Hyrox Race Day Playbook

Hyrox is won in transitions and lost in pacing. The fastest athletes aren't always the fittest — they're the best at managing effort across 8 stations and 8 km of running. This playbook gives you station-specific strategy, transition tips, and a pacing framework to race smarter.

The 8 Stations — Strategy & Pacing

#	Station	Rx	Target Time	Strategy
1	SkiErg	1000m	3:30-4:30	Long pulls, controlled pace. Don't sprint — you have 7 stations left. Arms-only temptation kills you later.
2	Sled Push	50m	1:30-3:00	Low body angle, drive with legs. Short choppy steps. Don't stop — walking pace is faster than stop-start.
3	Sled Pull	50m	1:30-3:00	Hand-over-hand, seated position. Keep tension on the rope at all times. Gloves help grip.
4	Burpee Broad Jump	80m	3:00-5:00	Biggest time sink. Consistent rhythm beats speed. Jump 4-5 ft each time. Don't sprint the jumps.
5	Rowing	1000m	3:30-4:30	Rate 24-28 spm. This is active recovery if paced right. Don't go below 2:00/500m split.
6	Farmers Carry	200m	1:30-2:30	Grip is the limiter. If you have to set down, you went out too fast. Steady walk, tight core.
7	Sandbag Lunges	100m	2:30-4:00	Quads will be destroyed by now. Short steps, upright torso. This is a mental station — just keep moving.
8	Wall Balls	75/100	3:00-5:00	Break early: sets of 15-20. Don't go unbroken. 5-breath rest max between sets. Finish strong.

Station

Target Time

Strategy

SkiErg

1000m

3:30-4:30

Long pulls, controlled pace. Don't sprint — you have 7 stations left. Arms-only temptation kills you later.

Sled Push

50m

1:30-3:00

Low body angle, drive with legs. Short choppy steps. Don't stop — walking pace is faster than stop-start.

Sled Pull

50m

1:30-3:00

Hand-over-hand, seated position. Keep tension on the rope at all times. Gloves help grip.

Burpee Broad Jump

80m

3:00-5:00

Biggest time sink. Consistent rhythm beats speed. Jump 4-5 ft each time. Don't sprint the jumps.

Rowing

1000m

3:30-4:30

Rate 24-28 spm. This is active recovery if paced right. Don't go below 2:00/500m split.

Farmers Carry

200m

1:30-2:30

Grip is the limiter. If you have to set down, you went out too fast. Steady walk, tight core.

Sandbag Lunges

100m

2:30-4:00

Quads will be destroyed by now. Short steps, upright torso. This is a mental station — just keep moving.

Wall Balls

75/100

3:00-5:00

Break early: sets of 15-20. Don't go unbroken. 5-breath rest max between sets. Finish strong.

Running Pacing — The 1km Segments

Pacing Strategy

Run 1 (before SkiErg): 85% effort — settle in, don't race
Runs 2-4: Even pace at 80% — these are recovery between stations
Runs 5-6: Maintain pace — fatigue creeps in, stay disciplined
Run 7: Allow 5-10% pace drop — lungs are on fire, that's normal
Run 8: Leave it all on the course. Sprint the last 200m.

Transition Tips (Free Time)

Transitions average 15-45 seconds — pros do them in 5-10s
Know the venue layout — walk the course during check-in
Have nutrition ready: gel or chews at station 4 and 6
Gloves on for sled pull, off for everything else — practice this
Mental cue at each station entrance: "What's my break plan?"

Race Day Gear Checklist

Race Day Nutrition Timeline

3 hrs before: Full meal — rice, chicken, banana. Nothing new.
1 hr before: Small snack — rice cake + honey, or a banana
15 min before: Sip electrolytes, caffeine if you use it (100-200mg)
Mid-race: Gel at station 4 (burpee broad jumps) and station 6 (farmers carry)
Post-race: Protein + carbs within 30 min. Hydrate aggressively.

Time Targets by Division

Podium (Open): Sub 1:05:00 (M) / Sub 1:15:00 (F)
Competitive: 1:10-1:25:00 (M) / 1:20-1:35:00 (F)
Solid finish: 1:25-1:40:00 (M) / 1:35-1:50:00 (F)
First race goal: Finish. Don't stop. Beat your prediction.
Use yeagersgym.com/tools-hyrox.html to predict your time