Why Hyrox is the Ultimate Fitness Challenge:

(How to Train, Compete, and Succeed)

Author

Eric Hinman
November 27, 2024

read time: 6 minutes 

Welcome to The Movement Memo, a bi-weekly newsletter where I share actionable tips to help you live your best day ever, every day.

Today's Programming 

Today's Movement 


Complete as many rounds as possible in 36 minutes (AMRAP):

  • 80 cal echo bike 

  • 25 wall ball 

  • 12 burpee box jumpovers t

Hyrox Chicago

Today's Quote

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

– Helen Keller

Competing on a team is 100x more fun than being an individual competitor.

On a team, you have a built-in accountability partner. On a team, you compete for something bigger than yourself. On a team, you push harder than you would alone.

Having someone by your side unlocks a level of effort and determination you didn’t realize you had within you.

Today's Lesson Learned:

Why Hyrox is the Ultimate Fitness Challenge: How to Train, Compete, and Succeed


If you like running, if you like strength training, if you like community, then Hyrox is for you.

Last week I competed at Hyrox Chicago.

Hyrox is becoming the fastest growing fitness event in the world. Every time I compete in Hyrox, I am blown away. The people, the environment, and the energy all combine to create a one of a kind experience.  If you’re tired of aimless gym sessions or want a new way to measure your progress, Hyrox offers a standardized competition where every event is a test of both grit and precision.

Today, I share why I think Hyrox is growing so fast, how to prepare for it, and the best practices to perform at your best.


First, What Makes Hyrox Different?

  1. A Universal Test of Fitness

    Hyrox is for everyone.

    The standardized format allows recreational athletes to compare their results with world-class competitors.

    Whether you’re aiming for your first finish or an elite time, the structure ensures consistent, measurable progress.

  2. Endurance Meets Strength


    The combination of running and functional fitness exercises creates a balanced challenge that tests all aspects of physical fitness.

    Each event pushes you beyond your comfort zone but within a framework designed for long-term growth.

  3. The Hyrox Community

    Hyrox isn’t just a competition—it’s a movement. The camaraderie among competitors and the support from spectators creates an unparalleled atmosphere.

    Events often feel like festivals, with music, cheering crowds, and constant energy to keep you motivated.

  4. Consistency Across Events


    Unlike other fitness challenges, Hyrox uses the same format worldwide. 


    This lets you track your progress over time and compete against yourself or others, wherever you are.


    5 Tips to Excel at Hyrox (I wish I knew these when I started):

1. Choosing the Right Format is Critical 

  • Individual: a fully solo effort that tests your pacing, strength, and mental toughness. It’s the ultimate benchmark of your fitness level.

  • Doubles: a team effort that allows you to split the workout stations with a partner while running together. This format allows for higher intensity on stations since you can recover during your partner’s turn.

  • Pro Tip: If choosing doubles, partner with someone whose running pace matches yours to avoid mismatches that can slow you down.

2. Master Your Pacing

  • Many participants burn out early by starting too fast. Hyrox requires sustained effort over multiple disciplines.

  • In training, practice alternating between running and exercises to simulate race conditions.

  • Pro Tip: Break the race into segments and focus on maintaining consistent effort rather than going all-out.

3. Train Specifically for Hyrox 

  • General gym workouts won’t cut it. You need to mimic the demands of the event in your training.

  • Sample Weekly Plan:

  1. Running: 2-3 sessions per week, including intervals (400m, 800m, and mile repeats) and zone 2 long runs.

  2. Strength: 2-3 sessions focused on functional movements like sled pushes, wall balls, and farmer’s carries.

  3. Hyrox Simulations: Once a week, alternate between running and workout stations to replicate race conditions.

This is the framework for the training program I will follow to get ready for Hyrox Las Vegas.

4. Three Common Mistakes (and how to avoid them):

  • Mistake 1: Skipping race-specific training.  → Fix: Incorporate Hyrox-style workouts early and often. (I do a Hyrox simulation workout every Saturday).

  • Mistake 2: Overtraining your strong points. → Fix: Identify your weaknesses and dedicate extra time to improving them. (I often get in trouble wanting to work on strengths instead of improving my weaknesses).

  • Mistake 3: Ignoring recovery. → Fix: Prioritize sleep, hydration, and active recovery sessions to maximize performance. (These are the lessons that took me the longest to learn but have had the highest longterm ROI on my life)

5. Simulate Race Day Conditions

  • I took this move straight from my Ironman training sessions. Before a big competition, we would put on our race suits to perform a mini-time trial, complete with the exact nutrition we planned on eating, and how we wanted to get through transition zones, and how we would grab bottles on the course.

  • The Hyrox race environment is unique, with transitions between running and workout stations requiring focus and efficiency. I highly recommend watching a few of the heats before you race, and seeing how people maneuver through these zones.

  • You can even practice transitions at home, or during training, to minimize wasted time moving between activities.

    Hyrox is more than a fitness competition—it’s a global standard that lets athletes of all levels measure themselves against the best. 

    With its unique combination of endurance, strength, and community, Hyrox offers a fitness experience like no other.

Recap of Steps to Succeed:

  1. Decide on the format (individuals or doubles) and tailor your training accordingly.

  2. Focus on pacing to sustain energy throughout the event.

  3. Build a balanced training plan incorporating running, strength, and HYROX simulations.

  4. Avoid common training pitfalls by targeting weak points and prioritizing recovery.

  5. Prepare like a pro by simulating race-day conditions and refining your nutrition


    Hyrox combines the best of fitness—competition, camaraderie, and personal growth.

    Whether it’s your first race or you’re chasing an elite time, following these strategies will help you succeed and keep you coming back for more.

Today’s Youtube:

Today's Optimization

In my twenties, my microbiome was a mess because of a bad diet, minimal sun exposure, and a lack of exercise. Over the past 15 years, I have been obsessed with incremental improvements to my health; I consciously redesigned my life to prioritize training, and daily sun exposure and transitioned to a wholefood diet. In the past 18 months since I started working with Blokes, I have felt significant improvements in my overall health and performance.  

Blokes is all about health optimization (not sick care) and was created to put us (the patients) back in the driver's seat. For the most part, I feel pretty good for being in my early forties, but it wasn’t until I started working with Blokes that I was able to crack the code with supplementation. By using blood panels and science to understand my individual vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, I was able to create a supplementation protocol that was personalized to me and my needs. I started taking exactly what I needed, and nothing that I didn’t.  Today Blokes is offering Movement Memo subscribers a deal: 20% off using code “EricHinman”.

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Publisher: Eric Hinman

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