Hyrox SkiErg: Technique, Damper, Times & Tips

What is the SkiErg at Hyrox?

The SkiErg is the first of 8 stations in a Hyrox race, right after your first kilometer run. You trek 1,000 meters on a Concept2 SkiErg — a machine that mimics the movement of cross-country skiing. Pull both handles down simultaneously while making a slight hip movement. It's not an arm station. Those who do it well involve their entire body.

Officially Hyrox describes the SkiErg as an exercise for "arms, shoulders and core", but in practice — with correct technique — your buttocks, hamstrings and back are also actively involved. The more muscle groups you use, the more efficiently you work and the less quickly you become exhausted.

Rules & Standards at the SkiErg

The official distance is 1,000 meters for all categories — solo and doubles. In the doubles category, the partners alternate; the resting partner may not adjust the damper while the other is skiing.

The most important rules of the game at a glance:

• Both feet must be on the SkiErg platform at all times. Temporary lifting is allowed, but your heels should not touch the floor.
• Before the start, a referee sets the monitor to zero. Check this — never start on a monitor that has not been reset.
• After reaching 1,000 meters, raise a hand to signal the judge. You may only leave the platform after confirmation from the judge.
• The damper can be adjusted as often as you want.
• In the event of a violation, the head judge may impose a time penalty.

Which vaper setting do you use best?

The damper is the lever on the side of the SkiErg that determines how much air the flywheel draws in with each pull. The machines are preset at the competition to setting 6 for all categories, but you are allowed to adjust that setting — as much as you want.

Note: higher damper ≠ more resistance by definition. The SkiErg uses wind resistance: the faster the flywheel turns, the more resistance there is — regardless of the damper setting. The damper rather determines the feel of the draw: heavier and slower at high, lighter and faster at low.

Concept2 explains it this way: a higher setting allows more air into the flywheel, which makes each pull harder but also makes the flywheel slow down faster. A lower setting retains more energy in the flywheel, making it easier to maintain faster strokes. Compare it to gears on a bicycle — a low gear lets you pedal quickly, but that does not automatically translate into more speed.

Practical advice: test during training which position best suits your strength level and stroke rate. Most Hyrox athletes perform optimally between positions 4 and 7. Don't know? Start at position 5-6 and adjust in your subsequent training sessions. More information about drag factor can be found at concept2.com.

SkiErg times vary greatly by level. What is important to realize: the SkiErg is not the station where you gain or lose minutes— it's the station where you lay the foundation for the rest of your race. A SkiErg that is too fast will cost you more time in the next seven stations than you will gain here.

Do you want to know how quickly you can complete the SkiErg? Take a 2km test on the SkiErg. Your SkiErg pace at Hyrox is roughly 5 to 10 seconds per 500m slowerthan that. Do you know your 5km pace? Then that is roughly your Hyrox pace on the SkiErg. Match effort, not ego — that's how Rox Lyfe puts it.

Technique: how do you use the SkiErg correctly?

The biggest misconception about the SkiErg: it's an arm station. It's not. Anyone who only uses his arms will be exhausted before he reaches half the distance. The SkiErg is a hip movement where the arms finish the work — not the other way around.

The basics: hip hinge, not squat

Each stroke starts at the hips, not the arms. Stand tall with the handles above your head and push your hips back (as in a deadlift setup). That hip movement with your weight brings the handles down. Your arms complete the movement by pulling the handles toward your hips, not lower. Do not force the stroke beyond hip level; the extra power you generate underneath is negligible, but the exhaustion is not.

Arm position: up to the hips, no further

A common mistake is going too deep with the arms, all the way to the knees or lower. This costs energy without significant additional output. Most of the power is in the top part of the stroke. Pull up to hip height, then return the handles smoothly and start again.

The tips are: yes or no?

For smaller athletes it may help to stand lightly on the forefoot at the start of the stroke. This increases your range of motion and gives the hips a little more room to start the movement. Larger athletes will notice less of a difference here. Try it out and see what works.

Breathe with the movement

Exhale on the downward pull (the power phase), inhale on the rise of the handles (the recovery phase). This prevents you from holding your breath and unnecessarily increasing your heart rate. Four counts out, four counts in, or just sync with each stroke.

Stroke rate: how many strokes per minute?

For most athletes, the optimal stroke rate with Hyrox is between 30 and 45 strokes per minute (SPM). Above 45 BPM, your heart rate rises quickly and you lose the rhythm. Less than 30 SPM per minute feels painfully slow but is sometimes more energetically efficient. Test your optimal cadence in training.

Which muscles does the SkiErg use?

The SkiErg is a full-body exercise, even though it doesn't feel like it. These are the muscle groups that are active with correct technique:

• Latissimus dorsi (back muscle): the primary pulling muscle in the downward movement.
• Trapezius & rhomboids: shoulder and back stability throughout the stroke.
• Core (abdomen & lower back): keeps your torso stable and directs power from hips to arms.
• Glutes & hamstrings: are actively involved in the hip hinge — good news for your wealth.
• Triceps & shoulders: finishing the stroke and control when rising.
• Biceps: supporting the pull down.

Please note:the SkiErg is relatively shoulder-intensive. If you already have injuries to your rotator cuff or shoulder joint, warm up thoroughly and adjust your range of motion. The SkiErg does not have to strain your shoulders if the technique is correct.

Pacing strategy: how do you divide the 1,000 meters?

Station 1 is a mental trap. You are fresh, the audience is cheering, and everything in your body wants to go full throttle. Don't do it! Anyone who sprints the SkiErg will pay the bill later — on the Sled Push, while running, at the Wall Balls. The SkiErg determines the rhythm of your entire race.

The golden rule: start at 80-85% of your maximum effort. Don't go faster unless you still feel good in the last 300-400 meters. The SkiErg is not a station to gain time, but one to not lose time.

• Start in a controlled manner around 80-85% of your max. Not by feeling, but based on your trained SkiErg pace.
• Focus on powerful, efficient pulls instead of short strokes.
• Keep a steady rhythm and synchronize breathing with each stroke.
• Speed up only in the last 300-400 meters, and only if you feel good.
• Take into account the run afterwards: you go straight out of the RoxZone into the next kilometer.

Marcus Rayfield, Personal Trainer at PureGym and Hyrox athlete, summarizes:

Solo vs Doubles: different approach

Solo: you do the full 1,000 meters. Maintain an even pace, focus on your technique and don't let athletes next to you rush you.

Doubles: the partners alternate when and as often as they want. Agree on a fixed strategy: change every 250m, or based on feeling? Whoever is most tired takes the shorter turn. Remember: the resting partner should not adjust the damper while the other is skiing.

The best tips for the SkiErg at Hyrox

• Don't go too fast! This is station 1. The fatigue you build up here can be taken to all other stations, a 7 km walk. 10 seconds slower here will pay you back many times over.
• Don't go too deep into your squat. The SkiErg is a hip hinge movement, not a squat. Push your hips back with a slight bend in the knees (do not sink deeply).
• Don't pull past your hips. The power is in the upper part of the stroke. Everything below hip level hardly produces any output, but it does cost you arm strength.
• Little athletes: stand lightly on your forefoot for more range of motion during the stroke.
• Test your damper setting during training. Know at which position you work optimally before you get to the start.
• Check before the start whether the monitor has been reset by the judge. Never start on a monitor that already shows meters.
• Signal the judge at the last 50-100 meters. In the Doubles category, the resting partner can already attract the judge's attention.

Common mistakes at the SkiErg

• Starting too fast. The most common mistake. You're fresh, you feel good and you burn yourself out in the first 200 meters.
• Pure pull on arms: no hip hinge, no leg activation = pure arm effort that quickly exhausts you.
• Going too deep with the arms: strokes beyond hip level hardly provide extra output but do cost arm strength.
• Incorrect breathing: holding your breath or breathing irregularly unnecessarily increases the heart rate.
• Wrong damper setting not checked: starting at setting 10 without knowing it is a nightmare.
• Too high stroke rate: above 45 BPM you lose rhythm and your heart rate increases too quickly.
• Not signaling the judge on time: you are waiting at the end line while the clock is running.

How do you train for the Hyrox SkiErg?

With SkiErg (preferred)

Nothing replaces the real material. If your gym has a Concept2 SkiErg, use it regularly. Not just as a warm-up, but as a full-fledged part of your Hyrox training. Make sure you train on the SkiErg at least once a week in the run-up to your race.

• Technique session: 3 × 3 minutes at a leisurely pace - focus purely on hip hinge and stroke rhythm
• Endurance training: 1x1,000-1,500m steady state - build aerobic capacity and consistency
• Intervals: 5 × 200m with 60s rest - boost your power and recovery speed
• Compromised SkiErg: 1km run + direct 1,000m SkiErg - this simulates the race-specific transition and is the most valuable exercise

Complementary strength exercises

The SkiErg is a pulling movement from the core. These exercises build exactly the right muscle groups:

• Lat pulldowns & seated cable rows: the back pulling muscles that drive the stroke
• Dumbbell or barbell Romanian Deadlift: posterior chain + hip extension force
• Cable pull-throughs & kettlebell swings: training exactly the hip hinge you need
• Pallof press & dead bug: core stability that prevents energy loss
• Medicine ball slams: explosiveness in the same movement as the SkiErg stroke

Alternatives if you don't have a SkiErg

Not every gym has a SkiErg. These alternatives simulate the movement and the load:

• Lat Pull-down: the closest alternative in terms of movement pattern
• Resistance band ski pull: attach a band high and pull down with hip hinge = good imitation
• Rowing machine: similar aerobic load and back/core activation, slightly different movement pattern
• Medicine ball slams: builds the explosiveness of the hip-drive stroke
• TRX-rows + hip hinge combination: creates the coordinated back-hip movement

Recommendation: train at least once every 10 à 15 days on a real Concept2 SkiErg in the run-up to your race. The specific resistance, movement and monitoring behavior of the machine cannot be completely replaced. Find a Hyrox Open Day or affiliate gym via hyrox.com/find-a-gym.

Summary: This is how you get better at the Hyrox SkiErg

• Hip hinge, not squat. The power comes from your hips. Let your arms finish the work.
• Pull to your hips, no further. Don't waste energy on the bottom half of the stroke.
• Start at 80-85% of your max. Save the rest for the Sled Push and whatever comes after.
• Test your damper setting in training. Know in which position you function optimally.
• Keep your rhythm. Steady strokes beat nervous sprints.
• Train compromised: run → SkiErg → run. This way you learn how your body reacts to menopause.

Would you like to plan your complete Hyrox preparation? View our complete training guide.

Want to read more about Hyrox?

→  Hyrox Sled Push: the station immediately following the SkiErg

→  Hyrox Sled Pull: technique, weights & strategy

→  Compromised running: why running after the stations feels so different

→  Hyrox training schedules: how to build up to race day

→  Best shoes for Hyrox