Hyrox: The Discipline

Until February 2026, I had never heard of Hyrox, but by March, I had already signed up for one. So how did we get here? My friend and gym partner had decided that since we were recreational runners and had climbed both Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro without incident, it was time to test the strength of our hearts elsewhere. Our motto has always been – if we perish, we perish! I said yes. One thing about my gym partner is that she would never sign us up for a challenge that was not life threatening, so when she mentioned this one, I knew that it was about to go down. My research on it later on confirmed my fears. Now, I’m a beginner in Hyrox and this article is purely based on my own experience as an hyrox athlete and not an expert.

Hyrox is not a workout, it is a race. This simply means that you will spend most of your time running. It is an indoor fitness competition that alternates between running and 8 functional exercises. The stations include 1 kilometer of running into 1 kilometer of SkiErg; 1 kilometer of running into 50 meters of sled push; 1 kilometer of running into 50 meters of sled pull; 1 kilometer of running into 80 meters of burpee broad jump; 1 kilometer of running into 1 kilometer of rowing; 1 kilometer of running into 200 meters of kettlebell farmer carry; 1 kilometer of running into 100 meters of sandbag walking lunge;1 kilometer of running into 100 wall balls. You may enter the competition as an individual or with a partner for doubles and there is also a relays segment. If you come in with a partner, you must both run together but can split the workout stations as you choose. Also, it is all about time – what is the time to beat? This is entirely personal, unless you are competing for the prize, which means the first one to complete the cycle wins.

There is the general assumption that hyrox can be done by everyone. I want to disagree with this analogy. Also, the assumption that you can only do it if you are physically fit is not necessarily true, and this is because fitness is relative and if you’ve watched the Olympics, you know that fitness is usually at different levels. One thing I know for sure is that for you to effectively compete in a hyrox race, you need to be comfortable with running. Your training must include a lot of running; long runs, short runs, speed runs etc. It doesn’t matter how many kgs of weights you can lift, if you cannot run, leave hyrox alone.

The race is basically an endurance test; how long can you last when you have to run and in the middle of it, break to undertake a number of physical exercises. If you are competing in a doubles event; which means you go in with a partner (same gender or mixed), it is important that you train together. You must know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This is basically because the idea that since you are partners, you will take on the exercises on a 50/50 basis is a scam. Once you have studied your partner, you know when to take over; again, because you are working with a set time, you want to ensure that you complete the cycle within the fastest time possible. If you are meeting your partner for the first time during the race (blind date), two things – pray that they can actually run and study them very quickly to establish where their strengths lie.

When my friend and I started training for hyrox, we did not realize how demanding this would be. First, we had to move from our usual gym program and create a specific program for this. It included running 2-3times a week and a training targeted to build strength and endurance. It was exhausting. You basically let go of any social life you have, especially given that both of us hold full time jobs. Any extra time you have is for sleeping or just sitting around like a zombie. You are tired and sore all the time but day-after-day, you have to wake up and show up for training. And for a whole month, we trained 5-6days a week. By the time of the event, we had lost to much weight that finding an outfit that actually fits was a challenge. Then there is the diet. Let me emphasize again how physically and mentally demanding hyrox training is. You cannot be dieting and training. It is important to eat a well-balanced diet every day. And you need the carbs.

On race day, one of the most important things to do is go to the washroom. This seems to be underrated but let me tell you, the morning of the race, you study your bowel movement like it is an exam. Once the race begins, there is no time to break to go to the toilet, you must therefore ‘travel light’. This is predetermined really by what you eat the previous night and on the morning of the race. Personally, I don’t eat before a race.

If you are looking to participate in a hyrox race, remember that it is all about endurance, not power. You can do it if you prepare well. Last time, my partner and I had set a time of 1hr to compete the race, we did it in 54minutes. It was glorious! The best part is that we have signed up for the next one. Why? If we perish, we perish!

Author: Adidi Hyrox Athlete and a Fitness Enthusiast