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Ready to race? Don’t fall for these common HYROX mistakes

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6 months ago

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Ready to race? Don’t fall for these common HYROX mistakes

Participating in a HYROX competition can be challenging, especially for those new to the format. We caught up with two experts about common mistakes that people make – and how to prepare for greatness at your next HYROX race.

01

How do you train for HYROX?

HYROX is an intense fitness race that combines running with various functional fitness exercises. To have a good race day experience, participants need a training program that balances strength training and endurance training. “Some of the movements are quite hard and to get a good time, you really need to be efficient”, says HYROX athlete and coach Jake Dearden. “First and foremost, practising the movements and making sure that a training programme is tailored towards what you can expect on the day, as well as working on your weaknesses, is definitely going to take minutes off your time.”

Jake Dearden at Hyrox

© Sam Arkwright

His advice as is to plan HYROX workouts in a way that balances the strength elements like being able to push the sled or complete the walking lunges with interval running. “Training is quite intense!”, he says. “You’ve got high-impact, weight-bearing exercises, including running, and then you’ve got heavy strength exercises like the sled push and farmers carries, so you’re putting a lot of pressure and a lot of stress on your body.”

He also warns of focusing too much on your weaknesses in workouts leading up to a Hyrox race. “For a lot of people that might be the sled. They’ll put all their efforts into nailing this and they’ll not focus on doing burpee broad jumps because they think, ‘it’s just a burpee’. But these are incredibly hard and people underestimate the skill it takes to get the technique right.”

02

What does training look like in the week leading up to a HYROX event?

On a HYROX raceweek, workout emphasis is on getting sharp for the big day and getting the maximum rest to be race-ready. Take it from Dearden, “Use this as a deload week and strip everything back to around 80 percent effort. You’re not realistically going to improve strength in the week before an event.”

Jake is the current record holder in his age category, completing the course in 57 minutes and 9 seconds

Jake’s course record (16-24 age group) stands at 57 minutes and 9 seconds

© Sam Arkwright

His take: “The main goal is being able to arrive on the day and feel confident that you know the exercises and that you’ve trained hard.”

According to Dearden, this is how you could plan your raceweek:

  • On Monday and Tuesday of the raceweek, focus on technique and transitions

  • On Wednesday, go for a gentle 5km run

  • On Thursday and Friday rest for two days until the event

  • Saturday is race day!

03

What are typical HRYOX mistakes?

Apart from an inadequate preparation and underestimating the event, many competitors start at an unsustainable pace, leading to burnout early in the event.

Ida Mathilde Steensgaard poses for a portrait at Red Bull Photography Academy in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 12, 2019.

Ida Mathilde Steensgaard

© Desiré van den Berg/Red Bull Content Pool

The first time I raced the HYROX European Championship, I started out too hard. I had a super hard time breathing properly

Like any other race, HYROX requires smart pacing. Pushing too hard at the beginning trying to keep up with others rather than sticking to a pre-planned pace that suits their fitness level can come at a high cost. “I have learned that it is a quite long competition,” says fitness trailblazer Ida Mathilde Steensgaard. The Dane is an Obstacle Course Racing champion who is also one of the leading HYROX athletes in the world. “The first time I raced the HYROX European Championship, I started out too hard. I had a super hard time breathing properly. I wanted to quit and ended up crying through the last two stations, but still wanted to finish. A tough experience and I learned a lot.”

2. Neglecting the warm-up

Other than not going out too fast, getting a good warm-up before your HYROX race is vital to get your body ready to perform. Ida Mathilde Steensgaard likes to start off with a two-to-three-kilometre run and then do some running-specific drills. After that, she would go through some of the fitness stations, do one or two minutes on the rowing machine and ski erg, and push and pull the sled for a lane.

Dearden also stresses that it is important to study the HYROX rules. “Definitely make time to find out the techniques for all the exercises or you may find you face a penalty or you’ll be slowed down”, he says. “For instance, walking lunges must be completed by standing up fully between lunges as opposed to keeping time under tension and not coming up fully.”

4. Improper nutrition and hydration

During a HYROX race, you will be burning a lot of calories – and you’ll likely be heavily sweating. So make sure to hydrate and fuel accordingly beforehand. If you’re wondering what to eat before the start, Ida Mathilde Steensgaard shares that she believes, “It’s a good idea to take some fast carbs like a banana or some dates too – an hour plus of racing is tough.” She also usually has a Red Bull mixed with water 30 minutes before her start. “Then I feel like it kicks in for the start and lasts for the first part of the race.”

Ida Mathilde Steensgaard drinking a Red Bull Energy Drink after the HYROX Denmark 2024

Ida Mathilde Steensgaard drinks Red Bull mixed with water before a HYROX

© Jesper Gronnemark / Red Bull Content Pool

During the race, Steensgaard likes to refuel right before she hits the rowing machine station, midway through the competition after the burpee broad jumps and the fifth kilometre.

5. Inefficient transitions

Spending too much time transitioning between running and exercise stations can add unnecessary time. It’s something you can practice leading up to the event with HYROX specific workout sessions. Jake Dearden likes to practice the course every two or three weeks – “just to get my body used to transitioning between exercises and start building up my strength ready for the event”.

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