Key takeaways
Two lab studies found an average VO2max of about 51 ml/kg/min in Hyrox athletes, both in recreational racers and in Pro men racing about 70 minutes
No study has yet measured VO2max in Elite 15 athletes, so any elite figure you see online is a guess
Hyrox is raced at about 90% of maximum heart rate for most of the race, so train VO2max once or twice a week with 4 × 4 minute intervals and compromised running
Hyrox is eight 1 km runs with a workout station after each, and most people take 60 to 100 minutes to finish. That is an endurance event, so VO2max, the maximum rate at which your body can use oxygen, matters. But how high is the Hyrox VO2 max of real athletes, and what does it take to be elite? Here is what has actually been measured.
Average Hyrox VO2 max: what the studies show
Only two studies have tested Hyrox athletes in the lab:
| Study | Athletes | VO2max (ml/kg/min) | Race time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandt et al., 2025 | 11 recreational (8 men, 3 women), simulated Open race | Median 51 (range 46.6–72) | Median 86.5 min |
| Gutiérrez-Hellín et al., 2026 | 24 Pro men, official race in Madrid | Mean 51.6 (SD 5.0) | Mean about 70 min |
So the average Hyrox VO2 max in published data is about 51 ml/kg/min. For a man in his thirties that is well above average, but far from elite endurance levels (VO2max norms by age and sex). Both samples are small, mostly male and from Europe, so treat them as a first look, not a norm table.
Elite Hyrox VO2 max: what we know and what we don't
As of October 2026, no peer-reviewed study has measured VO2max in Elite 15 Hyrox athletes. Figures quoted on social media or in coaching blogs are estimates or individual test results, not published data.
What we can say from race data:
- Elite performance has improved quickly. The median elite time fell from 66:24 to 57:17 for men and from 71:09 to 63:22 for women over the first seven seasons, and most of the gain in the top 100 came from faster running (Rappelt et al., 2026).
- Pro men racing about 70 minutes averaged a VO2max of about 52. Elite men run the same distance and stations more than 10 minutes faster, so a higher VO2max, higher threshold and better running economy are all likely, but the exact numbers are unknown.
For comparison, elite runners, rowers and cross-country skiers typically test far higher; see VO2max of elite athletes. Hyrox also rewards muscle for sleds and carries, which lowers VO2max per kilo of body weight: two athletes with the same engine can test differently simply because one carries more muscle.
How to estimate your own Hyrox VO2 max
A lab test with gas analysis is the most accurate way to know your VO2max, and it also gives you heart rate and pace at your thresholds, which are more useful for pacing a race. Most athletes use a cheaper estimate first:
- A running race or time trial. Enter a recent 5k or 10k time in the VO2max running calculator. Because Hyrox running is a big share of race time, this number tracks Hyrox fitness reasonably well.
- A sports watch. Garmin, Apple and others estimate VO2max from pace and heart rate on outdoor runs. They are fine for trends but can be several points off for an individual (how accurate is watch VO2max).
Whichever you use, test the same way every 6 to 8 weeks and compare with yourself, not with a forum post.
Hyrox heart rate: how hard is the race?
The simulated race study recorded heart rate throughout (Brandt et al., 2025):
| Measure | Result (median) |
|---|---|
| Average heart rate, whole race | 170.9 bpm (maximum heart rate median 186) |
| Average heart rate, stations vs runs | 173.7 vs 168.9 bpm |
| Time at 90–100% of maximum heart rate | 79.5% of the race |
| Time at 70–90% of maximum heart rate | 19.6% |
| Peak blood lactate, stations vs runs | 8.5 vs 7.7 mmol/L |
Heart rate, lactate and perceived effort peaked at the last station, wall balls. In the Pro study, running speed fell from about 16.1 km/h on run 1 to 13.6 km/h on run 8, and the average running pace was 76% of the speed at VO2max and 84% of the second ventilatory threshold (Gutiérrez-Hellín et al., 2026). In other words: you do not run Hyrox at VO2max, but you spend over an hour close to your ceiling, and the stations keep heart rate high between runs.
Why VO2max matters, and why it isn't everything
In the recreational study, VO2max had the strongest correlation with finish time (rho −0.71), followed by endurance training volume and body fat. It correlated with run times but not with station times. A higher ceiling means each kilometre uses a smaller share of your maximum, so you recover faster after each station.
But the Pro men and the recreational group had almost the same average VO2max, yet the Pro men finished about 16 minutes faster, with heavier weights. The difference lies in what sits on top of VO2max: lactate threshold, running economy, strength and pacing. Train the ceiling, but train the rest too.
Hyrox VO2 max workouts
Classic VO2max intervals work for Hyrox. In Helgerud et al. (2007), 4 × 4 minutes at 90–95% of maximum heart rate, three times a week for eight weeks, raised VO2max by 7.2%, and 15/15 intervals by 5.5%, while easy running and threshold running at the same total work did not raise it significantly. Hyrox versions:
| Workout | How | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Norwegian 4×4 run | 4 × 4 min at 90–95% max HR, 3 min easy jog | Best-studied VO2max session |
| 4×4 mixed erg | Run, SkiErg, run, row, each 4 min hard, 3 min easy | Same stimulus, less impact |
| 15/15 run | 2–3 sets of 10 × 15 s fast, 15 s easy | Short reps, high time near VO2max |
| Compromised 1 km | 5 × (1 km at 5k effort + 20 wall balls or 15 burpee broad jumps), 2 min rest | VO2max plus running on tired legs |
| Station EMOM | 20 min alternating 250 m SkiErg and 250 m row, hard | Upper body aerobic power |
Do one or two of these a week, not more, and keep most of the rest easy: well-trained endurance athletes tend to do about 80% of sessions at low intensity (Seiler, 2010; 80/20 training). Set your interval heart rates with the heart rate zone calculator and your paces with the VO2max running calculator. More options are in VO2max workouts.
Putting it into a plan
Pair VO2max work with heavy strength twice a week, which improves economy in endurance athletes (Rønnestad and Mujika, 2014; strength training for runners), and weekly compromised running. The full week-by-week structure is in the Hyrox training plan; for a fast-time target see Hyrox sub 60, and for racing with a partner the Hyrox Doubles guide. Background on why aerobic fitness decides finish times: VO2max for Hyrox. Everything Hyrox lives under Hyrox and on the Hyrox hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average Hyrox VO2 max?
About 51 ml/kg/min in the two published lab studies. Recreational Hyrox athletes had a median of 51, ranging from about 47 to 72, and Pro men who raced in about 70 minutes averaged about 52.
What VO2 max do elite Hyrox athletes have?
Nobody has published lab data on Elite 15 athletes yet. Elite men now finish in under an hour and elite women in about 63 minutes, so their VO2max is likely higher than the Pro average of about 52, but the true range is unknown.
What VO2 max do you need for Hyrox?
There is no minimum. In one study, a higher VO2max was the strongest single correlate of a faster finish, but Pro men and recreational racers had similar averages, so threshold, strength, running economy and pacing also matter.
What is the best Hyrox VO2 max workout?
The Norwegian 4 × 4: four minutes at 90 to 95% of maximum heart rate with three minutes easy between, once or twice a week. Hyrox versions use the SkiErg, rower or a station between hard running efforts.
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
- Gutiérrez-Hellín J, Alonso-Domínguez S, Gil-Cabrera J, et al. Relative running intensity and pacing during an official HYROX PRO MEN competition: the HYScience study. Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2026. 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
- Helgerud J, Høydal K, Wang E, et al. Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2007. PubMed
- Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2010. PubMed
- Rønnestad BR, Mujika I. Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: a review. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2014. PubMed
- HYROX. The fitness race: format, stations and divisions. hyrox.com
Safety: this is general information, not medical advice. VO2max intervals and race simulations push heart rate close to maximum; if you have a heart condition, chest pain, dizziness or have been inactive, get medical advice first.
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