Runners who rarely lift; stations are where you'll gain the most time
12-Week HYROX Training Plan for Runners at Home
Keeps your running, adds two strength days and a station day. Lift first, then run. Keeps your running and adds the strength and station work runners lose the most time on.
Download on theApp Store12 weeks · 5 days a week · Home
- Length
- 12 weeks, 59 sessions
- Days a week
- 5
- Session length
- 45–75 min
- Level
- Fit
- Equipment
- Dumbbells or kettlebells, a resistance band, a backpack you can load to 10–25 kg
- Race standard
- HYROX 2026/27 rulebook, Open division loads
What's in it
- Two strength days a week: lower body and full body
- Station circuits, then compromised runs off each station
- Keeps your long run so your engine stays sharp
- Every station swapped for dumbbell, band and backpack work
Week 1, in full
Every session of the first week, exactly as it appears in the app.
Mon
Strength · Lower
- Warm-up8 min easy jog, bike or row, then leg swings, hip openers and 2 × 10 air squats
- Dumbbell Goblet Squat3 × 12 reps · Light · RPE 6 · 3–4 reps in reserve
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift3 × 12 reps · Light · RPE 6 · 3–4 reps in reserve
- Rest90 sec
- Backpack Walking Lunges (each leg)3 × 12 reps · Light · RPE 6 · 3–4 reps in reserve
- Bulgarian Split Squat (each leg)3 × 10 reps · Light · RPE 6 · 3–4 reps in reserve
- Plank3 × 30 s
Tue
Easy Run
- Easy Run4.5 km · Relaxed and even · Zone 2 · 60–70% max HR · conversational paceIf you can't hold a conversation, slow down or walk briefly.
Wed
Benchmark Test
- Warm-up12 min easy jog, bike or row, then leg swings, hip openers and 2 × 10 air squats
- 1 km Time Trial1 km · All-out but even; record the time · Zone 5 · 90%+ max HR · hard
- Rest5 min
- Dumbbell Thrusters (wall ball sub)100 reps · Light dumbbells, 4–8 kgFor time. Record it and your set breaks.
- Rest5 min
- 1 km Run1 km · Target pace 5:15–6:00 /km · Zone 4 · 80–90% max HR · threshold, comfortably hardCompare this km with the first, the gap is your compromised-running cost.
- Cool-down5–10 min easy walk or jog, then stretch calves, hips and upper back
Thu
Strength · Full Body
- Warm-up8 min easy jog, bike or row, then leg swings, hip openers and 2 × 10 air squats
- One-Arm Dumbbell Row (each arm)3 × 12 reps · Light · RPE 6 · 3–4 reps in reserve
- Dumbbell Push Press3 × 12 reps · Light · RPE 6 · 3–4 reps in reserve
- Rest90 sec
- Push-Ups (knees or hands raised if needed)3 × 12 reps · Bodyweight
- Band Pull-Aparts3 × 18 reps · Light · RPE 6 · 3–4 reps in reserve
- Kettlebell or Dumbbell Swings3 × 15 reps · Light · RPE 6 · 3–4 reps in reserve
- Side Plank (each side)3 × 30 s
Sat
Long Run
- Long Run5.5 km · The week's aerobic backbone; finish feeling you could go on · Zone 2 · 60–70% max HR · conversational paceFuel and hydrate as you would on race day.
The whole plan, by the numbers
59 sessions over 12 weeks, building to race day. Every session after week 1, with distances, sets, reps, loads and heart-rate zones, is in the Cheetah app.
- 23
- runs
- 22
- strength sessions
- 5
- station sessions
- 4
- compromised runs
- 2
- race simulations
- 2
- benchmark tests
- 2
- lighter recovery weeks
Why 12 weeks
12 weeks is the standard length for a first race: enough time to build your running and learn every station at race weight without rushing, with room for a deload or two.
What stands in for each station
This version is built for dumbbells or kettlebells, a resistance band, a backpack you can load to 10–25 kg. Here is what it uses in place of each HYROX 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. |
Races you can still make with 12 weeks
Start on the Monday shown and week 12 lands on race week. Later than that, pick a shorter plan.
| Race | Dates | Start this plan by |
|---|---|---|
| HYROX Manchester 2027 | Jan 20–31, 2027 | Mon, Nov 2, 2026 |
| HYROX Chicago 2027 | Feb 11–15, 2027 | Mon, Nov 23, 2026 |
| HYROX Phoenix 2027 | Feb 25–28, 2027 | Mon, Dec 7, 2026 |
| HYROX Glasgow 2027 | Mar 10–14, 2027 | Mon, Dec 21, 2026 |
| HYROX Las Vegas 2027 | Mar 12–14, 2027 | Mon, Dec 21, 2026 |
| HYROX Miami Beach 2027 | Mar 26–28, 2027 | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 |
| HYROX Houston 2027 | Apr 1–4, 2027 | Mon, Jan 11, 2027 |
| HYROX Ottawa 2027 | Apr 21–25, 2027 | Mon, Feb 1, 2027 |
Follow the 12-week plan in Cheetah
Every session written out, logged at race weights, with Apple Watch and heart-rate zones.
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