In recent years, the fitness landscape has witnessed a surge in the popularity of various competitive challenges that test the limits of physical endurance and mental resilience. Among these, HYROX has emerged as a formidable test of strength, endurance, and camaraderie. It has gained notable popularity with 40+ global races in 2023 seeing over 90,000 athletes & 50,000 spectators (many of them CrossFitters like us!). What exactly is HYROX, and why has it captured the attention of fitness enthusiasts worldwide?
Unveiling HYROX
HYROX combines both running & functional workout stations, where participants run 1km, followed by 1 functional workout station, repeated eight times. It stands as a unique indoor fitness competition, meticulously crafted to challenge athletes across an array of disciplines, seamlessly blending elements of functional fitness, endurance, and teamwork. If you're a regular in our CrossFit and/or Endurance classes, the movements will sound familiar and the workout will feel similar! The race is hosted indoors in expansive exhibition halls, creating an immersive and electrifying race, where your spectators can support you from the very beginning to the very end.
This race format remains consistent across each event, enabling global leaderboards & a cumulative World Championships at the end of each race season, accommodating both professional athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts looking to take their training to the next level.
The HYROX Experience: A Grueling Gauntlet
At its core, HYROX presents participants with a series of eight demanding workouts designed to be a well rounded test of fitness in one event. The challenges encompass a diverse range of exercises, including rowing, running, sled pushes, burpees, farmer's carries, lunges, and more. Here's a helpful graphic to help understand the flow of the event!
The Workout
1km Run
1000m Ski Erg
1km Run
50m Sled Push
1km Run
50m Sled Pull
1km Run
80m Burpee Broad Jump
1km Run
1000m Rowing
1km Run
200m Farmer's Carry
1km Run
Sandbag Lunges
1km Run
WallBall
Different Difficulty Levels
As long as you've got a little grit and a pension for a longer workout, HYROX events are reasonably approachable. The workouts are structured in a manner that allows participants to scale the intensity according to their abilities, ensuring that everyone can partake in the challenge. Whether you're an elite athlete or a novice enthusiast, there's a HYROX level for you.
Over 98% of participants complete their HYROX race. With no finishing time restriction, and no qualification required to enter, it is a race to run at your own pace, with the continuous support of friends, family and fellow participants.
Not only that, but the structure of HYROX eliminates the generic fear of ‘coming last’. Every HYROX race has start waves of all ages happening every 10 minutes throughout the entire day, working through each division. Put simply, this means that a 3-hour athlete can cross the finish line at the very same time as a sub-60 athlete!
With 4 different racing categories to choose from, you can participate in a HYROX no matter your fitness level:
Open – take on the standard HYROX for a challenging but achievable race for everyone.
Pro – for the experienced racer, heavier weights make for a more challenging experience.
Doubles – find a partner and take on the challenge as a pair, running together but splitting the workload of the exercises.
Relay – come together with your friends or family and race the relay where each member of the team does 2 times 1 km and 2 workouts.
What Level Should You Compete In?
Not sure what level to compete in? Don't worry! We will be hosting a HYROX Physical Fitness Test on May, 4th 2024 at our Columbus location. The HYROX Physical Fitness Test (PFT) has been specifically designed to give you the perfect introduction to HYROX and measure where your HYROX fitness level is at. You can register for the HYROX PFT at Invictus Boston here. Here's the workout:
For Time:
1000m Run (outdoor or treadmill at 2% incline)
50 Burpee Broad Jumps (90 cm)
100 Stationary Lunges
1000m Row
30 Push-Ups (Hand Release)
100 Wallballs (14lb male/10lb female)
Your time for the HYROX PFT gives you a good indication of your level and for which division you should sign up at for the major HYROX event:
15 – 25 minutes – HYROX PRO
25 – 35 minutes – HYROX Single
30 – 45 minutes – HYROX Doubles
Please note that there are no time caps or qualifications for HYROX, so feel free to sign up to any division that you feel comfortable with and we will support you to the finish line!
Conclusion
If you're looking for a fun CrossFit side quest, give a HYROX event a go. Its unique blend of strength, endurance, and camaraderie has garnered widespread acclaim, attracting participants from around the globe. Whether you're embarking on your fitness journey or seeking to challenge your limits, HYROX offers a great experience that transcends mere competition. Plus, there is a HYROX event coming up in New York in June!
If you're in Boston and looking for a gym to train for an upcoming HYROX event, we'd love for you to try a class. With CrossFit, endurance, and weightlifting classes led by professional coaches and a community that loves fitness, you'll feel right at home no matter where you are in your training. Claim your free class at one of our three Boston locations here.