With Wodapalooza 2022 wrapping up over the weekend, the next big functional fitness competition, HYROX AKA "World Series of Fitness" takes place on January 22nd, 2022 in Chicago.
Are you a CrossFit athlete, runner, triathlete, obstacle course runner, or just a fitness fanatic that enjoys getting after it? Then, the next fitness challenge, HYROX should be on your radar.
WHAT IS HYROX?
HYROX was developed by Christian Toetzke and Moritz Furste both hailing from Germany. Toetzke created several World Triathalon Series and Cyclassics events that he eventually sold to The Ironman Group. Furste is a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the German national field hockey team.
According to their website, HYROX is "the first indoor competition that combines 3 different training elements in one unique event: the fitness challenge for every BODY. The combination of functional strength, high-intensity, and classic endurance components make HYROX not only unique but also measurable." Their website goes on to say athletes from around the world compete in the same race, using the same course, and each event will host up to 3,000 competitors. The events are held in multiple countries including USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.
This competition is structured with a 1 km run, followed by 1 functional workout, this is then repeated 8 times. This mashup of functional exercises and endurance makes HYROX unique yet attainable for most people from different athletic and fitness backgrounds. In addition, all participants wear a timing chip to give them their finishing time, which allows them to compare their results to the Global ranking across all events and age groups.
The World Championship is held at the end of the season where the athletes from around the world with the fastest times from each division, in each city, go head-to-head. HYROX offers individual division and the double division where you can sign up with your gym bro, best friend, or partner to tag team each workout.
There are eleven age groups within the individual division and five age groups within the double's division, with age groups ranging from 16-70+ this event is very inclusive to most people.
HYROX US EVENTS 2022 SCHEDULE
The North American Championships will be an open race that any BODY can sign up for. So, sign up for the pro division, grab a friend, compete as a doubles team, or compete as a relay team. The North American Championship race returns to Chicago on Jan 22, 2022 at Navy Pier.
- HYROX New York: March 5th, 2022 @ Meadowlands Convention Center
- HYROX Boston: March 19th, 2022 @ Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
- HYROX Dallas: April 9th, 2022 @ Hilton Anatole
- HYROX Los Angeles: May 7th, 2022 @ Pasadena Convention Center
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: May 14th, 2022 @ Las Vegas
Check the events out and register at their website here.
2022 HYROX COMPETITION EVENTS
The events of the competition remain consistent throughout the divisions. However, the weights used are altered to match the specific division and gender. The Pro divisions are the most challenging with the heaviest loads being lifted or moved.
START
- 1 KM Run
- 1000 M. Ski Erg
- 1 KM Run
- 50 M. Sled Push
- 1 KM Run
- 50 M. Sled Pull
- 1 KM Run
- 80 M. Burpee Broad Jumps
- 1 Km Run
- 1000 M. Row
- 1 KM Run
- 200 M. Farmers Carry
- 1 KM Run
- 100 M. Sandbag Lunges
- 1 KM Run
- 75 or 100 Wallballs
FINISH
HYROX Workout
HYROX’'s training philosophy is that "There is hardly a motor skill that can be trained with more variance than endurance." So, to improve your endurance, training should include HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), which is the opposite of endurance training. So by mixing it in with long effort training styles (running, rowing, skiing) in the range of 10 kilometers, your workouts will be more effective.
Strength training also plays a vital role in HIFT (High-Intensity Functional Training). Pushing and pulling heavy weighted sleds, steel mace work, farmer carries from A to B, as well as sandbag and kettlebell training should be incorporated as well. In addition, classic strength lifts such as bench press, squats, rows, and deadlifts are essential and should be included in your HYROX preparation as well.
HYROX put out their physical fitness test (PFT) to prepare you for the competition. A test structured for athletes to know the best division to register for at a HYROX event based on how long it took you to complete it.
Give it a go and record your times.
PFT Structure
- 1000 M Run
- 50 Burpee Broad Jumps
- 100 Stationary Lunges
- 1000 M. Row/Run
- 30 HR Pushups
- 100 Wallballs 6/4 (14lbs/10 lbs)
FINAL THOUGHTS
It's great to see a fitness competition that is accessible to a wide range of people. We hope that this event continues to grow in popularity and that more people become interested in making fitness and well-being a centerpiece of their lives.
Now that you know a little more about HYROX, what do you think about this fitness competition and events?
Andrew Lenau
Author