Guide
HYROX training at home
You can get race-ready for HYROX at home. The engine comes from running, and every station has a swap that trains the same thing with dumbbells, a resistance band and a loaded backpack.
Updated Sun, Oct 18, 2026
What you need
- Dumbbells or a kettlebell (two of the same weight helps for carries)
- A resistance band, ideally a heavy one
- A backpack you can load to 10 to 25 kg (books, water bottles, sandbags)
- Somewhere to run, and ideally a hill or some stairs
A home swap for every station
| Station | Swap: home (dumbbells, a band, a backpack) |
|---|---|
| 1. SkiErg | Band pull-downs. Band anchored high, hinge at the hips, about 1 rep for every 12 m. |
| 2. Sled Push | Loaded push. Push a loaded box or bag across a hard floor, or walk a hill with a 10 to 25 kg backpack. |
| 3. Sled Pull | Band rows. Heaviest band, fast and continuous, about 6 reps for every 5 m. |
| 4. Burpee Broad Jumps | Burpee broad jumps. No swap needed. Short on space? Burpees plus broad jumps in place. |
| 5. Rowing | Kettlebell swings. 12 to 24 kg, about 1 swing for every 16 m of rowing. |
| 6. Farmers Carry | Farmers carry with dumbbells or water jugs. Heaviest pair you own. Short on space? Carry for 60 s per 50 m. |
| 7. Sandbag Lunges | Backpack walking lunges. Backpack loaded to 10 to 20 kg. No space? Alternate in place, 1 rep per metre. |
| 8. Wall Balls | Dumbbell thrusters. Light dumbbells, 4 to 8 kg, same rep count. |
What a home plan can't fully copy
The sleds. A loaded push and band rows build the same muscles, but nothing feels like 152 kg on carpet until you've done it. If you can, book one or two sessions at a gym with a sled in the last month, or join a class for a simulation. Your race-day sled will feel less of a shock.
Home plans
No dumbbells either? The no-equipment plan uses hill sprints, towel rows and bodyweight circuits.
Questions
Can you train for HYROX at home?
Yes. Running builds most of what you need, and every station has a home swap: band pull-downs for the SkiErg, a loaded push or weighted hill walk for the sled push, band rows for the sled pull, backpack lunges and dumbbell thrusters for wall balls.
What can I use instead of a sled for HYROX?
At home: push a loaded box or bag across a hard floor, or walk a hill with a 10 to 25 kg backpack. At a gym: a weighted treadmill walk at 12 to 15% incline. With nothing: hill or stair sprints.
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