If you’ve been anywhere near a gym lately or scrolled through fitness content online, you’ve probably heard the word “HYROX” being thrown around. It’s on everyone’s lips, plastered across gym walls, and filling up Instagram feeds with sweaty finisher photos. But if you’re still not quite sure what it is or whether it’s for you — you’re in the right place.
So, What Actually Is HYROX?
HYROX is a fitness race. Simple as that. Created in Germany back in 2017, it’s grown into one of the biggest sporting events on the planet, with over 1.3 million people expected to take part in 100+ events worldwide during the 2025/26 season.
The concept is brilliantly straightforward: you run 8 kilometres (split into 8 × 1km runs), and between each run, you complete one functional workout station. Eight runs, eight stations, and a whole lot of sweat.
What makes HYROX different from, say, a Tough Mudder or other obstacle events is that the format is always identical. Every HYROX race — whether you’re in London, Birmingham, or Tokyo — features the exact same eight stations, in the exact same order, with the same distances. That means you can train specifically for it, compare your time with friends, and genuinely get better at the thing you’re doing.
The 8 HYROX Stations Explained
Here’s what you’ll face after each 1km run:
1. SkiErg (1,000m) — You’ll pull two overhead cables down in a smooth, rhythmic motion that mimics cross-country skiing. A great full-body aerobic challenge to ease you in.
2. Sled Push (50m) — Load up a weighted sled and push it across the floor. Sounds simple. Very much is not.
3. Sled Pull (50m) — Same sled, but this time you’re walking backwards pulling it with a rope. Grip strength and leg drive are key.
4. Burpee Broad Jumps (80m) — A crowd favourite for all the wrong reasons. You’ll burpee-into-broad-jump your way across 80 metres. It’s as brutal as it sounds.
5. Rowing (1,000m) — A full kilometre on a Concept2 rowing machine. If you haven’t trained on a rower, this is the one that catches people out.
6. Farmers Carry (200m) — Pick up a pair of heavy kettlebells and walk 200 metres. Simple in theory, grip-destroying in practice.
7. Sandbag Lunges (100m) — Shoulder a sandbag and lunge your way down 100 metres. By this point in the race, your legs will be having a serious word with you.
8. Wall Balls (100 reps) — The final station. Squat and throw a weighted ball against a target on the wall, over and over. When you finish, the race is done.
Is HYROX Actually for Beginners?
This is the big question, and the good news is: yes. HYROX is genuinely beginner-friendly in a way that a lot of fitness events aren’t.
There are three main race categories for newcomers:
- Open — Individual racing, perfect for your first event. No podium pressure, just you vs. the clock.
- Doubles — You share the workload with a partner, splitting the running and the stations between you. Great if you want the experience without the full solo slog.
- Relay — A team of four splits up the stations between them. If you want to try it with mates before committing to the full thing, this is the one.
The weights are scaled between categories too, so women, men, and mixed divisions all have different loads at each station.
Most beginners need around 8–12 weeks of focused training to feel ready for their first race. You don’t need to be a CrossFit veteran or an ultra-runner — a solid aerobic base, some functional strength work, and a bit of specific prep for the trickier stations (looking at you, sled) goes a long way.
HYROX UK Events in 2026
UK events sell out fast — sometimes months in advance — so if you’re thinking about signing up, don’t hang around. Here’s what’s left on the 2026 calendar:
- Birmingham (NEC): 27 October – 1 November 2026
- London (ExCeL): 2–6 December 2026
Both events also include YoungStars days for juniors — Birmingham on 31 Oct–1 Nov and London on 5–6 Dec — so if you’ve got fitness-mad kids, it’s a cracking family weekend out too.
Check hyrox.com for the latest availability and registration. If you’re interested in Birmingham, genuinely, move quickly.
How to Start Training for HYROX
You don’t need to overhaul your entire routine overnight. Here’s a simple framework to get started:
Build your running base first. The 8km of running is the backbone of HYROX. If you’re not running regularly, start adding 2–3 runs a week into your routine, mixing easy-effort runs with some tempo work.
Practice the stations. Most well-equipped gyms have SkiErgs, rowing machines, and sleds. Start working these into your sessions. The sled push and pull in particular can feel foreign if you’ve never done them — getting some practice in before race day makes a massive difference.
Train the transitions. HYROX is won and lost in the ability to keep moving after a run. Practice going from running to rowing, or straight into lunges, so your body adapts to the switch.
Don’t neglect your grip. Farmers carries and sled pulls are grip-intensive. Add farmers carries and dead hangs into your routine early on.
If you’re looking for a gym in the UK that offers HYROX-specific training or functional fitness classes to help you prep, find a gym near you on Gymist — many gyms now run dedicated HYROX prep sessions ahead of the big race weekends.
The Community Side of It
One of the things that makes HYROX genuinely special isn’t just the race itself — it’s the atmosphere. HYROX events are loud, supportive, and electric. Strangers cheer each other through the final wall balls. People compare stations and swap training tips in the post-event area. There’s something about sharing the same fixed suffering with thousands of other people that creates a brilliant sense of community.
The events run over multiple days with multiple waves, so you’re often racing alongside hundreds of other people across all fitness levels. Elites are competing for podiums. First-timers are just trying to finish. Everyone’s welcome.
Ready to Give It a Go?
Whether you end up entering the Birmingham or London event later this year, or just start training with HYROX as a fitness goal in mind, it’s a genuinely brilliant way to structure your training. The format gives you something to train for, the community is ace, and crossing that finish line — no matter your time — feels pretty damn good.
Now go find a sled.
Gymfo 