Hyrox Training at 61 Made Me Stronger

At 64 years old, Peter Kelly began training for the global fitness competition Hyrox in 2021.

Though he was accustomed to running fairly regularly, he had never engaged in strength training before. Here, he shares his experience with Men’s Health.

"I recall stumbling upon a Hyrox video on YouTube and thinking, 'This seems incredible.'

After a quick Google search, I discovered an upcoming event at the NEC in Birmingham in just four weeks, which became my first competition.

It was right after Covid, so my preparation consisted solely of running three times a week. I had never lifted weights or done any strength exercises prior to this.

Before the first event, I visited CrossFit Solihull, where they allowed me to try some essential Hyrox movements like wall balls, sled pushes and pulls, and the SkiErg.

Before the competition, I only managed to throw about 20 balls. That was a mistake—and it sure was painful.

I remember doing lunges with a 20kg sack, and tears were streaming down my face from the pain. When it came to the wall balls, you must squat lower than parallel, rise, and toss the ball to a 10ft target.

That's just one repetition, and you have to complete 100. By the end, I was so exhausted they provided me with a box to ensure my squats were deep enough.

Once you've completed one race, you feel compelled to do more—it's quite addictive.

During the race, you might think, 'I’ll never do this again,' but ten minutes later, you're already considering signing up for another.

You soon forget the pain and savor the accomplishment, feeling proud of what you've achieved.

I retired early in 2018, so I’ve been able to focus more on training and competing.

I now train nine times a week with three strength sessions, four running workouts, and twice-weekly classes at Forders Gym in Birmingham. I even have a running coach for the first time in my life.

At Forders, we have a Monday night Hyrox class with about 40 participants, ranging from elite athletes to people like me.

Even though I'm the eldest in the class, age doesn't matter. It's all about having the right mindset and working hard. Everyone is quite competitive.

I believe I can outperform the faster ones, and even if I don't, I still think I can. During competitions, I race against the 60- to 64-year-old category from around the globe, and we're as competitive as the younger groups. Honestly, I still feel 35.

I joined Instagram about 18 months ago, and it has transformed how I connect with others. I'm chatting with guys from the U.S. (Texas, Florida, and California), Germany, and the same competitors at these events.

We exchange messages about our training progress. There’s a strong sense of camaraderie, but once the race starts, you’re determined to outdo these folks. It’s friendly competition, but intense.

I'm incredibly grateful and fortunate to be able to do this at my age. Even though I'm 64, I know I will continue to get stronger, and that excites me."

Source: menshealth

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.