HYROX for beginners: your first race without the stress
Yes, you can do HYROX as a beginner. You run one kilometre eight times. After each kilometre you do one station, like rowing, pushing a sled or wall balls. You don't need to be an elite athlete. You do need to combine running and strength, even when your legs are already tired. My advice: give yourself at least eight to twelve weeks of focused training. Starting from zero? Then take more time.
Below you'll find what you need to be able to do, how to plan your first weeks of training, which division suits you and what to bring on race day. Not quite sure what the race involves? Read what HYROX actually is first.
Maybe a colleague or friend has already done one. Or you've seen the videos and thought: could I do that? The honest answer: probably, yes. As long as you give it time and train smart.
Updated: 2026-11-05
What you actually do in a HYROX race
The format is the same at every race. You run 1 kilometre, do a station, run another kilometre, and so on. You do that eight times. According to the official rulebook for the 2025/26 season, these are the stations, always in this order:
- SkiErg, 1000 metres. A machine where you pull two handles down towards you, a bit like cross-country skiing.
- Sled push, 4 × 12.5 metres. You push a heavy sled forwards.
- Sled pull, 4 × 12.5 metres. You pull the sled towards you with a rope.
- Burpee broad jumps, 80 metres. A burpee (down flat on the floor and back up), then a jump forwards. Again and again.
- Rowing, 1000 metres. On a rowing machine.
- Farmers carry, 200 metres. You walk with a kettlebell in each hand.
- Sandbag lunges, 100 metres. Lunges with a sandbag on your shoulders.
- Wall balls, 100 reps. You squat down and throw a ball up to a target on the wall.
So you run 8 kilometres in total and do eight stations along the way. The clock runs from start to finish without stopping. You don't get to choose what comes first: the order is fixed. That's actually a good thing. You know exactly what's coming, so you can train for it.
Rules and weights can change from season to season. What's on this page comes from the 2025/26 rulebook, and the 2026/27 season is already running. Signing up for a race? Always check the rulebook for your season on the official HYROX website.
Can you do HYROX? An honest answer
For most people the answer is yes. You don't have to be fast. You set your own pace, during the race too. Nobody expects you to finish near the front the first time.
But I'm not going to make it sound easier than it is. HYROX is a long effort. It's not a quick sprint, and it's not a class where you take a break when it gets tough. You run kilometres on legs that have just pushed a sled. That takes preparation.
Never been a runner? Never trained with weights? That's no reason not to do it. It is a reason to take more time. You don't need to be fit to start training. You do need to be willing to train.
Here's the good news about HYROX for beginners: everything you need can be learnt. Running, pushing, pulling, carrying, throwing. They're normal movements. You just get stronger at them, and you learn to keep going one after the other.
Got problems with your knees, back or shoulders, an injury, are you pregnant or on medication? If in doubt, check with your doctor or physio before you start training for a race. A good coach will adapt the exercises, but we don't take over the role of your doctor or physio.
What you need to be able to do
On day one you don't need to be able to do anything yet. But before the start line, you want to know what each station asks of you. Then you know what to work on. This is how I'd look at it:
| Station | What it mainly asks of you |
|---|---|
| Running (8 × 1 km) | Fitness, and keeping going when your legs are already tired |
| SkiErg | Pulling with your arms, back and core, in a steady rhythm |
| Sled push | Strong legs and a solid core |
| Sled pull | Pulling strength and grip |
| Burpee broad jumps | Sticking with it at a calm, steady pace |
| Rowing | Legs, back and arms working together, in a good rhythm |
| Farmers carry | Grip, and walking tall with weight in your hands |
| Sandbag lunges | Strong legs and balance, with weight on your shoulders |
| Wall balls | Squatting deep and throwing, many times in a row |
See the pattern? Almost everything comes down to two things: strong legs and good fitness. Add grip and a solid core. If you've got that base, you can learn the rest. How to do each station properly is explained in the eight HYROX stations in order.
My personal minimum for your first race looks like this:
- You can run about 5 kilometres at an easy pace without stopping.
- You can start running again after a hard exercise, even if it's slow.
- You can do lunges and squats (bending deep at the knees and standing back up) with weight, without pain.
- You can row for a few minutes in a row at a relaxed pace.
- You know how to split wall balls into small sets, so you don't grind to a halt.
- You've done every station at least once, so you're not figuring it out for the first time on race day.
Not there yet? No problem. Now you know exactly what your first weeks are for.
Which division to choose for your first race
In Singles you do everything on your own. There are four divisions: Women, Men, Women Pro and Men Pro. The running distance is the same for everyone. The difference is in the weights. As a beginner, you pick the standard division, so Women or Men. Pro is heavier and meant for people who've already done a few races.
These are the weights from the official 2025/26 rulebook:
| Station | Women | Men (and Women Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Sled push (including sled) | 102 kg | 152 kg |
| Sled pull (including sled) | 78 kg | 103 kg |
| Farmers carry | 2 × 16 kg | 2 × 24 kg |
| Sandbag lunges | 10 kg | 20 kg |
| Wall ball | 4 kg | 6 kg |
Good to know: the sled weight includes the sled itself. So you're not pushing all those plates plus a sled on top. That makes quite a difference in your head. All weights per division, including Pro, are in the overview of HYROX weights and distances.
Then there's Doubles. You do the race as a pair, in the Women, Men or Mixed division. According to the Doubles rulebook, the weights are the same as in Singles. The difference is that you're not on your own. There's also Relay, where you split the race with a team. How racing as a pair works is explained in HYROX Doubles.
My advice for your first time? Not sure you'll last on your own? Go for Doubles. You get a taste of the atmosphere, you learn how a race works and there's someone next to you pulling you through. Want to find out what you can do yourself? Go for Singles. Both are great choices.
How long to train for your first race
That depends on where you're starting from. Here's how I'd approach it. It's advice, not a law. Above all, listen to your body.
| Where you are now | My advice |
|---|---|
| You train regularly and run now and then | 8 to 12 weeks of focused training |
| You train, but you basically never run | 12 weeks or a bit more, with extra focus on running |
| You run, but you don't do strength training | 12 weeks or a bit more, with extra focus on strength |
| You're starting completely from scratch | First a few months building a base, then a race plan |
How often per week? Three times is a great start for most beginners. Four can work if you recover well. More isn't automatically better. Your body needs rest to get stronger.
Be honest with yourself about your calendar. Three sessions a week that you actually keep up beats five a week and quitting after three weeks. Because that's usually how it goes: one busy week, then another, and next week turns into next month.
Want a plan written out week by week? Have a look at the 12-week HYROX training plan. It tells you exactly what to do and when.
Your first weeks of training
A good beginner plan for HYROX has three building blocks: running, strength and combination. In a combination session you alternate running with stations, just like in the race. Here's what a sample week could look like:
| Session | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Easy run | 30 to 40 minutes at a pace where you can still talk | You build fitness without wearing yourself out |
| 2. Strength | Exercises for your legs and core, plus pushing and pulling | Strong legs and a solid core make the sled and the lunges feel lighter |
| 3. Combination | Short runs, alternated with one or two stations | You get used to running on tired legs |
| 4. Extra (if it fits) | A slightly longer easy run, or practising one station calmly | More training time, without making it hard |
Easy running really means easy. Can you still say a full sentence without gasping for air? Then you're doing it right. If you run every session too hard, you mostly just get tired, not better.
Then there's the build-up. I'd split it into four phases:
- Habit and technique. In the first weeks you learn the movements properly. Light weights, easy pace. The goal is for training to become a fixed part of your week.
- A bit more each time. After that you run a bit longer and do a few more reps. Step by step, not everything at once.
- Race feeling. In the weeks after that you practise longer combinations. For example a few kilometres with a couple of stations in between, at your race pace.
- Easing off. In the last week before your race you train less. You want to be fresh at the start, not tired.
Practise running straight after a station. The first time, your legs will feel like concrete. That's normal, and it's exactly why you practise it. The more often you do it, the faster you find your rhythm again.
No sled or SkiErg nearby? You can still do a lot. Strong legs help with the sled push and the lunges. Pulling exercises and grip work help with the sled pull and the farmers carry. Still, it's smart to try the real stations a few times before your race. Then you know how they feel.
Mistakes beginners often make
Most mistakes are easy to avoid. If you know them, you're already a step ahead.
- Starting too fast. The first kilometre feels easy. You're fresh, the atmosphere is great. So you go too hard. You pay for that later, usually at the sled or the lunges. Start slower than you think you need to.
- Underestimating the running. You run 8 kilometres in total, each time after a hard station. If you only train strength, you'll get a nasty surprise. Running belongs in your plan every week.
- Only lifting heavy. Strength helps, especially on the sled. But HYROX is mostly about keeping going for a long time. Lifting as heavy as possible gets you less than you'd think.
- Skipping technique. A messy rowing stroke or a sloppy wall ball costs a lot more energy. Learn how to do it properly first. Only then add weight or speed.
- Not reading the rules. Every station has rules. A rep that doesn't meet the standard doesn't count. A wall ball that doesn't reach the target, for example, won't be counted. Read the rulebook for your season and you won't get any surprises on race day.
- Too little recovery. Training five times a week and sleeping badly is something almost nobody keeps up for long. Rest days are part of training too.
- Trying something new on race day. New shoes, a new breakfast, new gloves. Don't. On race day, only use what you already know.
Got pain during training that doesn't go away after a few days of rest? Stop training through it and get it checked by a doctor or physio. No race is worth running on an injury.
Race day: what to bring and what to expect
You've trained for weeks. Now it's time. Feeling a bit nervous is normal. With good preparation, you'll keep a calm head.
This is what I'd put in my bag:
- Your registration confirmation and ID.
- Running shoes you've already worn plenty of times.
- Training kit you've already trained in.
- A water bottle.
- Something small to eat that sits well with you, for before and after the race.
- Dry clothes and a towel for after the finish.
- Your own grip aids if you like, as long as you already train with them and the rulebook allows them.
Arrive in good time. That gives you room to check in, drop your stuff and warm up properly. A relaxed warm-up of about ten minutes is enough: a bit of easy jogging, some squats, some lunges and loosening up your arms and shoulders.
During the race there's a lot going on. Other racers, a crowd, people overtaking you. Don't get carried away. Stick to your own plan. Here's how I'd split it up:
- First kilometres: easy. Run at a pace you can hold for the whole race. You won't win the race here, but you can lose a lot.
- Sled push and sled pull: steady. Better slow and without stopping than starting hard and stalling again and again.
- Running after a station: breath first. Take the first metres after a hard station deliberately easy. Your rhythm will come back by itself.
- Burpees and lunges: a fixed pace. Find a rhythm you can repeat. Count in your head if that helps.
- Wall balls: in small sets. A hundred reps feels like a mountain. Break it into small sets with short breaks. That's much easier to keep up.
- Last kilometre: everything you've got left. Only now do you speed up. By now you know you're going to make it.
And the most important thing for your first race: finish feeling good. Your time will come later. Your first HYROX is your starting point, not your final score.
Training for HYROX in Amsterdam East
Let me be straight with you: we're not an official HYROX gym. We are a CrossFit box in Amsterdam East, at Cruquiusweg 96F. Our Hybrid Endurance classes prepare you really well for a HYROX event. You train strength and fitness in one class, exactly the combination you need in the race.
Hybrid Endurance is on Tuesday from 18:00 to 19:00, on Wednesday from 13:00 to 14:00 and from 20:00 to 21:00, and on Sunday from 12:00 to 13:00. On top of that there are the WOD classes (WOD means workout of the day) for your all-round strength and fitness. You'll find all the times on the schedule.
There's a coach in every class keeping an eye on you. You don't need to write your own plan or work out which weight to pick. Every exercise is scaled to your level. Not pointlessly easy, but right for you and safe.
Completely new to training with weights? Then I wouldn't jump straight into a race plan. Learn the basic movements properly first, build a steady routine and then start your preparation. You'll be much stronger at the start line.
Ready for your first HYROX? Build your base first.
With Your Strong Start you learn the basics properly, with a coach keeping an eye on you. You build strength and fitness in a steady routine. That way you start your HYROX plan on a solid foundation.
- 12 coached CrossFit sessions in 4 weeks, around 3 a week
- A personal starting assessment plus scalable Fit Test as your baseline
- A midway check, so one busy week doesn't break your rhythm
- Final assessment and repeat Fit Test: you see what changed
4.9 out of 5 on Google · 153 reviews
Short excerpts from public Google reviews.
€99 one-off · 12 sessions · personal guidance · no membership
No experience needed. No programmes to figure out. No subscription quietly running on.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to be a good runner for HYROX?
No. You do need to be able to run 8 kilometres, split into eight parts, but you set your own pace. Someone who keeps running slowly but steadily gets through just fine.
How long does a HYROX race take as a beginner?
That varies a lot from person to person and between divisions. For your first race, your time doesn't really matter. The goal is to finish at a pace you can hold. Then at your second race you have a time to beat.
Can I train for HYROX without a sled or SkiErg?
Mostly, yes. Strong legs, a solid core, good grip and plenty of running will get you a long way. Do try the real stations a few times before your race, so you know how they feel.
What's the difference between HYROX and CrossFit?
HYROX is a race with a fixed format: the same eight stations in the same order, with running in between. CrossFit is a way of training with workouts that change all the time. Because CrossFit trains strength and fitness together, it's a good base for HYROX.
Can I still do HYROX later in life?
Yes. In the rulebook the age groups go up to 70 to 74. What counts is your preparation, not the year you were born. Got health problems or taking medication? If in doubt, check with your doctor first.