HOW TO TRAIN FOR HYROX
- welcome7131
- Dec 13, 2024
- 7 min read
WHAT THIS ARTICLE COVERS
With HYROX taking over the world, wouldn't it be awesome if someone told you how to prepare for it or even smash your goals time and time again?
HYROX Offer: 5 classes for just £99
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE READY FOR HYROX?
Unlike some obstacle races, HYROX offers a standardised format, which makes it highly trainable. It’s designed for all fitness levels, with divisions ranging from Open to Pro, and even relay formats for team entries. This means that whether you're a seasoned runner, a gym-goer looking to spice up your training, or someone just starting your fitness journey, you can approach HYROX with confidence, knowing that with the right preparation and support, crossing the finish line is absolutely within your reach!
Here at Leo Gym, Marlow, We specialise in helping individuals like you conquer their goals. Our coaches and customised training plans help provide the guidance and support you need to not just finish, but thrive at your HYROX race.
HOW SHOULD A BEGINNER TRAIN FOR HYROX?
Where To Start? (12-16 weeks out)
A common mistake beginners make when preparing for HYROX is combining too much into a single session too quickly—doing running and strength work back-to-back without clear focus. For beginners, it’s far more effective to start off with polarising your training by separating running and strength sessions into different workouts. This allows you to give full attention to both disciplines, improving running efficiency on one day, and building strength and endurance in the gym on another. At Leo Gym in Marlow, we encourage newer members to plan dedicated running days and gym-based strength sessions, ensuring each element is developed properly without compromise.
Prioritise Running as a Foundation
Running makes up 50% of HYROX, so developing a consistent and efficient running base is crucial. Beginners should aim for two to three sessions per week, incorporating a mix of long runs, focusing on “time on feet” (HYROX events are long!) and interval speed work to make sure that they are ready to cover the distance needed to finish. As you get closer to the event (4-6 weeks out), practicing running under fatigue—integrating running into circuit-style workouts will help condition your body for the transitions between running and the functional fitness stations on race day.
Build Functional Strength the Smart Way
HYROX stations such as the sleds, lunges and wall balls challenge your strength and muscular endurance. As a beginner, we would suggest that building the strength to push and pull the sleds is priority. This can be achieved with 2-3 strength sessions per week, prioritising leg and core strength. Our HYROX Strength sessions are perfect for this!
Beginners should also focus on mastering correct techniques before adding load or intensity. At Leo Gym, our Form & Function classes are designed to build essential movement patterns, develop muscular endurance, and prepare you for the demands of each HYROX station.
Create a Realistic Timeline for Success
A sensible training timeline for beginners is around 12 to 16 weeks. In the early stages, focusing on building general strength and fitness separately. As the event approaches, shift your emphasis toward HYROX-specific workouts, combining running with stations to replicate race-day demands. Our coaches at Leo Gym can help members create personalised timelines, ensuring progress is sustainable and goal-focused.
Include a HYROX Simulation into Your Training Programme
Completing a HYROX simulation is invaluable for beginners. How amazing would it feel getting to race day knowing that you have a 100% chance of finishing? By including one of these sessions, a couple weeks out from your event, you can build complete confidence, develop pacing strategies, practice transitions, and build mental toughness. At Leo Gym, we regularly host HYROX simulation sessions, giving our members from Marlow, High Wycombe, Henley, and beyond a chance to experience the race environment in a supportive setting.
HYROX Offer: 5 classes for just £99
HOW SHOULD AN INTERMEDIATE ATHLETE TRAIN FOR HYROX?
For intermediate athletes, HYROX offers an exciting opportunity to push limits, chase personal bests, and refine performance. Once you’ve built a foundation of running and functional fitness, the next step is to train with more focus, structure, and intention. At Leo Gym, we work closely with athletes from Buckinghamshire and Berkshire to take their HYROX preparation to the next level. Here’s how to approach training as an intermediate athlete:
Analyse Your Strengths and Weaknesses
At the intermediate level, training should start with an honest self-assessment. Where are you strong? Where do you struggle? Perhaps your running is smooth, but sled push drains you, or your wall balls are efficient, but your rowing pace lags. By identifying these gaps, you can tailor your training to address them directly. Our experienced coaching staff help local athletes benchmark their fitness across all stations and runs, providing a clear roadmap for improvement.
Balance High- and Low-Intensity Days
At this stage, intensity management becomes crucial to prevent burnout. Incorporating both high- and low-intensity training days ensures progress while supporting recovery. For example, combine one to two hard interval or station-intensity days per week with a couple of easier aerobic running or skill-focused strength sessions. Many intermediate athletes fall into the trap of doing “every session hard” which often leads to burnout or stagnation. Our smart programming and range of classes, with clear intent for each session, will ensure you train efficiently and sustainably.
Maintain Well-Rounded Training
Intermediate athletes should ensure their programming doesn’t neglect any area. This means continuing to maintain steady improvements on areas where you exceed, whilst also adding a little more focus where you struggle. At Leo Gym, our HYROX Strength, Engine, and Run Sessions are designed to help athletes hone in on certain areas of your race whilst maintaining balance when progressing toward race-day.
Fuel and Recover Like an Athlete
Intermediate athletes must also pay attention to nutrition, hydration, and recovery. As training intensity and volume increase, so do the demands on your body. Prioritising proper fueling before and after workouts, staying hydrated, and scheduling regular rest days will keep you performing at your best. Incorporating stretching, mobility work, and sleep hygiene is equally important. Our Leo Gym nutrition team supports members with advice on training, recovery, and nutrition, ensuring they arrive on race day feeling strong, prepared, and confident.
HYROX Offer: 5 classes for just £99
HOW SHOULD AN ADVANCED ATHLETE TRAIN FOR HYROX?
For advanced athletes, HYROX is not just about finishing—it’s about maximising efficiency, chasing PBs, and competing at the top of your category. At Leo Gym in Marlow, we support experienced athletes from Marlow, Henley, High Wycombe, and beyond who are ready to fine-tune their training for peak performance. At this level, success comes down to precision, discipline, and leaving no gaps in your preparation.
High Training Volume with Precision
Advanced athletes must carefully increase their training volume, ensuring the body can tolerate the high physical demands of racing at intensity. This might involve double-day sessions, higher weekly mileage, or extra functional strength sessions—but always with a focus on quality over quantity. Sessions should be purposeful, targeting specific adaptations, such as aerobic capacity, lactate threshold, or station-specific muscular endurance. At Leo Gym, we help athletes structure their training weeks for maximum return while minimising risk of overtraining.
Lift Heavier to Build Robustness Under Fatigue
HYROX stations punish fatigue-prone muscles. Advanced athletes should progressively lift heavier in key areas—sled pushes, sled pulls, and heavy lunges—to ensure they can maintain output deep into the race. By training above race-day loads in specific blocks, athletes can make the actual event feel more efficient and controlled. Our HYROX Strength sessions at Leo Gym focus on high-load, low-rep phases, alongside targeted muscular endurance work, ensuring you build both resilience and capacity.
Don’t Neglect Your Strengths—Refine Them
At the advanced level, there’s a temptation to obsess over weak areas, but it’s critical not to neglect your strengths. If running is your strong suit, continue sharpening it with interval work, tempo sessions, and race-pace simulations. Advanced athletes need to keep every weapon sharp while continuing to close performance gaps. Leo Gym’s advanced programming and wide range of classes helps athletes strike this balance with science-led training plans.
Track, Analyse & Adjust
Tracking and benchmarking are non-negotiable at this stage. Advanced athletes should be recording times, splits, weights, and subjective effort levels (RPE), using this data to identify trends, fine-tune pacing strategies, and make evidence-based training decisions.
HYROX Offer: 5 classes for just £99
READY TO START YOUR HYROX JOURNEY WITH LEO?
Immediate Benefits of Joining Leo
Be part of the official Hyrox Gym in Marlow
Early access to Hyrox Tickets (we know how hard they are to get without it!)
Specialised training from multiple podium placed coaches who know exactly what it takes to succeed
Leo Gym offers a range of membership options, classes, and personal coaching packages to get you HYROX-ready, no matter your current level. Come and join our growing community of local athletes preparing for upcoming HYROX events in London and beyond. Pop into the gym for a tour, meet our expert coaches, and see how we can help you achieve your next fitness milestone.
Visit our Instagram page to see how fun training is with Leo!
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