Foundations

HYROX is aerobically biased, not strength biased.

No matter the narrative you hear, being an ex-powerlifter does not provide a head start in this sport. HYROX is predominantly aerobic (Brandt et al., 2025). Strength is still important, but its role is more specific than in strength-dominant sports. The goal of strength training in HYROX is to increase relative strength in relation to competition weights at functional stations. If a 200kg sled represents your absolute maximum force production, it will deplete your physiological resources very quickly. But if that same load equates to only half of your maximum capacity, you can work with far greater economy.

This introduces a clear trade-off. Adding muscle mass may improve the ability to handle the strength-based components of the race, but it can also reduce running economy and slow performance over time. Since the sport is ultimately aerobic in nature, the real target is an optimized strength-to-weight ratio (Van Hooren et al., 2024; Fletcher et al., 2017).

HYROX is a running race

More than half of the competition is made up of pure running (Brandt et al., 2025). This simple fact dictates how preparation should be structured: training must be built primarily around running, with strength and strength endurance serving as supportive elements.

HYROX is a long game

Performance development in this sport will most likely follow the same trajectory as other endurance disciplines. Athletes will begin with shorter-term preparation cycles, peaking for a single competition, before gradually transitioning into season-long periodisation models that end in multiple-season training structure, starting at a young age. These models strategically manipulate intensity and volume to minimize injury risk while supporting steady, long-term progress. Just as in cycling, triathlon, or distance running, real performance is built over years of consistent training (see Solli et al., 2017). And if HYROX is successful with its Olympic ambitions, we will likely see the emergence of long-term athlete development programs that formalize this process.

To sum it up, we are building a running aerobic engine first, optimising strength-to-weight ratio for the functional stations, and we are playing the long game, thinking about long-term athlete development.

References

Brandt, T., Ebel, C., Lebahn, C., & Schmidt, A. (2025). Acute physiological responses and performance determinants in Hyrox© - a new running-focused high intensity functional fitness trend. Frontiers in Physiology, 16, 1519240. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1519240

Fletcher, J. R., & MacIntosh, B. R. (2017). Running economy from a muscle energetics perspective. Frontiers in Physiology, 8, 433. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00433

Van Hooren, B., Aagaard, P., & Blazevich, A. J. (2024). Optimizing resistance training for sprint and endurance athletes: Balancing positive and negative adaptations. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 54(12), 3019–3050. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-02110-4

Solli, G. S., Tønnessen, E., & Sandbakk, Ø. (2017). The training characteristics of the world’s most successful female cross-country skier. Frontiers in Physiology, 8, 1069. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.01069