If I pull out my phone now and open my Instagram, how long does it take to scroll through a post from one of my friends (or fitness influencers) from Lululemon Clad who are competing on Hyrox?
Since its inception eight years ago, Fitness Challenge has become a social media sensation, with over 650,000 athletes taking part in 84 sports in 25 countries. Tickets are more difficult than Glastonbury tickets, and the event was sold out a few months ago. So why is everyone so crazy?
Hyrox is an indoor fitness field where participants alternate between 8km of running and 8 functional workout stations. 1000m Skierg, 50m Thread Push, 50m Thread Pull, 80m Burpee Broad Jumbs, 1000m row, 200m Farmer’s Carry, 100m punching bag range and 100 wall balls.
Hyrox combines both running and functional workout stations
There are four different “splits” to choose from. You can go solo in the Open or Pro category. Combine doubles categories and run together to split each workout station. Alternatively, split the challenge in four ways: the Team Relay category, with each teammate completing two rounds of runs and workout stations.
It is technically a “everyone” and “everybody” sport, attracting both professional athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts, but Highlocks is still a mental and physical endurance test and it is not wise to show up without preparation and training.
Megan Grabpersonal trainer and founder of fitness apps BeyondShe competed in her first High Rocks held in London in May this year. She says strength training is the foundation of fitness competitions, but the running element should not be ignored.
“It also includes eight rounds of weighted exercises so it may not look like a running race, but after 100 rushes while carrying 10 or 20 kilograms of sandbags on your shoulder, you’ll enter the kilometer of running directly.”
Fitness expert Meggan Grubb will compete in her first Hyrox in May
With just eight weeks left until her first High Rocks, Grubb is in full training mode. Below, she shared her go-to weightlifting exercises that mimic the now-growing workout stations of racing.
Skierg
This is a full-body workout that involves the upper and lower body and core muscles when done efficiently. It’s so unique that it’s difficult to replicate in the gym. That being said, it’s an aerobic-based exercise, so Grubb suggests running and spinning to prepare himself.
Sled Push
If gym floors are allowed, practice this station by pushing the weight plate onto the floor. Many of the sled pushes target lower body muscles, so the bear covering the dumbbell moves the dumbbell forward and watches the bear crawl in front of it. And then, moving the dumbbells over and over again is another good exercise.
Sleigh pull
Sled pulling is another difficult move to replicate. According to Grubb, the only movement that is relatively similar is pulling the rope onto the cable machine. As it mainly uses your back muscles and biceps, she also recommends practicing your upper body movements, especially your pull movements, by bending into rows.
Burpee Broad Jump
If you have space to practice burpees while jumping in the gym, do that. If not, and if you want to practice the jumping elements of the exercise, Grubb will suggest jumping Burpee between boxes or jumping to the plate.
Highlocks require strength training, but you should not ignore the running elements
line
Practice this section should be very easy as most gyms have rowing machines. The line is primarily aerobic exercise, but Grubb points out that it will also use upper body strength, so we suggest exercises like push-ups to your training schedule.
Farmer’s Carry
This station targets the strength of your back muscles, cores and grips. A good way to practice that feeling, especially the grip of a farmer’s carry, is a dead hang.
punching bag lunge
Targeting thighs and glute muscles, punching bag lunges can be easily replicated in a gym with dumbbells and barbells. Grubb suggests practicing with heavier weights than you would use while you’re competing, as you’re likely to get tired at this point in the competition. She also recommends practicing single leg movements and balance to perform exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and step-ups.
Wallball
The functional, whole body movement of the wall ball involves firing a medicine ball from a full squat against the wall and catching it when rebounding, but in the gym you can replicate it with a squat thrust.
