Hyrox Workouts: Training Sessions and Simulation Races

In Hyrox, the winner isn't whoever runs the most or lifts the most — it's whoever runs best while fatigued. These are the sessions that show up again and again in Hyrox plans: compromised running, station-specific work, and simulations. Use them as building blocks for your week, adjusting loads and distances to your level.

How to fit these sessions into your week

The easy run (zone 2, where you can still talk) is your base: most of your weekly kilometers should look like this. Do simulations at most every two or three weeks — they're exhausting, and running them more often doesn't make you fitter. You'll find the full plan structure in how to train for Hyrox.

1. Compromised running

This means running right after a station, which is exactly what happens in the race. It teaches your legs to find rhythm under the fatigue of a sled or lunges. Run the kilometer at your Hyrox target pace, not all-out.

Session A · 4 rounds

• 1 km at target pace.
• 20 wall balls.
• 20 lunges with sandbag or dumbbells.
• Rest: 1 min between rounds.

Session B · 5 rounds

• 500 m of hard running (slightly above target pace).
• 25 m sled push or 1 min of pushing the treadmill belt with the motor off.
• 10 burpee broad jumps.
• Rest: 90 s between rounds.

2. Technical stations

Short sessions to polish technique and efficiency without going to failure. If your gym doesn't have the exact equipment, use the substitute — what matters is the movement pattern.

3. Simulations

A simulation is there to test your pace, your strategy for each station, and your race-day breakfast. Do it with equipment as close as possible to the real competition setup, and log your splits so you can compare them against your plan.

Half Hyrox (4 runs + 4 stations)

Alternate 1 km of running with stations 1 through 4 (SkiErg, sled push, sled pull, and burpee broad jumps) or with stations 5 through 8 (rowing, farmers carry, lunges, and wall balls). The second half is closer to how you'll feel toward the end of the race. Do it at competition pace, 3-6 weeks before the event.

Full Hyrox

All 8 runs and all 8 stations, done only once in the entire plan and no later than 3 weeks before the race. If it's your first Hyrox, you don't need this — two well-executed half simulations give you almost the same information with much less wear and tear.

30-minute mini simulation

• 1 km run + 500 m row.
• 1 km run + 50 m farmers carry.
• 1 km run + 50 m sandbag lunges.
• 1 km run + 50 wall balls.

How to progress these sessions

1. Volume first, then load. Complete the rounds without excessive pausing before adding weight.
2. Then, less rest. Cut 15 seconds off the rest between rounds each week.
3. Finally, competition weight. In the last 4-6 weeks, work with the loads for your category. You'll find them in the Hyrox weights calculator.

Common mistakes

• Running the kilometers in these sessions all-out. You're training the wrong pace and arrive wrecked for the next session.
• Doing a full simulation every week. It wears you down more than it teaches you.
• Skipping easy running. Without an aerobic base, the stations hurt twice as much.
• Never practicing with real equipment. An actual sled push feels nothing like pushing a plate across the floor — try the competition sled at least once.

Frequently asked questions

How many weeks do I need to prepare for Hyrox?

If you already run and go to the gym, 10-12 weeks is enough for a comfortable first Hyrox. If you're starting from zero, plan for 4-6 months to build your running base first.

Can I prepare for Hyrox without a sled or SkiErg?

Yes — the substitutes in the table let you cover about 90% of the work. Try to test the real sled at least a couple of times before the race, since it's the station that catches most people off guard.

Do I need to train with competition loads from day one?

No. Start with lighter loads to lock in technique, then move up to your category's weights in the last 4-6 weeks.