At a glance
Plan length
16 weeks
Built with phases, cutbacks, and a taper you can actually execute.
Weekly rhythm
3–6 days/week
Choose one variant and follow it for 2 weeks before tweaking.
Typical session time
Easy: ~40m • Long: ~85m
Prefer consistent minutes over heroic single sessions.
Readiness gate
- • You can run 20–30 min continuously.
- • You can complete basic strength movements with good form.
Default recommendation
3 days/week (Beginner)
Start here to reduce decision fatigue. Customize only after your first two weeks feel stable.
- • Run base + stations technique; protect recovery.
Safety first
This is general training information, not medical advice.
- • Pain with loaded squats/hinges.
- • Persistent knee/shoulder pain under volume.
Coaching beta
Want this adapted to your recovery?
Get coach-style adjustments when you miss sessions, sleep poorly, or feel fatigue signals.
Week by week
Structure you can scan
Use this as your decision map: what matters this week, what the long run is doing, and where you should back off.
| Week | Phase | Focus | Long session | Key workouts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Base | Build engine + movement quality; learn stations. | Run base session + technique stations (controlled) | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 2 | Base | Build engine + movement quality; learn stations. | Run base session + technique stations (controlled) | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 3 | Base | Build engine + movement quality; learn stations. | Run base session + technique stations (controlled) | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 4 | Base | Build engine + movement quality; learn stations. | Run base session + technique stations (controlled) | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | Cutback week |
| 5 | Build | Progress stations under fatigue; keep run quality controlled. | Longer mixed session: run intervals + stations | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 6 | Build | Progress stations under fatigue; keep run quality controlled. | Longer mixed session: run intervals + stations | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 7 | Build | Progress stations under fatigue; keep run quality controlled. | Longer mixed session: run intervals + stations | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 8 | Build | Progress stations under fatigue; keep run quality controlled. | Longer mixed session: run intervals + stations | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | Cutback week |
| 9 | Build | Progress stations under fatigue; keep run quality controlled. | Longer mixed session: run intervals + stations | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 10 | Build | Progress stations under fatigue; keep run quality controlled. | Longer mixed session: run intervals + stations | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 11 | Peak | Race-simulation blocks (scaled) + transition discipline. | Scaled race-sim: 2–4 rounds (not maximal) | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 12 | Peak | Race-simulation blocks (scaled) + transition discipline. | Scaled race-sim: 2–4 rounds (not maximal) | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | Cutback week |
| 13 | Peak | Race-simulation blocks (scaled) + transition discipline. | Scaled race-sim: 2–4 rounds (not maximal) | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 14 | Peak | Race-simulation blocks (scaled) + transition discipline. | Scaled race-sim: 2–4 rounds (not maximal) | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 15 | Taper | Reduce load; keep rhythm; sharpen execution. | Short mixed session + mobility | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
| 16 | Taper | Reduce load; keep rhythm; sharpen execution. | Short mixed session + mobility | 1K repeats + station practice • Strength + sled technique | — |
Workout library
The sessions you repeat
You don’t need 50 workouts. You need a small library that you execute consistently, then progress safely.
1K repeats + stations (quality)
Purpose: Practice controlled running under station fatigue.
Prescription: 3–6 rounds: 1K run at controlled hard + 1 station at sustainable effort. Rest 2–3 min between rounds.
Substitutions
- • Shorter repeats (500m) if you’re new; keep form clean.
Red flags
- • Station failure early (too hard).
- • Run pace collapses after round 2.
Sled push/pull technique (submax)
Purpose: Build efficiency and reduce ‘panic strength’ under fatigue.
Prescription: 6–10 short reps with full recovery. Focus on positions, breathing, and smooth pacing.
Substitutions
- • Hill pushes or prowler alternatives if sled isn’t available.
Red flags
- • Lower back pain.
- • Form breakdown under load.
Wall balls (density)
Purpose: Build repeatability and pacing discipline.
Prescription: 3–5 sets: 20–40 reps at controlled cadence; rest 2–3 min. Stop before failure.
Substitutions
- • Thrusters if wall ball target isn’t available.
Red flags
- • Going to failure every set.
- • Shoulder pain.
Run threshold (controlled)
Purpose: Raise sustainable run pace without blowing up stations.
Prescription: 2–4 × 8–10 min at controlled hard with 2–3 min easy between.
Substitutions
- • Tempo run 20–25 min continuous if pacing is disciplined.
Red flags
- • All-out intensity.
- • Needing to ‘surge’ to finish reps.
Strength durability (short + consistent)
Purpose: Support injury resilience and station performance.
Prescription: 2×/week, 25–40 min: hinge, squat pattern, pulls, trunk. Leave 1–2 reps in the tank.
Substitutions
- • Travel circuit: split squats, rows, carries, core.
Red flags
- • DOMS ruining run quality.
- • Form breakdown under fatigue.
Race simulation (scaled)
Purpose: Practice transitions and pacing — without weekly maximal efforts.
Prescription: 2–4 rounds: 1K run + 2 stations. Keep it sustainable; finish feeling like you could do one more round.
Substitutions
- • Shorter run segments if needed; keep station form strict.
Red flags
- • Weekly maximal sims.
- • Technique collapse at stations.
Adaptation rules
What to do when life happens
Most training failures are not fitness failures — they’re pacing, sleep, or scheduling failures. Use simple rules.
Missed workout
- • Keep one mixed session + one run session that week; skip extra volume.
- • Don’t ‘double up’ stations after you miss them.
Low sleep week
- • Reduce station load before reducing easy volume.
- • Keep running controlled; no ego pacing.
Fatigue signals
- • If grip/legs feel dead, drop station intensity and keep form strict.
- • Turn the session into technique work.
Pain or injury
- • Stop if pain changes movement pattern.
- • Swap to low-impact cardio and technique-only stations until pain-free.
Travel week
- • Short sessions win: 25–35 min with one key focus.
- • Use bodyweight strength and easy runs; keep momentum.
Tools
Numbers to train with
Pick one tool, generate outputs, then plug them into your training week.
Predictor
HYROX finish time (rough)
Input your average 1km run split and average station time. Get a rough finish estimate (use it for planning, not as a promise).
Per transition. Multiplied across the event.
Total estimate
Runs total
Stations total
Limitations: station times vary by fitness, technique, and event flow; transitions can balloon in crowded heats. Treat this as a planning baseline.
Calculator
Running pace + splits
Enter distance and finish time. Get pace per km/mile and a simple splits table.
Same unit as distance.
Pace / km
Pace / mile
Total time
| Split | Distance (km) | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 5:00 |
| 2 | 2 | 10:00 |
| 3 | 3 | 15:00 |
| 4 | 4 | 20:00 |
| 5 | 5 | 25:00 |
| 6 | 6 | 30:00 |
| 7 | 7 | 35:00 |
| 8 | 8 | 40:00 |
| 9 | 9 | 45:00 |
| 10 | 10 | 50:00 |
Assumptions: steady pacing; no terrain/wind adjustments. Use this to plan, then calibrate by effort in real conditions.
Evidence (high level)
Why this structure works
- • HYROX success is pacing + repeatability: avoid weekly max efforts that crush recovery.
- • A small set of repeatable workouts beats a constantly changing session roulette.
- • Transitions and station technique are trainable skills; they’re not ‘free’.
- • Controlled run quality plus consistent strength is the safe progression path.
- • The best sessions feel controlled: if you’re failing reps, gasping early, or losing technique, you’re training panic — not execution. Keep most work submax so you can repeat it week after week.
FAQs
Should I do a full race simulation every week?
No. Use scaled simulations to practice pacing and transitions without destroying recovery. Save full efforts for specific checkpoints.
What should I improve first?
Your weakest station and your run consistency. Small improvements compound across 8 stations and 8 runs.
How should I pace the first half?
Conservatively. The goal is to execute stations late with good form, not to win the first 10 minutes.
How much strength training do I need?
Two short sessions per week is a strong default. Keep it consistent and avoid soreness that ruins running.
What if I’m sore before a mixed session?
Scale load, keep form strict, and treat it like technique practice. Consistency matters more than one hard day.
How do I avoid shoulder/elbow issues?
Progress volume slowly, keep technique strict, and avoid repeated failure sets on high-rep stations.
Keep going
HYROX Training Hub
HYROX training plans, tools, and checklists — structured to balance running + stations without weekly maximal efforts.
HYROX Time Predictor
Estimate HYROX finish time from your average 1km run split, station times, and transitions. Useful for planning pacing and training blocks.
Running Pace Calculator (with Splits)
Convert distance + time into pace per km/mile and generate a splits table. Useful for planning workouts and race pacing.
Taper Week Checklist (Arrive Fresh, Not Flat)
A practical taper checklist: what to reduce, what to keep, and what to rehearse so race week is calm and repeatable.
Sources
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
- Physical Activity
- ACSM guidance and position stands (see journals for specifics)
- Effects of Strength Training on the Physiological Determinants of Middle- and Long-Distance Running Performance: A Systematic Review
- Effects of 16 weeks of pyramidal and polarized training intensity distributions in well-trained endurance runners
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (PDF)