Hyrox Race Format Explained: The 8 Stations, Distances, Weights & Rules

This guide is written by HybridDept — a team of Hyrox finishers who have raced across Europe and know every station from the inside out.

What Is the Hyrox Race Format?

The Hyrox race format is deceptively simple: 8 km of running + 8 functional fitness stations, always in the same order, always in the same indoor venue. You run 1 km, complete one station, run 1 km, complete the next station — repeat eight times. What makes Hyrox brutally hard is not any single element but the accumulation: running on progressively heavier legs, lifting and carrying under cardiovascular fatigue. This is what hybrid athletes train for.

The Hyrox workout format is standardised worldwide — the same race in London, Paris, Chicago or Tokyo. Your Hyrox results are directly comparable with any finisher on the planet.

The 8 Hyrox Stations — Complete Breakdown

Station 1 — SkiErg (1,000 m)

The opening station of every Hyrox race. 1,000 metres on the SkiErg machine — a full-body pulling movement that targets the back, shoulders and core. Pacing is critical: going out too hard here burns your shoulders for the sled push. Elite athletes average 3:30–3:50 for this distance. Most Open finishers target 4:00–5:00.

Station 2 — Sled Push (50 m)

The Hyrox sled push is where many first-timers are humbled. The sled is loaded with weight plates and pushed 50 metres across the competition floor.

• Open Men: +102 kg total sled weight
• Open Women: +78 kg
• Pro Men: +150 kg
• Pro Women: +102 kg

Technique matters more than raw strength here. Drive through the legs, keep the hips low, and maintain a steady pace. Stopping the sled mid-station costs significant time.

Station 3 — Sled Pull (50 m)

Immediately after the push, the Hyrox sled pull uses a rope to drag the same (slightly lighter) sled back 50 metres.

• Open Men: +78 kg | Open Women: +56 kg
• Pro Men: +100 kg | Pro Women: +78 kg

By this point in the race, you have already run 3 km. The sled pull taxes the posterior chain and grip — a station to train specifically in your Hyrox preparation.

Station 4 — Burpee Broad Jump (80 m)

80 metres of burpee broad jumps — drop, chest to floor, explosive jump forward, repeat. This is the station that separates athletes who have trained the Hyrox workout specifically from those who have not. No equipment, pure body weight, but at kilometre 4 of the race, it is genuinely painful.

Station 5 — Rowing (1,000 m)

1,000 metres on a Concept2 rowing machine. Same distance for all categories and genders. The rowing station gives relative respite to the legs — but requires solid rowing technique to avoid burning the lower back. Target a split that mirrors your SkiErg pace. Elite athletes average 3:20–3:40 per 1,000 m at race pace.

Station 6 — Farmer's Carry (200 m)

Two kettlebells, 200 metres — 100 m out, turn, 100 m back.

• Open Men: 2 × 24 kg | Open Women: 2 × 16 kg
• Pro Men: 2 × 32 kg | Pro Women: 2 × 24 kg

Grip strength and shoulder stability are key. Dropping the kettlebells costs time — practise unbroken 200 m carries in training.

Station 7 — Sandbag Lunges (100 m)

A sandbag on the shoulder, 100 metres of walking lunges. This is consistently one of the two slowest stations for Open athletes.

• Open Men: 20 kg | Open Women: 10 kg
• Pro Men: 30 kg | Pro Women: 20 kg

By station 7, you have already run 7 km and completed 6 stations. Quad and glute fatigue is significant. Training lunges with load under pre-fatigue is essential for Hyrox training.

Station 8 — Wall Balls (100 reps)

The final station. 100 wall ball shots — squat, drive, throw the medicine ball to a target on the wall.

• Open Men: 6 kg to a 10-foot target | Open Women: 4 kg to a 9-foot target
• Pro Men: 9 kg | Pro Women: 6 kg

Wall balls finish you — or you finish them. Breaking them into sets of 20–25 with short rests is standard strategy. Going unbroken is possible but requires specific training. After 100 reps, you run the final 1 km to the finish line.

What Is the Roxzone?

The Roxzone is the transition area between each 1 km running segment and the next station. It includes the time to transition from running to the station, any waiting time, and the first movement of the station. Elite athletes move through the Hyrox roxzone in seconds. For Open finishers, roxzone time can accumulate to several minutes across the race — a significant, trainable variable in your final Hyrox result.

Compromised Running — The Hidden Challenge

Compromised running is the defining concept of Hyrox training. It refers to running after a functional fitness station — when your legs are loaded, your heart rate is elevated, and your form is breaking down. Your 1 km splits after station 5, 6, 7 and 8 will be significantly slower than your first two if you have not trained this specifically. Read our full guide on compromised running to understand how to train for it.

Hyrox Race Format — Open vs Pro vs Doubles

The Hyrox race format offers three competition formats:

• Open: Individual, for all fitness levels. Standard weights and distances as described above. The category where 90%+ of finishers compete.
• Pro: Individual, for competitive athletes. Higher weights, same distances. Requires a qualifying standard or race registration into the Pro wave.
• Doubles: Teams of two — Mixed, Men's or Women's. Both athletes alternate stations (each does half the reps/distance) and run every kilometre together. A completely different strategic race.

What to Wear for Your Hyrox Race

The Hyrox race format demands clothing that works for both running and functional fitness. On race day, most experienced finishers wear lightweight shorts or tights, a breathable tee, and a warm layer for the waiting period before the start wave. After the race, the Hyrox finisher hoodie becomes the standard — something earned, not bought in advance. Check the HybridDept Hyrox hoodie collection and Hyrox tee collection for race-specific finisher drops by city.