Hyrox London

Achievable – You do not need to be a super athlete to take part. Unlike a marathon or triathlon where you often need 6–12 months of base work just to get through it, Hyrox is very doable within a few months. Many average gym-goers can complete one with 2–3 sessions a week of proper training. There are no technical movements like in CrossFit, so you don’t need to learn Olympic lifts or gymnastics. It feels hard, of course, but it’s achievable hard. You don’t need to be fast; you just need to keep going. Unlike other sports, you can also do it in pairs which makes it much easier, as you share the exercise workload while doing the runs together.

Consistent – Because of the nature of the exercises and running, your performance is very consistent across time. It is not like a Tough Mudder where one year it rains and everything changes, or CrossFit where they change the events each time. With Hyrox, the test is the same every time and the difference is you. This allows you to track progress over time in a reliable way. It also makes programming easier. Once you’ve done one, you know exactly what to expect next time.

Viewing Friendly – The event is set up so spectators can follow you around the whole time. This means friends and family can be up close from start to finish. This is one of the rare fitness events where people can come watch and genuinely enjoy the experience. It has a bit of that ‘sports day’ vibe to it, and you get cheered on the whole way around. Running events, you have about 7 seconds to cheer on your friend as they run past. The atmosphere at the events is one reason it has grown, you see not only the buzz of the day but also how it is not targeted at only elite, super fit people. I have had many friends do one after watching me first. 

Data Driven – Hyrox really plays up to people who like data. You get your overall time, split times for every run and station, and the ability to compare to your previous races or the thousands of other people doing it. This gives real feedback, something missing in a lot of gym training. You’ll know if your sled push or wall balls are too slow, or if your running is the weak link. You can then train that area specifically and go again.

Good Business Model – Nothing grows quickly this day and age unless it is also a good business model. The owner went on the Business of Sport Podcast where he talked very openly about their numbers, profits and plans for the future. Events are well organised, there’s a merch store, good branding, and it works for gyms to run Hyrox classes which promote their own memberships. Unlike a marathon which just happens once a year, Hyrox has a calendar of international races and people plan their year around them. It’s opened up the idea of event-based fitness to a whole new group of people.

What This Means For You

If you’ve ever thought about doing a challenge or competition but been put off by the idea of being too slow, unfit or not sporty enough, Hyrox might be the one for you. It’s tough, but it’s doable. You don’t need to be the fastest or strongest, just willing to put in some work. Perhaps the hardest part of it right now is finding a ticket. Every UK event sells out within 5 minutes, in Europe usually within a few days. 

If you’re curious, feel free to message about how to train for it or come down to my Fri-Rox class for a fun fitness session.

Photo – Hyrox photos from London and Poland with some of the people I have trained for it: