HYROX Hybrid Strength - Program Guide

Ten weeks. Eight stations. One race-ready you.

Welcome to Hyrox Hybrid Strength, a 10-week training program built to prepare you for HYROX race day. Every session has a purpose: build your aerobic engine, develop station-specific power, rehearse the full race under fatigue, and peak you for competition. Running and station work are trained as equal priorities, not with one bolted onto the other.

Ready to start building your race fitness? Let's get to work.

What is HYROX?

HYROX is a global fitness race that combines running with functional workout stations. Every competitor completes the same course: eight one-kilometre runs, each followed by a functional exercise station. The stations are performed in this order:

SkiErg (1,000m)
Sled Push (50m)
Sled Pull (50m)
Burpee Broad Jump (80m)
Rowing (1,000m)
Farmer's Carry (200m)
Sandbag Lunges (100m)
Wall Balls (100 reps)

The total distance including running is approximately 16km. This program prepares you for the Open Solo Division, with pace targets built around an 80 to 105 minute finish.

What is this program?

Over 10 weeks, you will follow a structured plan that progressively prepares you for every aspect of HYROX competition.

5 to 6 training days per week, each 35 to 100 minutes depending on the session. One full rest day; active recovery and mobility from Phase 2.
4-phase linear periodization: Technical Foundation, Strength and Capacity, Race-Specific Conditioning, Taper.
All 8 HYROX stations introduced in Week 1 at low intensity for mechanics-first learning.
Percentage-based sled loading from 60% of your Open race weight in Week 1 to full race weight by Week 3.
Running programmed across the full intensity spectrum: easy recovery, tempo, threshold, VO2max intervals, and short sprints.
3 full race simulations in Weeks 7, 8, and 9 to rehearse pacing and transitions under fatigue.
A dedicated taper week so you arrive at the start line fresh, sharp, and confident.
Self-guided audio coaching talks you through each exercise, alongside video demos to check your form.

The 4 phases of your program

The progression moves from learning to loading to racing to peaking.

Phase 1: Technical Foundation and Aerobic Base (Weeks 1-3): Learn the mechanics of all 8 stations at controlled intensity. Sled work at 60% to 75% of Open load. Running intervals start at 2 minutes and progress to 2.5. Strength circuits at RPE 6-7. Week 2 closes with your first full-load station For Time as a baseline.

Phase 2: Strength and Capacity (Weeks 4-6): Build maximal strength and extend your station capacity. Strength drops to 5x5 power sets. Sled moves to race weight. VO2max intervals stretch to 3 to 4 minutes. Wall ball sets climb to 25 to 30 reps. Day 4 becomes dedicated active recovery and mobility. RPE 7-8.

Phase 3: Race-Specific Conditioning (Weeks 7-9): Convert strength and fitness into race output. Strength drops to 3x5 maintenance. Week 7 is your first sub-maximal full simulation. Week 8 is a max-effort full race simulation. Week 9 is a shortened 4-station simulation focused on execution. RPE 8 with race-pace efforts.

Phase 4: Taper and Race Week (Week 10): Volume drops 40 to 50%. Intensity stays sharp. Station touch-ups at race load for confidence, not fatigue. Easy run. Full rest the day before race day.

Your weekly training schedule

Across most of the program, a 6-day structure covers every element of race fitness:

Day 1: Lower body strength and sled work (squats, deadlifts, lunges, sled push and pull at progressive loads)
Day 2: VO2max running intervals and sprint sled pushes
Day 3: Upper body, carries, and wall balls
Day 4: Tempo or threshold running in Phase 1; active recovery and mobility from Phase 2
Day 5: Station circuit in Phase 1; strength focus in Phase 2; race simulations in Phase 3
Day 6: Easy run, full-body power, or full race simulation depending on the phase

This structure means you train every station at least twice per week, run three to four times per week, and maintain a balanced strength base across the full program.

The 8 HYROX stations

Understanding each station is part of your training. Here is what to know about each one and how this program prepares you for it.

SkiErg (1,000m): An upper-body pull station that also demands core and hip drive. A strong hip hinge and full extension, pulling with the lats and driving through the hips. The program builds from shorter intervals to race-distance efforts, teaching you to find a sustainable rhythm.

Sled Push (50m): Leg drive and body position. Stay low, keep your chest over your hands, and take short choppy steps. Loading progresses from lighter practice weights to your full race weight, building the specific leg strength and lactate tolerance you need.

Sled Pull (50m): Hand-over-hand pulling demands grip endurance and posterior chain strength. Stay low, pull from the hips, and maintain a consistent rhythm. Loads and distance build across the phases.

Burpee Broad Jump (80m): The most metabolically demanding station. Explosive hip extension on the jump, soft landing, controlled step-back on the burpee. Training develops an efficient, repeatable pattern rather than maximum explosion.

Rowing (1,000m): Technical and aerobic. The sequence is legs, body, arms on the drive and arms, body, legs on the recovery. Stroke length over stroke rate. The program develops your rowing efficiency and pacing strategy.

Farmer's Carry (200m): Grip endurance, core stability, and steady pacing. Pack your shoulders, stay upright, and maintain a consistent walking pace. Training builds grip endurance and posture under load.

Sandbag Lunges (100m): Front-rack hold with an upright torso. Knee tracking, consistent step length, and the ability to complete unbroken blocks. The program develops your lunge endurance with progressive loading.

Wall Balls (100 reps): Full squat depth, explosive hip drive, and consistent target height. The challenge is maintaining rhythm and depth as fatigue accumulates. Training focuses on pacing strategy and squat endurance.

What equipment do I need?

This is a gym-based program. You will need access to:

Sled with weight plates
Kettlebells (multiple weights)
Sandbag
Wall ball
Treadmill
Foam roller
Weight plates (loose, for loaded carries and drags)
Medicine ball

The program is designed for a functional fitness gym or a well-equipped commercial gym. If your gym is missing any single piece, most movements can be substituted with dumbbell or bodyweight alternatives, but practising with the actual equipment is strongly recommended before race day.

Nutrition and recovery

Good nutrition supports your training and race performance. Follow the meal plan in Your Plan in the Home section to get the best results from this program.

For more on your nutrition, read the guide for your goal:

Lose Fat Nutrition Guide
Healthy, Fit & Toned Nutrition Guide if your goal is set to Get Toned, Stay Healthy & Fit, or Everyday Strength & Mobility.
Build Muscle Nutrition Guide if your goal is set to Build Strength or Gain Muscle.

Race day fueling: 2 to 3 hours before your race, consume 1 to 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight from familiar, low-fibre foods. During the race, aim for 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour from fast-acting sources like gels or sports drink. Practise your race day nutrition during your simulation sessions, not on race day itself.

Is this program for me?

Hyrox Hybrid Strength is designed for intermediate to advanced athletes preparing for a HYROX event in the Open Solo Division. You should be comfortable with basic strength movements (squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows) and able to run continuously for 30 minutes at a conversational pace before starting.

If you are a beginner: Start with the lower end of sled loads and interval volumes, run at a comfortable RPE 5 on easy runs, and consider adding an extra week to Phase 1. The RPE guidance will help you scale the intensity to your level.

If you are more advanced: Start at the upper end of sled loads and running intervals, add a 6th easy run or cross-training day, and progress loads more aggressively in Phase 2.

If you are looking for a HYROX-specific program designed for women with cycle-aware programming built in, consider HYROX for Women.

For a program that does not focus on HYROX specifically, explore these alternatives: