Key takeaways
Running makes up about half of a Hyrox finish time or more, so the plan is built around three or four runs a week
Lift heavy twice a week and add one session of running straight after stations, which is the skill that decides race day
Beginners can follow the same 12 weeks with fewer runs and lighter loads, and a home version swaps sleds and ergs for dumbbells, bands and hills
A Hyrox race is eight 1 km runs, each followed by a workout station: SkiErg 1,000 m, sled push 50 m, sled pull 50 m, burpee broad jumps 80 m, rowing 1,000 m, farmers carry 200 m, sandbag lunges 100 m and 100 wall balls. A good Hyrox training plan follows from what the race actually demands, so start there.
What a Hyrox training plan needs to train
The research is young but consistent:
- In the first lab study of a simulated race, recreational athletes finished in a median 86.5 minutes, of which 51.2 minutes was running and 32.8 minutes was stations. Faster finish times correlated with higher VO2max, more endurance training and lower body fat, not with grip strength (Brandt et al., 2025).
- An analysis of nearly 40,000 Pro and Elite results found running accounted for about 50% of race time across seven seasons, and most of the improvement in the top 100 came from faster running. Strength stations reshuffled the rankings more among slower athletes (Rappelt et al., 2026).
So the plan is endurance-first, with strength and station skill on top. The detail on why the engine matters is in VO2max for Hyrox and Hyrox VO2 max.
The 12-week Hyrox training plan
Four session types appear every week:
- Running: mostly easy, plus one quality session. Keep about 80% of running easy (80/20 training).
- Strength: two heavy sessions (squat, deadlift, lunge, push and pull), as in strength training for runners.
- Compromised running: a 1 km run straight after a station, so you learn race pace on tired legs.
- Station practice: technique and pacing on the eight stations at race weight.
| Week | Running | Strength | Compromised running | Station practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 runs: 2 easy 30–40 min, 1 long 50 min | 2 × full body, moderate loads | None | Learn technique on all 8, light |
| 2 | 3 runs, long run 55 min | 2 × full body, add load | None | SkiErg and row 500 m pieces |
| 3 | 3 runs + 6 × 20 s strides | 2 × heavy, 4–6 reps | 2 × (station + 1 km easy) | Sleds and lunges at race weight |
| 4 | Easier week: 3 short easy runs | 1 × lighter | None | Light circuit |
| 5 | 4 runs incl. 4×4 intervals | 2 × heavy | 3 × (station + 1 km) | Wall balls in sets of 20–25 |
| 6 | 4 runs incl. 5 × 1 km at threshold | 2 × heavy | 4 × (station + 1 km) | Burpee broad jumps, carries |
| 7 | 4 runs incl. 4×4, long run 70 min | 2 × heavy | 4 × (station + 1 km) | Half simulation: 4 runs + 4 stations |
| 8 | Easier week: 3 runs, 1 short threshold | 1 × lighter | 2 × (station + 1 km) | Technique only |
| 9 | 4 runs incl. 6 × 1 km at race pace | 2 × heavy, fewer sets | 5 × (station + 1 km) | Full stations at race weight |
| 10 | 4 runs incl. 4×4 | 1–2 × heavy, low volume | Full race simulation | Pacing and transitions |
| 11 | 3–4 runs incl. 4 × 1 km at race pace | 1 × moderate | 4 × (station + 1 km) | Wall balls and lunges when tired |
| 12 | Taper: volume down by about half, short race-pace efforts | 1 × light early in week | None | Two easy station touches, then race |
Run your threshold kilometres at a pace you could hold for about an hour (lactate threshold training). The VO2max running calculator gives paces from a recent race, and the heart rate zone calculator keeps easy days genuinely easy. For the taper logic, see tapering before a race.
A sample Hyrox training week
This is week 6 for an intermediate athlete. Beginners drop the Saturday run and keep the rest.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Strength: squat, Romanian deadlift, push press, rows, 45 min |
| Tuesday | 5 × 1 km at threshold, 90 s jog between |
| Wednesday | Easy run 40 min, or easy bike or row |
| Thursday | Strength plus stations: lunges, sled push and pull, then 4 × (station + 1 km) |
| Friday | Rest |
| Saturday | Easy run 35 min plus 6 strides |
| Sunday | Long easy run 60–70 min |
Hard days stay hard and easy days stay easy. Put strength on the same days as quality running where you can, so the legs get full recovery days between, and move the long run if a race simulation falls on the weekend.
Hyrox training plan for beginners
Use the same 12 weeks with these changes:
| Area | Beginner adjustment |
|---|---|
| Running | 3 runs a week; run and walk intervals until you can jog 30 minutes; no 4×4 until week 5 |
| Strength | Learn form with moderate loads for 4 weeks before going heavy |
| Compromised running | Start with 2 rounds; walk the first 200 m of the run if needed |
| Stations | Practise at lighter loads, reach race weight by week 8 |
| Simulation | Half simulation in week 7, three-quarter in week 10 |
| Days | 4 training days, never two hard days in a row |
The main risk for beginners is doing too much too soon. In a 12-week study of 89 Hyrox athletes, 73% of injuries were overuse injuries, and the knee was the most commonly injured region (Chittenden et al., 2026). Add running volume gradually, take the easier weeks seriously and watch for the signs of overtraining.
Hyrox training plan at home
Most of the race can be trained with little kit. Swap what you cannot do at home:
| Station | Home substitute |
|---|---|
| SkiErg | Band pull-downs in 1-minute sets, or bike intervals |
| Sled push | Uphill sprints, or pushing a loaded wheelbarrow or car on flat ground with a helper |
| Sled pull | Band or rope rows, heavy backpack walks backwards uphill |
| Burpee broad jumps | Same as race, 20 to 40 reps at a time |
| Rowing | Bike or band rows; or cross-training for the aerobic part |
| Farmers carry | Dumbbells, kettlebells or filled water jugs |
| Sandbag lunges | Backpack or sandbag walking lunges |
| Wall balls | Medicine ball to a marked target on an outside wall |
Run your 1 km repeats on a measured loop or a treadmill. Book at least two gym sessions before race day so you have pushed and pulled a real sled at race weight; nothing at home fully copies the friction of a sled on carpet turf.
Racing Doubles?
If you race with a partner, keep the same structure but practise changeovers in weeks 9 to 11. See the Hyrox Doubles guide, and if you are chasing a fast time, Hyrox sub 60. All Hyrox articles are collected under Hyrox and on the Hyrox hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Hyrox training plan for beginners?
Three runs a week, two full-body strength sessions and one short station circuit, starting with run and walk intervals if you cannot yet run 30 minutes. Build for 12 weeks, keep most running easy and add a 1 km run after stations from about week 3.
How do I train for Hyrox in 12 weeks?
Spend weeks 1 to 4 building aerobic volume and strength, weeks 5 to 8 adding intervals, threshold 1 km repeats and station technique, weeks 9 to 11 on race simulations, and week 12 on a taper.
Can I train for Hyrox at home?
Yes. Running, wall balls, burpee broad jumps, lunges and carries all work at home with a medicine ball, dumbbells or water jugs. Replace sleds with uphill pushes or heavy backpack walks, and the SkiErg and rower with bands or a bike, then visit a gym for sled practice before race day.
How many days a week should I train for Hyrox?
Four to six. Beginners do well on four days, three runs plus strength and station work combined. More experienced athletes usually train five or six days with two hard sessions a week.
Sources
- Brandt T, Ebel C, Lebahn C, Schmidt A. Acute physiological responses and performance determinants in Hyrox, a new running-focused high intensity functional fitness trend. Front Physiol, 2025. PubMed
- Rappelt L, Wiedenmann T, Held S, et al. Longitudinal performance development in PRO and ELITE HYROX competitions across the first seven competitive seasons. Front Physiol, 2026. PubMed
- Chittenden E, Bell A, Forbes G, et al. Prevalence, burden and risk markers of health problems in HYROX athletes: a 12-week prospective cohort study. Front Sports Act Living, 2026. PubMed
- Helgerud J, Høydal K, Wang E, et al. Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2007. PubMed
- Rønnestad BR, Mujika I. Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: a review. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2014. PubMed
- Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2010. PubMed
- HYROX. The fitness race: format, stations and divisions. hyrox.com
- HYROX. Rulebooks (Singles and Doubles, season 26/27). hyrox.com
Safety: this is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, chest pain, dizziness or have been inactive, get medical advice before starting hard interval or race-simulation training.
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