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Tom's Guide
Hyrox master trainer Jake Dearden shares exclusive 3-week training plan to get competition-ready
By Sam Hopes,
2 days ago
Get ready to smash Hyrox this year with Jake Dearden’s exclusive three-week training plan to get competition-ready.
Jake Dearden is an official Hyrox master trainer, head coach at 247 Represent and a Hyrox Doubles World Champion, so he certainly knows what it takes to prepare, whether you’re a first-timer or seasoned competitor.
If you’re new to Hyrox, the worldwide functional endurance fitness race has taken the industry by storm, kicking up some serious competition for good reason — it’s an “anyone and everyone” global race. If you’re competing this winter or just taking part for fun, Dearden has at least three weeks of your training plan already nailed down.
Get ready to throw down.
What is a Hyrox workout?
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Hyrox runs worldwide throughout the year and combines mental stamina, endurance and strength as you complete a total of eight 1km runs mixed with functional workout stations. Participants all complete the same workout against the clock, and the workout never changes, allowing you to build and smash PBs year after year while improving your functional fitness .
Best of all, you can compete alone, in a relay team, or with a partner of the same or opposite sex. Depending on your approach, you could be lifting men's or women's Hyrox competition weights, so it's worth checking the full workout before you begin training. Here’s the full Hyrox workout and everything you need to know.
Although Hyrox is considered inclusive, we recommend a few months of training to help maximize your efficiency on the day. Without a Hyrox-affiliated gym or trainer to hand, knowing how to train for Hyrox can be tricky. That’s where Dearden steps in.
During training, the focus will be on increasing your running output and working on functional endurance — practicing the exercises relevant to the workout and building full-body strength. Your plan should be tailored toward the workout, plus drilling down on weaknesses. For example, if you know you suffer with burpees or wall balls, pay close attention to them during training.
In short, add running sessions, functional strength training, and most importantly, learn to run under fatigue. Also, practice Hyrox simulations every few weeks to test your progress and identify areas for improvement.
A training plan that doesn’t account for your lifestyle is unattainable so make sure you program rest (this can include active recovery like walks or gentle jogging) and organize sessions into your week accordingly.
Exclusive: 3-week Hyrox Training Plan from master trainer Jake Dearden
Here’s a three-week training plan you can use to get started and inform your training routine.
Week 1
Monday: Hyrox-specific workout
Ski Erg:
12 x 250m 45 seconds rest
Ski 250 meters on the ski erg, then rest for 45 seconds and repeat 12 rounds.
“Try to be consistent across all 12 efforts at a tough but repeatable pace,” advises Dearden. “Scale to 8 rounds if the accumulated volume is too high.”
Tuesday: Speed work run
“Within this run, you will complete six 1k runs at your target pace for your Hyrox race with four minutes rest between each kilometer,” says Dearden.
If you’re unsure about the pace you’re aiming for, look for a speed you can maintain without burning out. A common mistake is to go too fast too early on competition day, so you’ll need to hold some back for those later rounds.
Wednesday: Hyrox station-specific workout
“This workout will include specific movements that you are required to perform during your Hyrox race,” says Dearden.
Strength:
Walking lunges
3 x 50m @ 1.5 x Hyrox weight Rest: 2 minutes between sets
Sled push
3 x 25m @ Hyrox weight Rest: 1 minute between sets
Sled pull
3 x 25m @ Hyrox weight Rest:1 minute between sets
Workout:
4 sets In 3 minutes complete:
30 wall balls @ Hyrox weight In the remaining time: maximum distance farmers carry @ Hyrox weight Rest: 2 minutes
“Don’t be too concerned about distance for this run but aim to build up to a run for around the time you feel it will take to complete a Hyrox,” says Dearden. “On average, this will be around 90 minutes. For the first week, run for 1 hour at a steady pace.”
“Complete each station as fast as you can and then rest the remainder of the 5 minutes,” Dearden advises.
Tuesday: Speed work run
8x1km runs with 4 minutes of rest.
Wednesday: Hyrox-specific workout
Row
10 x 500m Rest: 1 minute
Rest 3 minutes
Ski erg
10 x 500m Rest: 1 minute
Try to keep all intervals at a tough but repeatable pace.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Lower body strength workout
Back squats:
4 sets of 6-8 reps @ heavier weight than weeks 1&2 Rest: 2 minutes
Deadlifts:
4 sets of 6-8 reps @ heavier weight than weeks 1&2 Rest: 2 minutes
Bulgarian split squats:
3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg @ heavier weight than weeks 1&2 Rest: 90 seconds
Kettlebell swings:
3 sets of 15-20 reps @ heavier weight than weeks 1&2 Rest: 1 minute
Box jumps:
3 sets of 10 reps (increase height of box from week 2) Rest: 1 minute
Saturday: Long run
1 hour 30 min run at a steady pace.
Sunday: Rest
Bottom line
The week before a Hyrox, focus on de-loading. This means dropping things down to around 70-80% effort, reducing your distances on the runs and taking some rest a few days beforehand, preparing you to feel rested and ready to go on the day.
In general with Hyrox training, you’re looking to add a few runs per week, including a long run that builds over the weeks and some sort of speed session as Dearden programs above. Dearden’s program also includes some runs between stations to give you an idea of how running under fatigue feels.
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