My First HYROX Race: My Prep

HYROX has achieved something remarkable—it’s a favorite among fitness enthusiasts on Instagram yet caters to all fitness levels.

The race format is simple yet challenging. Participants run 1km, perform a functional exercise, and repeat this sequence eight times. It can be done solo or as a team of two or four.

Team members must all complete the 1km runs, but only one person performs the exercises while others rest. The difficulty of the exercises is adjusted depending on the division and gender.

Training for HYROX is accessible too. You can prepare at one of the many HYROX-partner gyms, use training plans on apps like FIIT, or attend HYROX-specific sessions offered at select F45 gyms since last year.

Though I’ve covered HYROX since 2021, I hesitated to try it myself, underestimating my strength. Last year, after incorporating deadlifts into my workout routine, F45 invited me to compete at November’s London HYROX event. I decided it was time to experience it firsthand.

The nearest HYROX-partnered F45 was in Oxford Street, central London, a bit far from my home. However, I also trained at a local F45 just five minutes away, which made a significant difference. Here’s how F45 training helped me prepare:

1. Overhead Lifting Wasn’t Ignored

My strength training earlier in the year focused on deadlifts and bench presses, but I neglected overhead presses—a key element for wall balls, the final test in the race.

Thankfully, F45 sessions incorporated plenty of overhead movements, addressing this gap in my routine.

2. Regular Burpees Became Non-Negotiable

Burpees weren’t a part of my personal gym sessions (who likes them, anyway?), but since the race required burpee broad jumps, I benefitted from F45 classes that included them regularly. This prepared me for that exhausting midpoint in the race.

3. Building Stamina for High-Intensity Training

Despite your plan to start HYROX at a relaxed pace, the reality hits fast—you’ll likely operate at a high heart rate from start to finish. F45’s intense classes helped my body adjust to working at a sustained high effort, ensuring I had enough endurance to perform well until the final challenge.

4. Trying the P’F”T

At the Oxford Street F45 studio, I tackled the HYROX Physical Fitness Test (P’F”T), which determined my suitable division. The test included:

• 1,000m run
  
  
• 50 burpee broad jumps
  
  
• 100 lunges
  
  
• 1,000m row
  
  
• 30 hand-release push-ups
  
  
• 100 wall balls
  
  

The P’F”T not only prepared me for the demands of HYROX but also highlighted areas to improve, like wall balls.

Yes, they were tough, but they motivated me to practice them frequently and break them into manageable sets during the race.

5. Connecting with Others

Scrolling through Instagram tips is helpful, but the camaraderie at F45 was invaluable. Members from different fitness levels shared insights, and the most reassuring advice was, “It’ll be tough, but you’ll finish.”

6. Supportive Cheerleaders

I trained at my local F45 about twice a week for four weeks, staying quiet about competing in HYROX. After hurting my ankle a couple of weeks before the event, I stopped going entirely.

Yet, on the race day, someone unexpectedly cheered my name during the burpee broad jumps—it was an instructor from F45 Streatham cheering on participants.

While it was heartwarming, it also pushed me to pick up my pace to honor their encouragement.

HYROX is a challenge, but the right preparation makes all the difference. For me, F45 provided both the physical training and community support necessary to successfully complete the event.

Source: msn

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.