Are calisthenics athletes good at HYROX?

November 04, 2024 3 min read

You can’t have missed the rapid rise of Hyrox fitness races. But are they suited to calisthenics athletes? Does a background in calisthenics give you an edge in Hyrox or will you have to completely change your training routine? Let’s look at the pros and cons of Hyrox for calisthenics athletes.

What exactly is Hyrox?

Hyrox is kind of the lovechild of running and functional fitness. At a Hyrox event, you complete 8 x 1km runs, and between each run there’s a different workout station. These stations include sled pushes and pulls, burpee broad jumps, rowing, wall balls, and more. The aim of Hyrox is to test your endurance, strength, work capacity, and mental toughness. Depending on the athlete, it takes anywhere from 1-2 hours to complete a Hyrox.

What are the Hyrox exercises?

Between those 8 x 1000m runs, here’s what you’ll need to complete in any Hyrox event.

1000m skierg
50m sled push
50m sled pull
Burpee broad jumps
1000m row
200m farmers carry
100m sandbag lunges
Wall balls

Is calisthenics an advantage for Hyrox?

Calisthenics athletes often bring some big advantages into a Hyrox event, but they might also face some challenges.

4 ways calisthenics prepares you for Hyrox:

- Great levels of relative strength (brilliant for those burpees and farmers carries)

- Excellent body control and core stability

- Mental toughness from mastering challenging calisthenics movements

- Generally good power-to-weight ratio

4 ways calisthenics may let you down in Hyrox

- You may lack running endurance

- Might not be strong on loaded carries or sled work

- Could struggle with the volume of work required

- Typically less experienced with cardio equipment like skierg and rowers

How fit do you need to be for Hyrox?

Hyrox events are pretty tough, but they’re pitched at a wide range of people from beginners to elite. If you’re already into some kind of functional fitness, you can train to finish a Hyrox event. As a calisthenics athlete, you already have a decent base level of strength. Add some running and event-specific prep into the mix and you’ll be fine. Will it be comfortable? Probably not. Will it be fun? Absolutely.

Training for Hyrox - a calisthenics approach

If you're coming from a calisthenics background, here’s how to focus your training for a Hyrox event.

Running endurance

This is likely to be your biggest priority. Those 8 x 1km runs will add up quickly on the day. Start incorporating running into your routine.

Regular 3-5km steady runs to build endurance
Faster 800m runs to build pace
Add 400m-800m runs into your functional strength sessions to mimic race conditions

Loaded movement

You’ve already got great calisthenics strength, but you’ll need to get comfortable with external load for Hyrox, specifically sled push and pull, farmers carries, and sandbags.

Get used to the equipment

As a calisthenics athlete, you might not be familiar with the equipment you’ll need to use at a Hyrox event. Start making friends with the rowing machine, skierg, and wall balls.

Work Capacity

Hyrox isn’t just about cardio fitness on those runs, it’s also about work capacity. Start doing longer training sessions combining elements of Hyrox events, with EMOM-style intervals or AMRAP targets.

Hyrox training for calisthenics athletes

Everyone is different, but we reckon these might be the areas to focus on as you prepare for your first Hyrox event.

Running Economy

Your pull-up game might be strong, but running efficiency is crucial. Work on your form and build up your weekly mileage gradually.

Grip Endurance

Yes, you've got strong hands from all that rig and ring work, but Hyrox tests grip endurance in a different way. Practice farmers carries for time.

Cardiovascular Endurance

Supplement calisthenics with steady-state cardio and some faster paced intervals.

Movement Under Load

Practice your fundamental movements (squats, lunges, pushes, pulls) with external load.

Can calisthenics athletes excel at Hyrox?

Calisthenics gives you a great foundation for a Hyrox event, but you’ll need some specific training prep – mostly around endurance training and loaded movement practice. Try to maintain some calisthenics practice whilst gradually building up the specific fitness needed for Hyrox. This is meant to be fun, not a one way ticket to overtraining. The best news is that the combination of calisthenics, running, and loaded functional movements should make you an even more balanced athlete.