nuanced.
Hyrox is more of a blend. It’s not really hybrid in the pure sense. It’s predominantly about endurance and that’s how training should be approached. Anyone can push the heavy sled if they build up a cardiovascular system to cope with it. - Ross Fisher, former swim coach, personal trainer and affiliated Hyrox Performance Coach
A seasoned Hyrox athlete, Ross Fisher 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. He's here to share the key principles behind successful race preparation.
What Hyrox demands from participants
“I think we need to address the elephant in the room,” Fisher tells me. “Hyrox predominantly involves running.”
It’s a simple point, but one that completely reframes how you should approach training. The sled pushes and wall balls might dominate social media, but when you’re actually racing, it’s the running that defines your performance.
“For most people, it’s over half of the race in terms of time,” he explains. “People get attracted to the event because of the cool movements… but the fact is, it’s a lot of running.”
That means your preparation needs to start there. Before worrying about lunge technique or weighted farmer’s carries, participants need to build a base that allows them to keep moving for the full duration of the race.
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COACH'S STARTING POINT
“First of all, you just need to be comfortable running at least 9km,” Fisher says. “Any pace — it doesn’t matter. Just see if your body can stand up to the distance.”
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Don’t panic if that seems daunting at first, because it will be for anyone not used to racking up the miles. There are myriad running plans that begin with the likes of the basic Couch to 5K approach, which will mix stretches of walking and running until a jog can be held over a distance.
“Most Hyrox clubs will also offer regular run clubs, where we can tailor programmes to ability levels. Some will want to push faster and faster over shorter distances, while others will just want to build towards that 9km figure,” Fisher explains.
Train To Race
Common Training Mistakes - And How To Fix Them
One of the most common mistakes in Hyrox training is surprisingly easy to overlook. People train the exercises and movements, but not in the way they appear in the race.
“A lot of people don’t practice the entirety of the station,” Fisher says. “They might do lunges in a workout, but they never do 100 metres of lunges.”
It sounds obvious, but it’s a crucial difference. Hyrox isn’t about isolated reps or short sets. It’s about sustained effort under fatigue, and that changes how every movement feels.
Farmer’s carries are a perfect example. They seem manageable in training, but become something else entirely when grip strength starts to fail.
“Once the grip goes, it’s gone,” Fisher explains. “It’s not like legs where you can shake them out. If you haven’t practiced the full station, you could be in trouble, so I would strongly suggest working out at a gym or club that allows you to perform the full distances with the correct weights.”
The same goes for wall balls and, in particular, sled pulls and pushes. Not all gyms feature this equipment, so it can be difficult to clock up the hours before race day.
Increase The Hours At Home
Running, rowing and the Skier also form the backbone of any Hyrox event, and these are among the few movements where devotees can introduce specialist equipment into a domestic or home gym set-up.
“Being able to jump between a running machine, rower and Skier will reap rewards during any training programme, as it simulates what’s required during a real event. Simply clocking up 1km on each and repeating that for several sets will help build a serious engine prior to race day,” Fisher explains.
Machines like the JTX Ignite AirX Rower and JTX Ignite AirX Skier allow you to mirror key race stations while developing the kind of sustained output Hyrox demands. They also provide a controlled way to build intensity over time, which is essential for improving performance.
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Running remains a central pillar of training, and treadmill sessions can play a valuable role here. Using something like the JTX Sprint-9 Pro Treadmill or JTX Club Pro Treadmill makes it easier to structure interval sessions that replicate the stop-start rhythm of a race, alternating between high effort and partial recovery.
From my own training, this kind of consistency is often the difference. Being able to control pace, track progress, and train regularly, regardless of conditions, helps build the engine you need to get through the event.
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Simulation Changes Everything
If there’s one step that separates prepared athletes from everyone else is doing a Hyrox ‘simulation’ before race day.
In essence, these sessions mimic the stations, distances and timings of a real event, with a local Hyrox club or gym setting everything up so competitors can run through the entire session from start to finish.
I would definitely recommend doing a sim, Fisher says. Sometimes you think your training is going really well, then you do a sim and realise you’ve got a weakness. Once identified, you can focus on that element to ensure race day goes as smoothly as possible.
Those weaknesses often come from not having experienced the full demands of the race. It’s one thing to train hard for 30 or 40 minutes, but another to push through the final stages of a Hyrox-style effort when fatigue has fully set in.
Simulations expose those gaps early, giving you time to address them before race day. They also help build confidence, which can be just as important as physical preparation.
What’s more, these practice run-throughs also give competitors valuable experience with the “Roxzone” – or the space between a running track and a workout station.
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KEY INSIGHT
“Athletes actually cover a fair amount of distance just moving between zones, so being able to make this more efficient could be key to unlocking faster times,” Fisher explains.
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Make It Fun
“The great thing about Hyrox is anyone can start from the very basics and work their way up to an event. Many members of the club joined simply because they enjoyed the group workouts and training session, but now most are competing,” Fisher explains.
While Hyrox appeals to the everyday athlete, it still requires dedication to complete an event, with a programme that slowly and steadily increases intensity, perfects form on the myriad cardio machines and builds running speed over time.
Nutrition is also a key consideration, as Fisher says correct fuelling is a “non-negotiable”.
Hyrox is a glycolytic form of training. With heart rates spiking very quickly and over a prolonged period, the body immediately burns carbohydrates, so ensuring the body has enough to see it through a taxing session is important.
Hyrox is more of a blend. It’s not really hybrid in the pure sense. It’s predominantly about endurance and that’s how training should be approached. Anyone can push the heavy sled if they build up a cardiovascular system to cope with it. - Ross Fisher, Hyrox Performance Coach
But that’s also what makes the event so compelling. With the right preparation, it’s a challenge that feels manageable, yet one that clearly keeps devotees coming back for more.
