Checked 2 Sep 2026
Hyrox is currently the fastest-growing fitness race in the world, and in Finland the start lists fill up months ahead. The format is simple, which is exactly why it is so addictive: the same race in every city, the same order, the same distance. This guide is for you if you are thinking about a first race and are not sure your fitness is enough. Short answer: it probably is, if you prepare properly. The long answer is below.
What is Hyrox?
Hyrox is a fitness race where you run 8 × 1 km and complete one station after every kilometre. There are eight stations, always in the same order: SkiErg 1,000 m, sled push 50 m, sled pull 50 m, burpee broad jumps 80 m, rowing 1,000 m, farmers carry 200 m, sandbag lunges 100 m and wall balls. Total running is 8 km and for most people the whole race takes between 1 h 15 min and 2 h.
There are several divisions. Open is the standard category where most first-timers compete. Pro is the same course with heavier weights. Doubles is done as a pair: you run together and split the stations. There are also four-person relays. All divisions have age groups, so you compete within your own age bracket.
The point of Hyrox is that the race is the same for everyone and results are comparable from city to city. That also makes it easy to prepare for: you know exactly what finishing requires, unlike CrossFit competitions where the movements are often revealed only at the event.
A realistic goal for your first race
The goal for a first race is simple: reach the finish at an even pace without any station falling apart. In the Open division a realistic first-timer's time is typically between 1 h 30 min and 2 h. Under 1 h 30 min already requires a solid running base and regular strength training. Sub-hour times belong to elite athletes.
A good way to set a target is to split the race into parts. The running kilometres are roughly half the time, and there is always a transition between stations. If you run a tired kilometre in about 6 minutes, the running takes 48 minutes. Stations usually take a first-timer 4 to 8 minutes each. From that you can easily estimate the time bracket your race will land in.
The single most important decision is to start slower than feels necessary. The first kilometre always feels easy, and the second station, the sled push, takes your legs. The race is decided on kilometres 5 to 8, when you still have to run while tired.
Fitness requirements: is my fitness enough?
Below is an indicative table of the fitness level at which a first race gets finished, and the level at which you can already chase a time. The numbers are not official cut-offs but practical rules of thumb for planning your training. If you do not meet the finish column, the race is still possible, but plan 16 to 20 weeks of preparation instead of 12.
Indicative fitness requirements for the Open division
| Marker | To finish | To chase a time | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km run time | under 32 min | under 25 min | There is 8 km of running and it is done tired |
| Longest continuous run | 60 min | 75-90 min | The race lasts 1.5-2 h |
| Squat | 10 bodyweight reps, in the gym 0.75 × bodyweight | 1 × bodyweight | Sled push and wall balls need leg strength |
| Row 1,000 m | under 5 min | under 4 min 15 s | Mid-race station where you need to bring the heart rate down |
| Burpees | 20 in a row | 40 in a row | Burpee broad jumps 80 m is the hardest station for many |
| Farmers carry | 2 × 16 kg (women) / 2 × 24 kg (men) for 100 m without setting down | 200 m without setting down | Grip goes before the legs |
| Lunges | 20 bodyweight reps | 50 reps with 10-20 kg | 100 m of sandbag lunges is about 50-60 steps |
Note that the weights in the table are common Open division figures and can change from season to season. Always check the rules of your own race with the organiser. If a row feels far away, it tells you where to put the emphasis of your training: strength for the runner, running for the gym-grown.
A 12-week path to your first race
Four sessions a week is enough for a first race: two strength sessions, one station day and one or two runs. Strength days build squat, pull and press strength, the station day teaches you to do stations tired, and run days keep the biggest part of the race in shape. Below is an example of what one week looks like halfway through the programme.
Example week from programme week 5 (4 sessions)
| Day | Session | Content | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Strength A: legs and pull | Squat 4 × 6, Romanian deadlift 3 × 8, dumbbell walking lunge 3 × 20 steps, farmers walk 4 × 40 m | 60 min |
| Tue | Rest or easy walk | Recovery, mobility 15 min | 0-30 min |
| Wed | Station day | 4 rounds: 500 m run, SkiErg 500 m, 15 burpees, 15 wall balls, row 500 m | 45 min |
| Thu | Strength B: push and upper body | Bench press 4 × 6, overhead press 3 × 8, bent-over row 3 × 10, medicine ball squat and throw 3 × 15 | 60 min |
| Fri | Rest | ||
| Sat | Run | Intervals 6 × 1 km at race pace, 2 min walk recovery | 50 min |
| Sun | Long run | 60-75 min easy aerobic | 60-75 min |
The programme progresses in three four-week blocks: weeks 1 to 4 build the base and teach the stations, weeks 5 to 8 raise the running volume and station-day rounds, weeks 9 to 12 become race-specific and end with a deloaded race week. The full 12-week programme week by week is on SisuLift's free Hyrox programme page, where you can also load it into the app.
→ Hyrox training programme, 12 weeks: the full programme week by week
If you train with SisuLift, runs and station days are added to your gym programme as their own days, and the recovery map shows when your legs are ready for the next hard session. Weekly progression suggests weight increases on strength days when the reps fill up.
The programme's key exercises in the exercise library with animations: Barbell back squat, Romanian deadlift, Dumbbell walking lunge, Farmers walk, Burpee, SkiErg.
The eight stations in brief
The stations are the same in every race and always in the same order. That is why it pays to learn them one at a time before the first station day. The table shows Open division distances and weights plus one tip per station.
The eight stations and Open division weights (check the current season's rules at hyrox.com)
| Station | Distance or reps | Women (Open) | Men (Open) | What to focus on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. SkiErg | 1,000 m | Even pace, whole body into the pull | ||
| 2. Sled push | 4 × 12.5 m | 102 kg | 152 kg | Low position, short steps, no stopping |
| 3. Sled pull | 4 × 12.5 m | 78 kg | 103 kg | Weight back, rhythmic arm pull |
| 4. Burpee broad jumps | 80 m | Even pace, the jump does not need to be long | ||
| 5. Rowing | 1,000 m | Calm the breathing, heart rate down before the second half | ||
| 6. Farmers carry | 200 m | 2 × 16 kg | 2 × 24 kg | Grip, posture, no drops |
| 7. Sandbag lunges | 100 m | 10 kg | 20 kg | Legs are already tired, train them tired |
| 8. Wall balls | 75 (women) / 100 (men) | 4 kg | 6 kg | Split reps into sets in advance, e.g. 10 × 10 |
Two stations break a first-timer most often: the sled push, because it takes the legs early in the race, and the burpee broad jumps, because the heart rate goes to the ceiling. Practise both after a run, not fresh.
→ Hyrox stations: all 8 stations, technique and training tips
Race day: gear, nutrition and pacing
Gear
- Running shoes you have run at least 50 km in. No new shoes on race day.
- Socks and clothes that do not chafe when sweaty. You will sweat for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- A heart rate monitor or watch if you use one to track pace in training. No new devices on race day.
- A small bottle of water or sports drink between running legs if the organiser allows it. Check the rules.
- Gloves are not mandatory, but the sled pull and farmers carry wear the palms. Try them in training before the race.
Nutrition
Eat a familiar, carbohydrate-heavy meal 2 to 3 hours before the start. Do not try anything new on race day. If your race lasts over 90 minutes, a small dose of fast carbohydrates (gel, banana or sports drink) halfway helps the second half. Drink normally the day before, not excessively.
Pacing
Pacing decides a first race. The most common mistake is running the first kilometre 30 to 45 seconds faster than target pace, because the start is exciting and the legs are fresh. That gets paid back on kilometres 6 to 8. Aim to run all eight kilometres within 10 to 15 seconds of each other.
The same rule applies at the stations: start slower than you could. In the wall balls, split the reps into sets in advance, for example 10 × 10 or 5 × 20, with a 3 to 5 second pause in between. In the sled push, stopping costs more than a slow steady push. With SisuLift's Hyrox calculator you can estimate your total time from your own running and station times and see what pace to set for the kilometres.
→ Hyrox calculator: estimate your race time and kilometre pace
The most common mistakes
- Starting too hard. The first kilometre and the SkiErg feel easy, and the race falls apart at kilometre 6.
- Practising stations fresh. In the race every station is done after a run, so in training the stations should also follow a run.
- Only running or only the gym. The runner breaks on the sled, the gym-grown on the kilometres. You need both, which is why the programme has both.
- New shoes or new nutrition on race day. Everything you use in the race has been tested at least twice in training.
- Wall balls without a plan. 75 to 100 reps while tired and without a set split ends in long pauses and cramps.
- No taper. The final week has to be light, otherwise you go into the race tired. In SisuLift the deload week is part of the programme.
Hyrox races in Finland
In Finland, Hyrox races are held in Helsinki. The next Hyrox Helsinki has been announced for December 2026 (18 to 20 Dec), and starting places usually sell out months in advance. Always check the dates, divisions and registration at hyroxfinland.com, because dates can change.
If the December race is your goal, start the 12-week programme by the end of September at the latest. Before that, make sure you can run 5 km continuously and that your squat and lunge technique is solid. Everything else is learned during the programme.
Sources
- Hyrox: official race rules and division weights (hyrox.com, checked 2 Sep 2026)
- Hyrox Finland: Finnish race dates and registration (hyroxfinland.com)
- Milanović Z, Sporiš G, Weston M. Effectiveness of high-intensity interval training (HIT) and continuous endurance training for VO2max improvements: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine 2015.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass. Journal of Sports Sciences 2017.
→ Read also: HIIT workout, 5 ready-made sessions | Beginner gym programme, 8 weeks