Hyrox is a global hit in the fitness world, with a cult like following.

If you’re into fitness racing, you have most likely heard of Hyrox racing and maybe have even been to a Hyrox Australia event.

The Hyrox race is hard to describe, but it’s a real mental battle, particularly if you enter the Hyrox singles race – be prepared to go to war with yourself. Hyrox is an extremely intense race where you can expect to run, jump, push, pull, carry, and most of all - sweat. You will definitely need an ice bath post race.

We travelled to the Hyrox race in Melbourne, Australia and got some valuable insights into what the Hyrox event entails, what you should expect, who you are up against and some tips and tricks to help you if you are considering doing Hyrox Australia.

What is Hyrox?

One of the first things we noticed about Hyrox by venturing to a number of Hyrox Australia events in Melbourne and Sydney, was the inclusive nature of the Hyrox event.

Hyrox is a fitness race, however it is most definitely suited to varying fitness levels, and has a great atmosphere provided by the spectator friendly spaces that the Hyrox races are held and the design layout of the course. In fact, the Hyrox tag line is even “the fitness race for everybody”.

Hyrox is the same race every where you go, although the general consensus among many Hyrox athletes is that each Hyrox course has different “speed” and the results may vary depending on the location and setup of the course.

Basically, Hyrox is a run followed by a functional workout station, repeated eight times.

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The Hyrox Movements

Although each division has varying weights for some of the movements depending on Male/Female or Open/Pro category, the Hyrox race can be broken down as follows:

• 1km run

• 1000m ski erg

• 1km run

• Sled push

• 1km run

• Sled pull

• 1km run

• Burpee broad jumps

• 1km run

• 1000m row

• 1km run

• 200m farmers carry

• 1km run

• 100m sandbag lunges

• 1km run

• 100 wall balls

With the movements remaining the same globally and across all categories, the Hyrox race offers accessibility to racers with four different categories: Open, Pro, Doubles and Relay.

If you are unsure which category is right for you, Hyrox also has a handy feature on their website “Find My level”, which goes through a questionnaire of how many times per week your workout, how many kms of running you are comfortable with, and how many pushups you can do. Based in these answers, it will recommend a suitable category for you to sign up to.

What To Know Before You Go to Hyrox Australia

If you haven’t done a Hyrox race before, and you are thinking about signing up to Hyrox Australia, there are a few things that are valuable to know before you go which can improve your experience and results at Hyrox.

In signing up to Hyrox Melbourne, one of the things we noticed was that there is a great amount of information provided about the event, how it runs, how to register, how to get to the event location, what to bring to Hyrox, how to prepare for Hyrox and videos about how everything runs.

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It’s also important to know the specifics of each movement including the rule book that outlines the rules for each movement and the penalties associated with bad form,  failed reps and missed or extrs laps (which I found out the hard way). You can read the Hyrox rules here.

This is all great, but there’s some other insider information that you can only get from talking to someone that has experience with the Hyrox race, so here are a few good Hyrox tips.

How To Train for Hyrox

The Hyrox race is an extremely high intensity race that will have you at your highest heart rate zone for an hour or more. Hyrox is a threshold workout, where you should be prepared with both functional strength and running endurance.

With Hyrox being made up of predominantly running, you will hear Hyrox athletes talking a lot about compromised running.

What is compromised running?

Compromised running is a crucial element to preparing for a successful Hyrox race. To be able to run with form, cadence and rhythm post high intensity or high weight movement, is key to a good Hyrox time.

Compromised running refers to running that is performed in a fatigued or physically compromised state, often due to preceding activities that significantly tax the body, such as high-intensity exercises, obstacles or weighted lifts or carries. This type of running is commonly seen in obstacle course races (OCR) and hybrid fitness competitions. The concept is to simulate conditions where an athlete must continue to run efficiently despite prior physical exhaustion.

Examples of Compromised Running

1. Obstacle Course Racing (OCR):

In races like Spartan Race or Tough Mudder, participants must navigate through various obstacles that require climbing, crawling, carrying heavy objects, and jumping. After completing these demanding obstacles, they must continue running to the next challenge. For instance, running after carrying a sandbag up a steep hill.

2. Hybrid Fitness Competitions:

Events like Hyrox or the CrossFit Games often include running segments interspersed with high-intensity functional exercises. For example, an athlete might have to complete a set of burpees or rowing on an ergometer and then immediately transition to a 1-kilometer run. The fatigue from the preceding exercise makes the run more challenging.

3. Military and Tactical Training:

Compromised running is also a component of military training where soldiers might have to run while carrying heavy packs or after performing strenuous physical activities. For example, after a series of push-ups, pull-ups, and carrying a heavy load, military operators must run a specified distance as part of their training.

4. Functional Fitness Workouts:

Workouts designed to improve overall fitness might incorporate compromised running by combining exercises like kettlebell swings, squats, or lunges with short runs. A workout could involve doing 20 kettlebell swings followed by a 400-meter run, repeated for several rounds.

What is Hyrox PFT Australia?

Hyrox is a global fitness race that combines functional fitness exercises with running.

If you are considering doing a Hyrox race, a Hyrox PFT is a good way to assess your preparedness and see where you may need to improve. The Hyrox PFT is testing and training tool for Hyrox.

Hyrox PFT (Physical Fitness Test) in Australia is a pre-competition event designed to give participants a taste of what the actual Hyrox race entails. It allows athletes to test their fitness levels and prepare for the full Hyrox competition. It’s also another good indicator of which division you should be signing yourself up to based on your results. Here’s what it entails:

• 1,000m Run (outdoor or treadmill at 2% incline)

• 50 Burpee Broad Jumps (90 cm)

• 100 Alternating Forward Lunges (stationary)

• 1,000m Row

• 30 Hand Release Push Ups

• 100 Wall Balls (6kg male / 4 kg female)

PFT events are held in various gyms and fitness spaces including BFT gyms, The Yard Gyms and other boutique fitness spaces. It provides a standardised test of fitness that mirrors the challenges of the Hyrox race but on a smaller scale.

Hydration for Hyrox

Hydration is crucial for any endurance event, and Hyrox is no exception. It’s not as long as an Ironman or a Marathon, but the intensity means you are at high risk of dehydration and cramping.

It is not enough to just drink water. Proper hydration begins well before race day and includes a focus on maintaining electrolyte balance:

• Pre-Race Hydration: Start hydrating several days before the event. Aim for 2-3 litres of water per day, and consider electrolyte supplements to ensure your body is well-balanced.

• Race Day Hydration: On the day of the race, drink 500-600 ml of water 2-3 hours before the start. Use a hydration drink containing sodium, potassium, and magnesium to maintain fluid balance. These electrolytes help prevent dehydration and muscle cramps during the race.

• During the Race: Hyrox races typically have water stations. Take small sips of your hydration drink at each station to maintain hydration without feeling bloated. Quality electrolytes drinks like Uthrive Hydration Drink which have athlete formulated levels of Sodium and Potassium will help keep your energy levels stable, maintain good fluid balance and support muscle function.

• Post-Race Hydration: Rehydrate with water and electrolytes. Coconut water or sports drinks rich in sodium, potassium, and magnesium can be effective for restoring electrolyte balance and ensuring a quick recovery, like Uthrive.

Clothing for Hyrox

The right clothing for Hyrox can make a significant difference in your comfort and performance during a Hyrox race. This also includes things like compression, shoes, sweat bands, and gloves for the wallballs.

One of key learning points for the best approach for what you wear during a Hyrox race is that you want to opt for lightweight, breathable, but firm fitting.

You’re going to sweat, you are going to get hot and you are going to pound the ground with your feet, these are inevitable in a Hyrox race.

Running shoes are a highly personalised item, but in general we would recommend going as lightweight as possible. I ran in Vivo Barefoot shoes, although these were quite unforgiving on the hard ground of the solid track. They were nice and lightweight for the burpees and lunges, and gave good contact with the ground for the sleds which I was initially worried may have been a little lacking in grip. Just don’t wear slip on style elastic laces, they will likely slide off during the heavy sled push and sled pulls.

Here are some tips:

• Moisture-Wicking Fabrics: Choose athletic wear made from moisture-wicking materials to keep sweat away from your body.

• Footwear: Invest in a lightweight pair of running shoes with adequate support and cushioning if that’s what you are used to. Make sure they are broken in before race day and don’t change your shoe type just for race day, stick to what you are comfortable with and have been training in. I used Vivo Barefoot Lite shoes but only use these if you are used to zero drops shoes already.

• Comfortable Fit: Ensure your clothing fits well and doesn’t cause chafing. A lot of athletes use Under Armour running shorts like this style to reduce chafe and keep clothing lightweight.

• Carry or wear gloves for the gripping movements as well as the wall balls which can become slippery and increase difficulty. Particularly if you are running shirtless, the wall balls can get super slippery from body sweat causing a increased challenge in holding and throwing the wall ball, with a risk of “no reps”. To mitigate this, you could wear training gloves for the duration of the race which will help during the farmers carry, sled pulls and wall balls.

Tracking Your Hyrox Race

Just like tracking your workouts, tracking your Hyrox race can give you valuable insights into your performance, but it can also serve as a reminder when you are highly fatigued.

I have to admit, when I did the Hyrox race I received a penalty for running short a lap and this cost me 7 minutes being added to the total finishing time. Before starting the race, you are told to simply pass the “IN” arch twice before entering on the third lap. This sounds easy enough to follow, but when the heat is on and you get fatigued, it is actually quite easy to miscount, costing you time penalties.

One of the most valuable tips we learned from the first Hyrox Australia event is to track your race with your own personal watch or device. Tracking your Hyrox race will give you multiple levels of controlling your race. Other athletes mentioned tracking their laps by placing a hair tie on the wrist and moving it to the other wrist as a easy indicator of how many laps have been completed so there is no confusion.

Firstly, by understanding the amount of time it takes you to complete one lap, through tracking your time you will know when it is time to enter IN. You can also set a split on your watch to count each lap. Without the need to mentally keep track of your laps, you are quite literally conserving valuable energy.

The other element a tracking device affords you visibility over is your HR. Because Hyrox is a long event in a very high heart rate zone, it is important to pace yourself to avoid burnout. A tracking device like a Garmin watch or Apple Watch will allow you to set a suitable HR you can stick to for the duration of the race and also a run split that you should stick to in order to achieve your desired Hyrox time.

As you can see by the heart rate data in the image above, you will spend about one hour or more in your max heart rate zone, or zone 5, so be prepared to lock in for some hurt and grind it out.

Tracking your performance during a Hyrox race can provide valuable insights and help you improve for future events:

• Wearables: Use a fitness tracker or smartwatch to monitor your heart rate, pace, and distance.

• Split Times: Pay attention to your split times at each workout station and running segment. This can help you identify strengths and areas for improvement, and also avoid running a lap short or an extra lap with penalties.

• Apps: Utilise fitness apps that sync with your wearable to analyse your performance data post-race. See where your strengths, weaknesses and opportunities are to improve your next Hyrox time.

Post Hyrox Recovery

There are some broken heads and bodies post Hyrox race. The high levels of exertion means it is very important to focus on replenishing the body with adequate fluids, nutrition and recovery modalities to minimise the damage of the race.

Recovery is just as important as preparation in adapting from the race and overall preventing injury.

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The setup at Hyrox offer multiple areas for free hydration with water, Uthrive Hydration drink and other drinks. After the Hyrox race, you should be drinking a drink high in electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium to restore the balance of fluids lost during the race.

Other tips for a smart approach to winding down after Hyrox:

• Cool Down: Dropping down the body temperature back to normal levels as soon as possible will help you to return to a state where you can begin to recover. With a high body temperature from the high physical exertion of a Hyrox race, we recommend light movement while focussing on slowing down your breathing.

• Compression: Make use of the compression boots and massage guns set up in the Recovery Zone of the BFT section at Hyrox, and keep the blood flowing and encourage the lymphatic system to remove the byproducts produced by the intense workout.

• Ice Bath: Submerging into cold water in the form of an ice bath or cold shower will drop the temperature of the body and allow the activation of a calm nervous state and allow you to enter a zone of conducing to recovery. This will also help to minimise the pain, swelling, and muscle soreness post race.

• Rest: Allow your body to recover by getting adequate sleep and rest in the days following the race.

• Massage and Foam Rolling: Consider a massage or use a foam roller to alleviate muscle soreness and improve flexibility.

• Sauna: Spending time in a sauna can help relax muscles, improve circulation, and detoxify the body.

• Breathwork: Focussing on slow, low and through the nose breathing with an extended exhale will encourage a transition from sympathetic to parasympathetic nervous state which will allow you to recover faster as you enter the rest and digest state sooner. Breathing exercises like 4-7-8 breathing where you breath in through the nose for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, and exhale through the nose for eight seconds will help you get out of a highly elevated and stressed state you are in post Hyrox and help to lower your heart rate and breathing rate to promote recovery.

Participating in a Hyrox event is a rewarding challenge that tests your physical limits and mental toughness. Proper preparation, hydration, clothing, race tracking, and recovery strategies will help you get the most out of your Hyrox experience and improve your performance over time.

Where Can You Compete At Hyrox Australia?

For now, Hyrox Australia is held once per year but has multiple race locations. As of 2024, the Hyrox race has events in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. Each year, thousands of Hyrox athletes sign up to compete against world class athletes and also against themselves. In fact, this year in Melbourne Hyrox there was over 7400 competitors who raced over the weekend.

Hyrox is a world event, which means you can also travel abroad to countries like France, Spain, Germany, Hong Kong, USA and UK to compete in Hyrox events, where the race is always the same course. At the time of writing this article, Hyrox has events in 12 different countries so there is most likely a Hyrox race near you.

If you want to check out a full list of Hyrox locations they have a ‘find my race’ page on their website to search all Hyrox races around the world.

At the Hyrox Melbourne race, we heard whispers that you can expect to see additional Hyrox races popping up in New Zealand and other countries very shortly, so keep a lookout for Hyrox launching near you.

Conclusion on Hyrox Australia

If you like a physical challenge, we would highly recommend Hyrox racing. The combination of interval style running mixed with a variety of weighted and non-weighted movements provides an intense test of physical ability and mental fortitude.

The Hyrox event has various categories which allows a suitable allocation for most fitness levels, although we strongly recommend good preparation and reasonable fitness levels to consider going in the Hyrox race. Nonetheless, Hyrox is an own pace and own race event where you can find a bunch of fit and energised people and an overall inclusive community of racers.

In the spirit of doing hard things, give Hyrox a go!