What's this Hyrox all about then?

If you’re ready to test every part of your fitness—strength, endurance, and mental grit—then HYROX is calling your name. And it’s not just calling you… it’s calling everyone.

Last season, over 850,000 people took on the challenge. For 25/26, it’s expected to hit 1.5 million. The London event alone has exploded; what started as a two-day competition is now a nine-day spectacle. People are literally taking time off work to race. Should you? Maybe!

What has made HYROX so popular? It's because it's inclusive for all. The movements are easy to access, Hyrox Training is available in most gyms today, there are adaptive categories, and now even kids can participate, ensuring the next generation is already getting involved.

First Place with Double partner Mark

Coaching, Comparison & Finding What Works for You

HYROX has opened the door for a lot of new “coaches,” everyone from PTs to running coaches. And while that’s great for the sport, finding the right coach is personal.

You need someone who understands you — not just your numbers or your splits, but your lifestyle, your recovery, and your mindset.

HYROX training isn’t just about lifting or running. It’s strength, power, pacing, and endurance layered with recovery and nutrition. To coach this sport well, you need a broad skill set and a deep understanding of balance. Some athletes end up working with multiple coaches just to cover all the bases. Good news: I cover all the bases and more.

www.gillblakecoaching.com

Personalised coaching to help you move better, fuel smarter, and perform stronger. Expert-led nutrition, performance, and injury recovery support from Gill Blake

A fully personalized service offering expert guidance and strategies to optimize athletic performance through tailored nutrition plans and comprehensive coaching.

While we all love to watch the E15 (the top 15 men and women globally), it’s important not to compare ourselves to them. They may have advantages in time, youth, genetics, and whether people like to admit it or not, those things matter. They always have in sport, they always will.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t excel. If I can do it, so can you.

Athlete powers through the Hyrox competition, intensely focused while pushing a weighted sled.

I’ve raced over 20 HYROX events and podiumed in most of them. My background? Horses, yep, Dressage at national level and triathlon. I wasn't the best at triathlon, but I enjoyed it and met some great people along the way. It gave me a good foundation for HYROX.

So why am I so much better at Hyrox than I was at triathlon?

What changed?

I started paying attention to everything:  training, structure (Habits/Systems/Process—more on this later), recovery, nutrition, and the details behind performance. When you understand those components, you stop guessing… and start progressing.

The British physicist and mathematician, William Thomson Kelvin, among his statements, left us a phrase as revealing as the following: “What is not defined cannot be measured. What is not measured, cannot be improved. What is not improved, is always degraded

Why So Many Athletes Still Struggle

I see it all the time: athletes who train hard but miss the key elements that actually drive improvement.

They under-fuel. They skip recovery. They ignore the signals their bodies are giving them.

The result? Burnout, plateaus, and frustration.

The top athletes are getting faster, but the majority are just getting busier. To really move the needle, you have to train smart, not just hard.

So let’s talk about how to do exactly that.

Building Your Foundation for HYROX Success

Before you dive into the heavy sleds or big race simulations, you’ve got to build a foundation.

HYROX rewards well-rounded athletes. Strength, endurance, and functional movement all matter, and that starts long before race day.

And yes, it starts with your nutrition. You cannot out-train poor fueling. If you want to perform like a high-performance machine, you’ve got to fuel like one.

Let's list out the key components you need to consider for better results and consistent training.

1️⃣ Prioritize your running.

Running makes up a huge chunk of HYROX: eight 1Ks between each workout, plus transitions, warm-up, and cool-down. You’re easily covering 10K on race day.

Aim for 3–4 runs per week:

• Easy Zone 2 runs to build an endurance base; this also allows for more training time without adding to fatigue.

• Threshold work (non-negotiable!) once a week, twice if you can take it.

Running within Hyrox-specific workouts - compromised, tired legs.

I once disliked treadmill workouts, but now they’re my favorite because nothing compares to the feeling of becoming fitter, faster, and stronger. Additionally, they are shorter and can easily be incorporated into your routine no matter where you are in the world.

2️⃣ Lift heavy — build total-body strength.

Strong, efficient muscles help with everything from sled pushes to wall balls to faster recovery between stations.

Concentrate on the fundamentals: back squats, deadlifts, presses, and pulls (KISS - Keep it Simple Stupid (I prefer Sexy)). These exercises enhance durability and help prevent injuries, which are the primary obstacles to progress. Avoid injuries to maintain consistency, and the results will come. Focus on lifting heavy weights with low repetitions. A 5x5 routine is a personal favorite, transitioning to 5x3 for even heavier lifts, and then reducing the weight while increasing repetitions as race week nears. Come taper week, you're looking to move some weight no later than T-5 days from race day. I mean light; if you're a 25 kg dumbbell bench press, then you're looking at 12.5 kg that day. Don't worry, strength drops off after 2 weeks, you'll be okay.

3️⃣ Train functional movement patterns.

Get specific: sled work, rowing, burpees, wall balls, carries. As race day gets closer, spend more time refining technique. Efficiency saves huge amounts of time and energy when the fatigue sets in. If racing doubles, train some sessions together. Work out who is doing what when.

4️⃣ Recovery isn’t optional

Recovery is the secret weapon. Build it into your system: mobility work, active recovery, sleep, sauna, good food. The routine you create here determines your long-term success.

.

Consistency builds capacity.There’s no “get fit quick” shortcut but the process is incredibly rewarding when you commit to it.

Build Habits → Create Processes → Build a System for Success

Let’s break this down in real terms that we all can understand.

Habits are the starting point. They’re the small, repeatable actions that move you forward each day.

For example:

• Habit 1: Wake up at the same time.

• Habit 2: Take your supplements.

• Habit 3: Eat the right breakfast.

• Habit 4: Go for a walk.

Now put those habits together, and you’ve got a morning process.

Do the same for the rest of your day:

• A recovery process for how you rest and recharge.

• A nutrition process for how you eat and fuel.

• A pre-training process for how you prepare to perform.

Each process is made up of habits. Stack those processes across seven days, and you’ve built a system—a structured, consistent rhythm for success.

Here’s the key:

• Habits take time to form.

• Processes take discipline to maintain.

• Systems keep it all connected, moving you forward in a positive direction.

  
  

That’s your 7-day system: eat it, sleep it, live it. Over time, those small daily actions compound into real results—the kind that only come from months of consistent effort. It is months, not weeks!

Structured Training for HYROX Performance

Once the base is set, your training needs structure. You’re not just getting fit; you’re preparing your body to perform.

Here’s a sample beginner framework (and remember — everyone’s different!):

Monday – Endurance + Mobility

• 5K steady run (Zone 2)

• 15 mins dynamic mobility work

  
  

Tuesday – Full Body Strength Circuit or Upper Body Focus

4 rounds:

• 10 weighted squats (sandbag or dumbbells)

• 10 push presses

• 10 dumbbell deadlifts

• 10 box jumps (or step-overs)

  
  

Wednesday – Intervals + Core (Threshold Running)

• 8 x 400m sprints (90s rest) Core: planks,

• Russian twists, leg raises – 30s on / 30s off (4 rounds)

Thursday – Functional HYROX Session

• Sled push/pull (HYROX weights)

• 4 x 500m row (90s rest)

• 3 x 15 burpees (10s rest between)

• 
  

Friday – Compound Lifts

• 5x5 - Back Squat

• 5x5 - Deadlift

• 3x8 - Weighted Dumbbell Split Squat (Each Side)

Saturday – Outdoor Run (Include Hills)

8–10K Zone 2 run outdoors (rain optional 😉)

Sunday – Rest & Prep for the Week

• Legend being made

Now let's address the elephant in the room. I see so much on social media comparing what is good and what is bad training. It's all nonsense; as long as you're doing something, it's better than nothing.

Movement is life, life is Movement

HYROX vs CrossFit – Same Family, Different DNA

HYROX and CrossFit both build full-body fitness, but the approach is different.

CrossFit is a methodology, a lifestyle built around fitness. HYROX is a competition, a race against the clock.

• Format: HYROX follows a fixed sequence of eight workouts separated by runs. CrossFit changes daily and includes more technical lifts/gymnastics.

• Pacing: HYROX is mainly about endurance and pacing. CrossFit is about power output, intensity, mobility, and more.

• Training focus: HYROX leans into aerobic capacity and functional strength; CrossFit blends power, agility, and skill.

• 
  

Do both if you enjoy them—they complement each other beautifully. Just make sure you’re adding enough threshold running if you’re coming from a CrossFit base, like the elite CrossFitters do.

Fuel, Recovery & Hormonal Awareness

Training hard is only half the story; the real growth happens in recovery.

• Fuel wisely: Eat balanced meals with lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats. Undereating is one of the biggest mistakes I see, especially in women. It messes with hormones and recovery.

• Hydrate: 2–3L of water daily, more on heavy training days.

• Sleep: 7–9 hours minimum.

• Active recovery: Sauna, mobility, or a light spin—anything that improves circulation and helps the body repair.

  
  

My coaching always integrates cycle-aware training for ladies, adjusting training load and nutrition around hormonal phases. It’s one of the most overlooked factors in female performance and one that changes everything when you get it right.

Mindset & Motivation

HYROX isn’t just physical; it’s mental. The race tests your mindset just as much as your fitness:

• Set small, achievable goals.

• Track your progress in training & nutrition.

Visualize success on and off the racecourse - You're an amazing machine, remember.

• Surround yourself with people who lift you higher.

• Check the ego, be humble - Listen, learn, adapt, survive, and thrive - You got this.

• Be kind to yourself along the way - There will be good days and bad days.

• Progress isn’t linear, but it’s always happening.

The Takeaway

HYROX is a journey—one that builds strength, stamina, and self-belief. When you train smart, fuel properly, and understand your body, the results reach far beyond the finish line.

At Gill Blake Coaching, I help women train with purpose, recover with intention, and race with confidence, whether it’s your first HYROX or your next PB.

➡️ Ready to start your HYROX journey? Join me at Gill Blake Coaching — and let’s get you race-ready, the smart way.

Thanks for reading.

Gill Blake BSc (Hons)

DipLSSM ARNI