What is the HYROX Workout?
Lilly DeLano
| 3 min read
Key Takeaways
- HYROX is a standardized global fitness race that pairs a 1‑kilometer run with eight consecutive workout stations, letting athletes compete and compare results anywhere.
- The eight stations—SkiErg, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmer’s carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls—target major muscle groups and blend cardio with strength training.
- A 2025 Frontiers in Physiology study links HYROX to gains in cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance and overall exercise capacity, but the intense format carries injury risk; participants should progress gradually and consult a health professional before starting.
HYROX is one of the fastest-growing fitness trends in the world at the moment, but what does it really entail?
HYROX is a global fitness race combining 1-kilometer runs with various workout stations to do after each run. This is standardized fitness training, so athletes can compare and compete anywhere in the world. HYROX workouts have raced to popularity because of the ability to target many major muscle groups and incorporate both cardiovascular exercise and strength training. Typically, a HYROX workout is done in a large indoor space like a sports arena with a running track.
The HYROX workout
The workout consists of the run followed by eight workstations. All participants complete them in the same order, challenging different muscle groups throughout. The staff and volunteers watch each station, and there are onsite trainers in case of injury or health emergencies.
Each of the eight rounds starts with a 1 km run followed by the workout station:
- SkiErg: A 1,000-meter challenge works on the upper body, core and cardiovascular system.
- Sled push: A 50-meter sled push that builds the legs, glutes and core.
- Sled pull: 50-meter sled pull is on the posterior chain and strengthens the back, glutes, hamstrings and stability.
- Burpee broad jumps: A round of 80 burpee broad jumps that brings power to lower body and full body coordination.
- Rowing: A 1,000-meter row on a rowing machine works the legs, back and arms while also testing endurance.
- Farmers carry: Participants carry heavy weights for 200 meters to improve grip strength, core stability and posture.
- Sandbag lunges: 100 meters of walking lunges with sandbags in hand builds leg strength, balance and core control.
- Wall balls: 100 wall ball shots with a squat and overhead throw to test leg strength, coordination and mental strength when fatigue is highest.
While you can do this at a gym or make your own version at home, you can also become competitive. HYROX offers several divisions for these competitions, including an open division, doubles and a relay. The intensity varies based on an athlete's experience level and the division they choose. If you're interested in trying HYROX, find the division that matches your fitness and experience level to reduce risk of injury.
Benefits and risks of HYROX
Because HYROX combines different types of exercise in one session, participants may experience several fitness benefits, 2025 study published in Frontiers in Physiology found the benefits of HYROX including:
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Muscular endurance
- Exercise capacity
- Overall endurance
Although HYROX has risen in popularity on social media, it’s not a beginner friendly workout you can just jump into. The Mayo Clinic suggests moving through workout intensity levels slowly. You could cut the workout in a quarter with 400 meter runs and four workout stations and then add distance to the run and a new workout station every few weeks.
While building up intensity over time is great for your cardiovascular health, monitoring the level of which you are intensifying is critical for your health, according to the American Heart Association. It’s an intense training program that carries risk of injury, requiring proper preparation and progression.
Other risks of HYROX training are tissue or bone injury, overtraining or a trigger of pre-existing health issues.
Talk to your primary care provider before beginning a new exercise routine.
Photo credit: Getty Images
