If you’re not training for a Hyrox event, somebody you know probably is. Such is the popularity of the fitness race, which has taken the world by storm since its inception in 2017.
It consists of eight functional fitness stations (think lunges, farmer’s carries, burpee broad jumps and more) with 1km of running between each one, all against the clock.
This exhausting formula has captured the hearts of fitness fans everywhere, leading to a Glastonbury-esque clamour for tickets ahead of the upcoming events in Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin and London.
If you were lucky enough to secure a spot, race day isn’t far away, but there are still steps you can take to improve your performance. To help you do just that, we enlisted Jake Dearden, a Hyrox UK master trainer who won Hyrox Cape Town 2024 in a blistering time of 56 min 53 sec.
Below, he’s shared the following tips for optimising your time along with some other insider training and competing advice for race day.
What is Hyrox?
Hyrox is a fitness race with a set format which sees athletes tackle eight functional fitness stations (you can see full details on these below). Before each one, you must complete a 1km run.
There are several divisions available to enter, with the weight used and target number of repetitions varying on some stations to suit different fitness levels. You can also complete the race as a pair, or as a relay in a team of four.
Exercise |
Distance/repetetitions |
SkiErg |
1,000m |
Sled push |
50m |
Sled pull |
50m |
Burpee broad jump |
80m |
Rowing machine |
1,000m |
Farmer’s carry |
200m |
Sandbag lunge |
100m |
Wall ball |
75 or 100 repetitions |
Jake Dearden’s five tips for a better Hyrox time
The foundations of a successful Hyrox race are built on months of consistent, effective and progressive training in the lead-up to the event. But if you’re looking to gain an extra competitive edge at short notice, these quick pointers from Dearden are handy to have in your back pocket.
1. Carb up
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source. If you’re going to be pushing the proverbial pedal to the metal for 90 minutes or so, you’re going to want to stock up in advance.
“Within Hyrox, we’re working at about 80 to 90 per cent of our VO2 max [the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in and use during exercise] throughout,” explains Dearden. “Glycogen is the main fuel source we use, so we need to make sure we have plenty of carbohydrates in the system. Traditional things that I like to have the night before include a big rice or pasta-based meal.”
A high-carb breakfast on the day of competition is also advised, although you don’t want to eat so much that you feel sick and bloated during the event. Dearden says some of his favourite pre-race meals include “a couple of bananas, a jam bagel or porridge”.
2. Pace yourself
Dearden compares the endurance element of Hyrox to that of a half-marathon, and says you can take a leaf out of runners’ books for your pacing strategy.
“You wouldn’t do the first kilometre of a half-marathon as fast as possible,” he says. “But a lot of people in Hyrox seem to sprint the first kilometre, or go on the SkiErg [the first functional fitness station] and do a 1km best effort. We need to make sure that we’re pacing ourselves.”
“If you go out too hot from the start, you’re not going to recover and you’re going to be chasing your tail for the entire event. Whereas, if you set off a little bit too easy, you can always push a bit harder.”
Speaking from experience, he’s also found the first half of the race feels harder than the home stretch, which is why he recommends starting conservatively then ramping up the pace if your body feels good.
3. Don’t sell your soul on the sled
Hyrox aficionados have done their fare share of fear-mongering around the two sled-based stations in the event. And you’d do well to approach them with caution, according to Dearden.
“They’re the second and third exercises, so a lot of people really send it on the sleds, but it’s OK to take your time,” he advises. “Don’t set off too fast, and take regular breaks – you don’t want your legs really burning.”
After all, running another five kilometres on flambéed quads is a recipe for disaster.
4. Familiarise yourself with the rulebook
Strict movement standards for each exercise in a Hyrox race are laid out in the Hyrox rulebook. If you fall short of these standards, you risk being penalised by one of the judges on hand at the event, so it pays to familiarise yourself with them ahead of time.
“A lot of people like to try to cut corners, but it’s just not worth it,” says Dearden. “I’d advise executing everything with your best technique, as if you were doing your driving test: don’t take steps in between your burpees, or do a lunge and not get your knee to the floor.”
5. Stay hydrated
Each Hyrox course should have water stations set up when you come in and out of the Rox Zones – the area between the running track and exercise stations. Taking advantage of these can make a world of difference to your race day experience.
“One of the big things people don’t realise is that the races are all done indoors in massive halls where it does get hot, and the average temperature in them is probably about 25°,” Dearden says.
“In England, nobody trains regularly at 25°. All gyms are either air conditioned or they’re cool, so when you get into an event and it’s dry and it’s hot, you can get dry mouth, overheat and really struggle. Your body’s just not going to perform in the way that it should.”
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What is a good Hyrox time?
Anybody who finishes a Hyrox race has done it in a good time – simply completing 8km of running interspersed with various leg-torching activities is an applaudable achievement. But if you’re looking for a concrete goal to aim for, Dearden says anything below 1hr 32 min (the average Hyrox finish time from last season) is especially impressive.
And if you have your sights set on the top of the sport, the male and female individual divisions at last year’s Hyrox World Championships were won by Austria’s Alexander Roncevic and America’s Megan Jacoby, who recorded times of 56 min 21 sec and 59 min 59 sec respectively. If you can get within touching distance of these, it might be time to consider a career change.
Why is Hyrox so popular?
Hyrox’s rise in the fitness sphere has been meteoric, with the sport sweeping the States in 2024. Dearden thinks this is down to its party-like atmosphere and the fact it plays on people’s competitive natures.
“It’s a great environment when you get in the venue,” he says. “Everyone wants the best for each other, and the vibe of the event is like a party with DJs playing throughout the day. Everything is really well set up, and it’s always immaculately on time.”
And as for the ongoing Hyrox vs CrossFit debate, Dearden has a few thoughts on that too.
“Everyone knows what they’re getting into and signing up for with Hyrox,” he says. “It’s not like CrossFit where you don’t know the workouts until just before. Once you do one, you just want to beat your time. There are so many things you can improve on – it’s quite addictive.”
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