Thinking of entering a HYROX competition? The best preparation starts with understanding what the event asks you to do and adjusting your training as needed. HYROX alternates eight 1 km runs with eight functional workout stations. You need the endurance to keep running, the strength to complete the stations, and the ability to move between the two without losing your rhythm.
At BPM Fitness Centre, we help athletes prepare for those demands through coached HYROX classes, strength training, running support and race simulations. Here is how to build a training plan that makes sense for your experience and the time you have before race day.
Make running a regular part of your plan
Running accounts for a substantial portion of a HYROX race, so it deserves dedicated practice. A common mistake is to do plenty of station workouts while leaving most running to the end of a circuit. That can build confidence with the equipment, but it gives you fewer chances to develop a comfortable running pace.
Include runs that feel manageable enough to hold a conversation, along with occasional faster efforts suited to your current fitness. As the race approaches, practise returning to a steady pace after a station. You do not need to turn every run into an all-out workout. Consistent running gives you more opportunities to learn what pace you can sustain.
If you are increasing your running or want a closer look at how you move, BPM’s Performance+ Running Assessment offers treadmill gait analysis and coaching. It can help you identify useful areas to work on as you prepare for a HYROX competition.
Build strength you can use at the stations
HYROX training involves more than lifting heavy once. Sled work, carries, lunges and wall balls all ask you to produce force repeatedly while managing fatigue. A sound strength plan helps you practise the movement patterns behind those stations and improve your control.
Focus on exercises that support squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling and carrying. Increase the challenge gradually as your technique and recovery allow. At BPM, you can pair strength and conditioning classes with HYROX sessions, or work with a coach through personal training if you want a plan tailored to your starting point.
The goal is to arrive at each station knowing how to move efficiently. A stronger lift is useful when it also helps you handle the work that follows.
Train for the HYROX transitions
A race can feel very different from a standalone run or a fresh set of wall balls. After a demanding station, your breathing and legs may take time to settle. Training those transitions helps you recognize the feeling and respond calmly.
Try workouts that alternate manageable running segments with selected stations. Begin with a few rounds and enough rest to keep your technique consistent. Over time, your coach can adjust the work to reflect your race goals. You can also practise how you enter a station, set up your equipment and resume running afterward.
BPM’s HYROX classes give you a coached setting to work on these skills. The studio has sleds, turf, wall balls, sandbags, kettlebells, SkiErgs and RowErgs, so you can become familiar with the movements you will encounter in competition.
Match training to your race division
Your preparation should reflect the event you entered. Singles athletes complete the race individually. Doubles partners share the station work, while relay teammates divide the race into sections. The running, pacing and teamwork you practise should fit your division.
For doubles, rehearse how you will divide station work and communicate when it is time to switch. For a first singles race, concentrate on sustainable pacing and smooth movement before worrying about a target finishing time. Whatever your division, check the current official rules for your event so you know its station standards and requirements.
Leave room to recover
Good HYROX preparation combines challenging sessions with time to absorb them. You do not have to race a simulation every week to make progress. Spread demanding runs, strength sessions and station workouts across your schedule, and give yourself easier days when you need them. If a training load is leaving you persistently worn down, adjust it with your coach.
As your competition gets close, use your final training period to reinforce familiar movements, pacing and confidence. Race week is a poor time to test a new workout or dramatically increase your training.
Start where you are
The best HYROX training plan is one you can follow consistently. For some athletes, that means building a running base. For others, it means improving station technique or learning to pace the first kilometres. A coach can help you choose where to focus.
If you are searching for HYROX training in Victoria, BC, explore BPM’s class schedule, or ask about personal training. We will help you prepare for your upcoming HYROX competition one purposeful session at a time.
If you’re preparing for HYROX Vancouver, you now have a clear date to work toward: the event returns December 18–20, 2026, and it will take place at the Vancouver Convention Centre. With race weekend approaching, use your training time to build consistent running, practise the stations and learn a pace you can sustain.
References
- Brandt, T., Ebel, C., Lebahn, C., & Schmidt, A. (2025). Acute physiological responses and performance determinants in Hyrox©: A new running-focused high intensity functional fitness trend. Frontiers in Physiology, 16, 1519240. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1519240
- Llanos-Lagos, C., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Moran, J., & Sáez de Villarreal, E. (2024). Effect of strength training programs in middle- and long-distance runners’ economy at different running speeds: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 54, 895–932. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01978-y
- Huiberts, R. O., et al. (2024). Concurrent strength and endurance training: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the impact of sex and training status. Sports Medicine, 54, 485–503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01943-9
