The 8 HYROX stations, in order

1. 1

   SkiErg · 1,000 m

   Long strokes and a steady rhythm. It comes straight after run 1, so don't sprint it. Hinge at the hips and drive with your legs, not only your arms. Pace it like a 15K, not a 5K.

2. 2

   Sled Push · 50 m (4 × 12.5 m)

   Women (Open): 102 kg (225 lb) · Men (Open) and Women Pro: 152 kg (335 lb) · Men Pro: 202 kg (445 lb)

   Low hips, long arms, short fast steps. It is a leg-strength test more than a lift. Keep the sled moving: restarting a stopped sled costs the most.

3. 3

   Sled Pull · 50 m (4 × 12.5 m)

   Women (Open): 78 kg (172 lb) · Men (Open) and Women Pro: 103 kg (227 lb) · Men Pro: 153 kg (337 lb)

   Sit back, pull hand over hand, walk the rope behind you. Use your legs and bodyweight as the anchor. A tidy rope pile saves you from tangles on the next length.

4. 4

   Burpee Broad Jumps · 80 m

   Small, steady jumps you can repeat. Chest to the floor every rep. Huge jumps cost more than they save. Find a rhythm you can hold to the line.

5. 5

   Rowing · 1,000 m

   Legs, then hips, then arms. About 26 to 30 strokes a minute. A smooth row lets your legs recover a little before the carry and the lunges.

6. 6

   Farmers Carry · 200 m

   Women (Open): 2 × 16 kg (2 × 35 lb) · Men (Open) and Women Pro: 2 × 24 kg (2 × 53 lb) · Men Pro: 2 × 32 kg (2 × 71 lb)

   Tall posture, quick steps, and keep walking. Grip is usually what fails. Train carries and hangs, and plan where you would put them down if you must.

7. 7

   Sandbag Lunges · 100 m

   Women (Open): 10 kg (22 lb) · Men (Open) and Women Pro: 20 kg (44 lb) · Men Pro: 30 kg (66 lb)

   Back knee touches the floor every rep. Steady short steps beat long fast ones. Your legs still need to run the last 1 km and do 100 wall balls.

8. 8

   Wall Balls · 100 reps

   Women (Open): 4 kg (9 lb) · Men (Open) and Women Pro: 6 kg (13 lb) · Men Pro: 9 kg (20 lb)

   Break them into sets of 10 to 20 before you fail. Target height is 2.70 m for women and 3.00 m for men, hips below knees at the bottom of every squat.

• The SkiErg comes first, straight after run 1. Redline it and every run after feels it.
• The sleds come back to back at stations 2 and 3. They are the hardest part for most runners, so they are where a plan with real sled work pays off.
• The back half is a leg test: row, carry, lunges, then 100 wall balls on tired legs.
• Every run starts tired. Running straight off a station is its own skill. See compromised running.

Between the run and each station you pass through the Roxzone, the transition area. It adds distance and time to every lap, so walk it with purpose rather than racing it.

Questions