Hyrox Burpee Broad Jumps, Rowing, Farmers Carry and Lunges: Technique

Hyrox stations 4 to 7 (burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmers carry and sandbag lunges) are the ones people train least, and where the most time slips away in the middle of the race. Here is what counts as a valid rep at each one, the technique that saves energy, the pacing that works and how to train them.

The 4 stations at a glance

Burpee broad jumps (80 m)

What counts

Your chest and thighs touch the floor on every burpee, and the jump forward is done with both feet at the same time, on takeoff and on landing. You may step up from the floor one foot at a time, but you cannot step forward between the burpee and the jump. If the judge does not see your chest on the floor, the rep does not count.

Technique that saves energy

• Drop as one piece, placing your hands just in front of your feet and letting your whole body come down. You do not need a push-up.
• Step up one foot at a time when your legs are heavy: it costs less than jumping both feet in.
• Jump long, not max. A comfortable 1.2-1.5 m (4-5 ft) jump you can repeat 60 times beats a 2 m jump that leaves you gasping halfway.
• Breathe on the floor: one exhale on the way down and one inhale on the way up gives you a fixed rhythm.

Pacing: 8-10 reps every 30 seconds for an intermediate Open athlete. Most people start at 12-14 in the first 20 meters and end up walking between burpees in the last 30.

Rowing (1,000 m)

What counts

The monitor has to show 1,000 m and you must stay seated until the judge confirms it. You choose the damper setting yourself.

Technique

• Stroke sequence: legs, body, arms on the drive; arms, body, legs on the recovery. About 60% of the power comes from your legs.
• Damper between 5 and 7. Higher does not make you faster: it just loads your legs for the lunges and farmers carry.
• Stroke rate of 26-30 per minute, with a slower recovery than drive. If you go above 32, you are pulling with your arms.
• Watch your 500 m split on the screen, not your stroke count. Hold the same split for the whole 1,000 m and only push in the last 200.

Pacing: your comfortable 2,000 m pace plus 5-10 seconds per 500 m. You arrive from the burpees with a high heart rate and there are still two leg-heavy stations to go: this is not the time to empty the tank.

Farmers carry (200 m)

What counts

You carry one kettlebell in each hand for 200 m. You can set them down to rest and pick them up again, but you cannot throw or drop them. The weights are 2 × 16 kg (35 lb) in Women's Open, 2 × 24 kg (53 lb) in Men's Open and Women's Pro, and 2 × 32 kg (70 lb) in Men's Pro.

Technique

• Shoulders down and back, arms straight and kettlebells close to your body. If they swing, you burn grip.
• Short, quick steps, almost a jog. It is the shortest station and the easiest place to save seconds.
• If you are going to stop, stop before your hands open, and only for 3-5 seconds. Dropping from fatigue costs far more.
• Wipe your hands on your clothes as you leave the rower: sweat is the biggest grip killer.

Sandbag lunges (100 m)

What counts

The sandbag sits on your shoulders or behind your neck, and your back knee touches the floor on every lunge. When you stand up you must fully extend your hips and knees before taking the next step. It weighs 10 kg (22 lb) in Women's Open, 20 kg (44 lb) in Men's Open and Women's Pro, and 30 kg (66 lb) in Men's Pro.

Technique

• Short stride. A long step covers more ground per rep, but punishes your quads much more before the wall balls.
• Upright torso and eyes forward, holding the sandbag firmly with both hands. If it slides forward, your back pays.
• Soft knee touch, no banging: touch and stand.
• Split the distance into 4 blocks of 25 m and allow yourself 5 seconds of rest between blocks if you need it. That beats stopping halfway with no plan.

Pacing: roughly 30-35 lunges per 25 m, depending on your height. After this you only have 1 km and the wall balls left, so arrive in one piece even if it costs you a few seconds here.

How to train these 4 stations

The closest thing to race day is linking them with running: 1 km at Hyrox pace and 20 m of burpees, 1 km and 500 m of rowing, 1 km and 100 m of farmers carry, 1 km and 50 m of lunges. If your running pace collapses after the burpees or the lunges, you know what to work on. You will find full sessions in Hyrox workouts and simulations and a 12-week schedule in our 12-week Hyrox training plan.

To see how much time you should spend at each station for your goal, use the Hyrox pacing calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is the hardest Hyrox station?

For most people, the wall balls because they come last, followed by the sandbag lunges and the burpee broad jumps. The farmers carry is usually the shortest and the easiest.

Can I put the kettlebells down during the farmers carry?

Yes, you can set them down and pick them up again from the same spot, as long as you do not throw or drop them. What you cannot do is move without carrying both.

What damper setting should I use on the Hyrox rower?

Between 5 and 7 for almost everyone. Heavier, stronger athletes can go a little higher, but a damper of 10 tires your legs without making you any faster.

Can you walk between burpees?

No: every forward movement has to be a two-footed jump. You can step up from the floor one foot at a time, but then you have to jump from where you are.