Hyrox Basics: Race Format, Categories, Weights & Times

What is Hyrox? Concept & history

Hyrox is a standardized fitness race that combines 8 kilometers of running with 8 functional workout stations: always in the same order, always with the same distances and weights, anywhere in the world. The central idea: one universal format that allows global comparison. Your time in Ghent is on the same leaderboard as that of an athlete in Tokyo or New York.

The race was created in 2017 by Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste, the latter a multiple Olympic hockey champion. Their premise was simple: millions of people train in gyms every day, but there is no measurable competition for them. Hyrox offers this competition without qualification requirements, without extremely technical movements, without time limits.

The first official event took place in April 2018 in Hamburg and attracted 650 participants. Six years later, there are more than 80 events per season worldwide, with more than 550,000 athletes per season. Popular events in cities such as Amsterdam, Mechelen and London sell out within hours.

The name "Hyrox" is a contraction of "hybrid" and "rockstar": a nod to the target group: the serious recreational athlete who makes the gym his sport.

What does a Hyrox race look like? The format from A to Z

A Hyrox race always runs the same way, in the same order:

Start → 1 km walk → SkiErg → 1 km walk → Sled Push → 1 km walk → Sled Pull → 1 km walk → Burpee Broad Jumps → 1 km walk → RowErg → 1 km walk → Farmers Carry → 1 km walk → Sandbag Lunges → 1 km walk → Wall Balls → Finish

These are 8 running laps and 8 stations, always alternating. The total walking distance is 8 kilometers. The total race distance including the RoxZone is 8.7 kilometers.

Every race takes place indoors: in large event or exhibition halls. No hills, no weather conditions, no obstacles. Everything is flat, controllable and reproducible. That is also why time comparison across locations is useful.

The track runs around the hall; the stations are located next to each other in the middle or along one wall. You do your kilometer each time, walk via the RoxZone to your station, leave the station and walk back onto the track for the next kilometer.

The RoxZone: what is it and why does it count?

The RoxZone is the transition zone between the track and the workout stations. Here you slow down, switch from the walking route to your station row and back. The RoxZone time simply counts towards your finishing time. There is no separate net time that does not include transitions.

That has a practical implication: anyone who wanders around the RoxZone for too long or stays at the drinks stand for too long loses real time. Experienced Hyrox athletes run the RoxZone with intention: straight to the station, no unnecessary detours.

The RoxZone is also the only moment where you can consciously reset your approach per station: regulate your breathing before getting on the device, or mentally switch from walking to the next station.

Time Cap & DNF

There is no official time limit for a Hyrox race. Anyone who performs the stations correctly and completes the runs will finish regardless of the pace. That is a conscious choice: Hyrox positions itself as "a sport for everyone."

DNF (Did Not Finish) occurs when:

• You skip a station or run it out of order
• You repeatedly violate minimum movement standards after warnings
• You leave the course without permission from the race director

Disqualification (DQ) occurs when:

• Use of prohibited material or external assistance (someone gives you something during the race)
• Repeated violations after time penalties already imposed
• Using wrong weight & refusing to redo

All official weights per category

The weights are officially recorded in the Hyrox rulebook and apply to all events worldwide. Below are the full tables per station for singles:

Sled Push (50 m - including sled weight)

Sled Pull (50 m - including sled weight)

Farmers Carry (200 m)

Sandbag Lunges (100 m)

Wall Balls (100 reps)

SkiErg, Burpee Broad Jumps and RowErg do not have weight variables. The distance is identical for all categories (1,000 m, 80 m and 1,000 m respectively).

Doubles: The weights in the Doubles category follow the Open and Pro weights. Women's Doubles use the women's weights and Men's Doubles use the men's weights. In the Mixed Doubles (1 man + 1 woman), the men's weights are used, but the women throw the Wall Balls at the women's target and the men throw at the men's target with the same Wall Ball (of 6 kg).

Important: It is always the athlete's own responsibility to pick the right weight. With the Sled Push, Sled Pull and Wall Balls, the weights and ball are adjusted for you to the station. With the Farmers Carry and Sandbag Lunges you choose your own weight from the designated boxes. Always check before you start.

Hyrox vs. CrossFit vs. OCR: what's the difference?

Hyrox is often compared to CrossFit and obstacle course races (OCR) such as Spartan or Tough Mudder. The three are fundamentally different in nature.

Hyrox vs. CrossFit

CrossFit works with daily varying workouts (WODs), complex Olympic weightlifting and gymnastics, and does not have a standardized racing format. Hyrox has one fixed format, no complex technical movements, and is primarily a timed race. No scoring on reps or weights. Where CrossFit focuses on broad athletic capacity, Hyrox focuses on endurance and efficiency within a fixed structure. Many CrossFit athletes do Hyrox, but they are different sports.

Hyrox vs. OCR (obstacle course races)

OCR races such as Spartan, Tough Mudder or Mudmaster combine running with obstacles in nature: mud, walls, ropes, water. They take place outside, the course changes per event, and comparing times across locations is not useful. Hyrox is always indoors, always on a flat and standardized course, and offers a global leaderboard that allows direct comparison. OCR tests adventurousness and obstacle-specific skills; Hyrox tests functional endurance strength in a controlled environment.

What makes Hyrox unique

The fixed format is both Hyrox's strength and distinction. You know exactly what's coming. You can approach every race strategically, keep track of every split and improve every station in a targeted manner. That makes Hyrox ideal for people who want to measure progress, and that is exactly why so many athletes come back for the next race.

Categories in detail: Open, Pro, Doubles, Relay & Age Groups

Open

The default category. No qualification requirements, accessible to everyone. The weights are challenging but achievable for a well-prepared recreational athlete. Open is by far the largest category at any event.

Pro

Significantly heavier weights than Open at five stations: Sled Push, Sled Pull, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges and Wall Balls. Pro is intended for athletes who have optimized their Open times and are looking for an extra challenge. The best Pro athletes qualify for the Elite 15 — a separate circuit of the 15 best athletes in the world, who participate in several events per season and ultimately compete in the World Championship.

Doubles

You do the race with a partner. Both partners complete all eight running laps: the 8 kilometers are not shared. At the functional stations you alternate freely: one works, one rests. Available as:

• Women's Doubles (Open & Pro)
• Men's Doubles (Open & Pro)
• Mixed Doubles (Open only)

Doubles is popular with couples and sports buddies. The combined load is lower than solo, but teamwork and switching strategy play a major role in the finishing time.

Relay

Four people divide the race into segments. Each segment consists of one walking kilometer and one station. Relay is the most accessible version of Hyrox and popular with groups and corporate teams.

Age Groups

Within Open and Pro there are age categories, ranging from U24 to 70+. Your age group is determined by your age on the day of the race. Your finishing time automatically counts for both the general and age rankings. Er is geen aparte inschrijving nodig.

Age Groups have their own podium and qualifying slots for the World Championship. For many recreational athletes, the age ranking is the most relevant benchmark: you compare yourself with people in the same phase of life, with the same recovery capacity and time availability.

Average finishing times: what is good, average and top?

Hyrox times vary enormously: from just under an hour for the absolute elite to more than two hours for first-time participants. Below is an honest picture per level and category.

Average finishing times per category

Sources: TheProgrm, Rox Lyfe, RoxHype (averages over multiple seasons)

Important note: these averages are strongly influenced by experienced athletes who have several Hyrox races to their name. A first competitor is realistically slower than the average, and that is completely normal.

What is "good", "average" and "top"?

Men's Open

• Beginning (first Hyrox): 1:45 – 2:15
• Average (recreational, well prepared): 1:25 – 1:45
• Good (competitive age grouper): 1:10 – 1:25
• Top (podium / World Cup qualifying): sub 1:05

Women Open

• Beginning (first Hyrox): 1:50 – 2:20
• Average (recreational, well prepared): 1:30 – 1:50
• Good (competitive age grouper): 1:15 – 1:30
• Top (podium / World Cup qualification): sub 1:10

Pro (men & women)

• Competitive: 1:05 – 1:25
• Elite 15 / world top: sub 1:00 (men), sub 1:05 (women)

World records (season 2024/25): men Pro ~53:15, women Pro ~56:22.

What determines your finishing time the most?

Data from RoxHype and TheProgrm shows that the biggest time differences between recreational athletes and trained Hyrox athletes are not so much in running time, but in five specific stations: Sled Push, Wall Balls, Burpee Broad Jumps, RoxZone transitions and Sandbag Lunges. Technology and pacing at those stations save more time than running faster.

Where and when: Benelux, Europe & worldwide

Benelux

In the 2025/26 season, the best-known Benelux locations are:

• België: Mechelen (March 27-29, 2026), Gent (December 17-20, 2026)
• Nederland: Amsterdam (January 22-25, 2026), Rotterdam (April 16-19, 2026), Heerenveen (May 14-17, 2026), Maastricht (September 17-20, 2026), Utrecht (November 26-29, 2026)

Tickets for Dutch and Belgian events are often sold out months in advance. Amsterdam and Rotterdam are the biggest events in the Benelux, with up to 14,000 participants per weekend.

Europe

Hyrox has a strong presence in Germany (Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt), the United Kingdom (London, Manchester, Birmingham), Spain (Madrid, Barcelona), Scandinavia (Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen) and Switzerland. The European Championship changes location per season.

Worldwide

Outside Europe, the largest events are in the US (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami), Australia; (Sydney, Melbourne) and Asiaë (Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo). The World Championship takes place annually in an American city — Chicago was the location in 2025.

Register

All events and tickets are available via hyrox.com/find-my-race. Register as early as possible: popular events open registrations months in advance and fill up quickly. No qualification is required for Open and Doubles. You technically don't need a qualification for Pro, but it is strongly recommended that you have completed at least one Open race.

FAQ: the most frequently asked questions about Hyrox

Do you want to know whether Hyrox is something for you based on your current level? View our starting level check on the suitability page. Ready to train? Go to the complete Hyrox training guide.