What Is Hyrox, and Why Is Everyone Suddenly Doing It?

Hyrox classes are popping up everywhere, and there are a few massive Hyrox races planned in various U.S. cities this year. I am (I say with some trepidation) signed up for one of them. So here's a breakdown of what Hyrox is, why people like it, and what to expect if you decide to give it a try. At the end I'll go through a couple of common questions people have.

Hyrox’s origins (and what "Hyrox" means)

Hyrox is a young sport, and was started by a company that holds a trademark for the name. In that way it’s a bit like Crossfit, which is also a trademarked name for a specific company, not just a term for a style of working out.

It’s been said that Hyrox is short for “hybrid rockstar,” since “hybrid” is a term that athletes often use when they feel they’re neither endurance athletes nor strength athletes, but something in between. The company hasn’t confirmed this theory. According to reporting from Hybrid Fitness Media, the company’s founders originally wanted the name “CuRox,” from the Latin verb currere, which refers to running. Even in those days they were referring to athletes as “roxstars,” so the theory is at least half true. The company adopted the name Hyrox after a trademark dispute with another company, and held its first race at a trade fair in Leipzig, Germany in 2018.

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Hyrox has structured competitions

You don't need to compete to enjoy Hyrox classes or training programs, but the centerpiece of Hyrox training is the Hyrox race (much like the centerpiece of marathon training is a marathon).

Unlike Crossfit competitions, which may include just about anything in any format, Hyrox’s competitions always follow the same predictable format. That means, much like running a marathon, you can compare your time in a Hyrox race to what others have done. The race includes eight 1-kilometer runs (adding up to about 5 miles) with stations in between. Here’s the order:

- 1 km run, then 1000 meters on a ski erg (a machine where you pull two cords downward toward the ground, in a motion slightly reminiscent of using ski poles)

- 1 km run, then a 50 meter sled push

- 1 km run, then a 50 meter sled pull. You stand at one end of the lane, and pull the sled toward you with a long rope.

- 1 km run, then 80 meters of burpee broad jumps

- 1 km run, then 1000 meters on a rowing machine

- 1 km run, then a 200 meter farmer’s carry (walking while carrying kettlebells in both hands)

- 1 km run, then 100 meters of lunges while carrying a sandbag on your back

- 1 km run, then 100 wall balls (where you squat and then throw a ball upward toward a target on a wall)

Elite Hyrox athletes can do all of that in about an hour. The average experienced competitor takes around 90 minutes, and beginners are obviously a bit slower. The weights of the kettlebells, sandbags, and wall balls depend on which division you’re competing in (men’s or women’s, pro or open, doubles or solo).

There is a doubles format, which is what I'll be doing (along with my fellow Lifehacker writer Meredith Dietz). In doubles, both members of the team must stay together the whole time. That means we do the runs together, at the same pace. But when we get to the stations, one person works while the other rests. For example, we'll take turns pushing the sled, and while I'm pushing, Meredith would be walking behind me.

There is also a relay format for a team of four people. The relay has eight legs, each consisting of a run and the following station. Teams can split up the legs among members however they want. You'll note that in the relay, as in doubles, there's no way to avoid the running.

Hyrox’s workouts are easy to start doing

Hyrox events are hard work, but they aren’t too difficult skill-wise. You won’t see barbell snatches like in Olympic weightlifting, or handstand walks like in the Crossfit games. For this reason, it’s relatively beginner-friendly.

The events also give competitors a mix of strength and endurance work, skewed toward endurance. Running is obviously an endurance sport, and while the eight stations use more strength and power, you still have to do a lot of reps in a row, so pacing yourself is important.

Hyrox classes and communities are popping up everywhere

Part of the fun of Hyrox is training for it alongside others, or so I’ve heard. While you can train for a marathon on your own, training for a Hyrox race means you need access to a rowing machine, a ski erg, and a wall with an appropriate wall ball target—most of which are hard to find outside of a gym oriented toward those events. (That said, most Crossfit gyms and many commercial gyms can provide these things.)

Hyrox has a locator on its website to find gyms that offer Hyrox-branded classes. Also consider checking with gyms and fitness clubs to see if they classes that cover similar movements as