Hyrox Training Program: 8 Weeks to Get Ready

Why a Hyrox Program Needs to Be Structured Differently Than a Standard Plan

An effective Hyrox program is unlike a marathon training plan or a general CrossFit program. It is a hybrid approach that requires you to simultaneously develop cardiovascular endurance, functional muscle power, and the ability to alternate between aerobic and neuromuscular efforts repeatedly. An athlete who only trains running will arrive at the SkiErg with dead legs. Someone who only works on the functional stations will fall apart during the 1 km runs after the fourth round.

The specific demands of Hyrox require a training plan that respects this alternating structure. Over the weeks, your training should gradually replicate real race conditions: cardio efforts combined with functional exercises, accumulating fatigue between stations, and managing your pace over the full duration. This is not a program you can build by improvising.

This 8-week plan is organized into three distinct phases. Phase 1 (weeks 1 to 3) builds your aerobic and muscular base. Phase 2 (weeks 4 to 6) focuses on specific station work and transitions. Phase 3 (weeks 7 and 8) includes race simulations and a progressive taper before race day. Each phase has clear objectives and sample sessions that represent the weekly workload.

Phase 1 - Weeks 1 to 3: Building the Foundations

The first phase is often underestimated by impatient athletes. It's tempting to jump straight into simulating race conditions. That's a mistake. Without a solid foundation, the following phases will only create fatigue without adaptation. The goal of the first three weeks is to raise your aerobic threshold, strengthen the muscle chains used in the 8 stations, and introduce the specific movements without competitive loads.

Your running volume should increase gradually: start with 20 to 25 km per week, spread over 3 to 4 runs, including one long run at a conversational pace. Functional strength sessions three times per week should cover the movement patterns of the stations: pushes (Sled Push), pulls (Sled Pull), carries (Farmer's Carry), weighted squats (Wall Balls), rowing movements (Rowing), and weighted lunges (Sandbag Lunges).

Sample Typical Week - Phase 1:

• Monday: Functional strength session (45 min) - goblet squat, farmer carry, ring rows, dumbbell lunges, plank
• Tuesday: 6 km run at moderate pace
• Wednesday: SkiErg 4 x 500 m with 90 seconds rest + Rowing 4 x 500 m
• Thursday: Active recovery or mobility 30 min
• Friday: Functional strength session (45 min) - weighted bag push, horizontal pulls, wall balls 3 x 20 reps, sandbag lunges 3 x 20 m
• Saturday: Long run 10 km at easy pace
• Sunday: Full rest

Over these three weeks, gradually increase your weights and running volume by 10% each week. By the third week, your total volume should be about 130% of the first week.

Phase 2 - Weeks 4 to 6: Specific Station Work

The second phase is the core of the program. Now you'll work on the stations at intensities close to race conditions, and most importantly, start linking efforts together. This is where the specificity of Hyrox really comes into play: learning to run 1 km at a strong pace, then immediately complete 1,000 m on the SkiErg with no rest in between.

Phase 2 sessions revolve around three types of training:

1. Isolated high-intensity station sessions: 3 to 4 stations worked separately with weights getting close to race loads, and volumes higher than competition.
2. Run-station coupling sessions: 1 km run at race pace, immediately followed by a station at competition load, repeated 3 to 4 times with full recovery between sets.
3. Threshold running sessions: 1 km intervals at race pace or slightly faster, to get your cardiovascular system used to the target pace.

Sample Typical Week - Phase 2:

• Monday: Station strength session (60 min) - simulated Sled Push (bench/car push), simulated Sled Pull (band pulls), Farmer Carry 5 x 50 m at race weights
• Tuesday: Run intervals - 6 x 1 km at race pace with 2 min rest
• Wednesday: Coupling 1 km run + SkiErg 1,000 m (x 3 with 5 min rest)
• Thursday: Rest or mobility
• Friday: Wall Balls + Sandbag Lunges session - 4 x (25 wall balls + 25 m sandbag lunge)
• Saturday: Coupling 1 km run + Rowing 1,000 m + 1 km run + Burpee Broad Jump 40 m (x 2)
• Sunday: Long run 12 km at easy pace

Over these three weeks, the goal is to have completed each station at least once with competition weights, and to have linked together 4 to 5 run-station pairings in a single session.

To set your weights and determine your 1RM for the main strength exercises that support your Hyrox training (squat, deadlift), a rep max calculator lets you estimate your maximums from submaximal sets, which is useful for planning your working weights.

Substitutions: Training Without a Sled

The reality for most athletes preparing for Hyrox is not having access to a sled. Gyms that have one are still a minority in France. But this shouldn't be a deal-breaker for serious preparation.

Here are the best substitutions for each station that requires specific equipment:

For the Sled Push:

• Pushing a car on a flat parking lot (with a partner steering)
• Heavily loaded walking squats (moving Zercher squats)
• Heavy box squats with a slow tempo on the descent
• Pushing a weight plate on a smooth floor (a partner adds weight on top)

For the Sled Pull:

• Weighted ring rows with a weight vest
• Seated cable rows
• Face pulls with heavy resistance bands
• Concept2 rower with maximum resistance for short distances

For the Farmer's Carry:

• Heavy dumbbell carries (direct equivalent)
• Carrying heavy kettlebells
• Suitcase carry with a single dumbbell (unilateral work)

The important thing is not to exactly reproduce the competition movement, but to develop the physical qualities it requires: pulling strength, horizontal pushing strength, and carrying endurance. If you have access to a workout generator, you can create workouts tailored to your specific equipment.

Phase 3 - Weeks 7 and 8: Simulation and Tapering

Week 7 is the most intense week of the program. The goal is to complete at least one full or partial race simulation: link together 4 to 6 stations separated by 1 km runs, in Hyrox order, with competition weights. This session should be done at the start of the week to allow for sufficient recovery.

Example of week 7:

• Monday: Partial Hyrox simulation - 1 km run, SkiErg 1,000 m, 1 km run, Rowing 1,000 m, 1 km run, Farmer Carry 200 m, 1 km run, Sandbag Lunges 100 m
• Tuesday: Active recovery - 30 min swimming or easy cycling
• Wednesday: Easy run 5 km + Wall Balls 3 x 20
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: Run 6 km + Burpee Broad Jump 2 x 40 m
• Saturday: Easy long run 8 km
• Sunday: Rest

Week 8 is a tapering week. The volume drops to 60% of your maximum, but intensity remains high to maintain your adaptations. No long or exhausting sessions in the 5 days before the race. The last significant workout should be on Wednesday if the competition is on Saturday or Sunday.

Nutrition and Recovery: The Often Overlooked Pillars

Serious Hyrox preparation doesn't just happen on the track or in the gym. Nutrition and recovery make up about 40% of your final result, and amateur athletes consistently underestimate their importance.

About carbohydrates: Hyrox is a muscular endurance event lasting between 1h15 and 2h30 depending on your level. Muscle glycogen is the main fuel source. On intense training days and race day, your carbohydrate intake should be high (5 to 7 g per kg of body weight). On rest days, reduce accordingly. To accurately track your calorie intake and make sure you’re eating enough to support this training volume, a calorie counter is a useful everyday tool.

About protein: with a weekly training volume of 8 to 12 hours, your protein needs are high to support muscle recovery. Aim for 1.8 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight per day, spread over 4 to 5 meals.

About recovery:

• Sleep 7 to 9 hours per night. Sleep quality is the number one recovery factor.
• Include at least one 20 to 30 minute mobility or stretching session per week.
• Alternate muscle groups on consecutive days: avoid working the same muscles in back-to-back sessions.
• Stay well hydrated, especially on days with intense cardio training.

Race Day: Strategy and Pacing

Showing up to the competition without a race plan means exposing yourself to two classic mistakes: starting too fast in the first kilometers (and crashing in the final stations) or holding back too much out of fear (and finishing with unused energy). Both can be avoided with a thoughtful approach.

Here are the key principles for race day strategy:

1. Set your target pace for the 1 km runs before the competition, based on your usual pace during run-station combinations in training.
2. For the first two kilometers, stay slightly below this pace. The start is always full of adrenaline, and going out too hard will cost you later.
3. On the SkiErg and Rowing, use a negative split strategy: start conservatively for the first 300 meters, then increase the pace if you feel you can.
4. On the Sled Push and Sled Pull, never stop if you can avoid it. Coming to a complete stop costs several seconds and a disproportionate amount of energy to get the sled moving again.
5. For Wall Balls, break the reps into defined sets from the start. Don’t aim for sets of 25 if you’ve never done 25 Wall Balls unbroken in training while fatigued.
6. Drink at every aid station, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Just a 2% dehydration significantly reduces performance.

FAQ

How many sessions per week are needed to prepare for Hyrox?

A minimum of 4 sessions per week is necessary for serious preparation: two running sessions and two functional training sessions focusing on the stations. To reach a competitive level or aim for a time under 1h30, 5 to 6 sessions per week are recommended, with a gradual increase in volume over the 8 weeks. With fewer than 4 sessions, your preparation will be incomplete and your risk of not finishing the race or getting injured increases.

How can I improve on the Sled without access to a sled?

The most effective substitutes for building Sled-specific strength are plate pushes on a smooth floor, rope or low pulley pulls for the Pull, and weighted walking lunges or squat walkouts. The key is to develop horizontal pushing strength and pulling strength in your back and arms. Check out the blog for detailed Sled substitute workouts for different levels.

Should I get a nutrition assessment before starting the program?

It’s not mandatory, but it’s recommended. Understanding your current calorie intake lets you quickly see if you’re eating enough to support an 8-week high-volume program. Many athletes unintentionally underfuel their training, which limits muscle adaptation and increases chronic fatigue. A calorie counter helps you get an objective view without becoming obsessive about nutrition.