Hyrox has grown quickly in Ireland, with large events held in Dublin, and many people who train in CrossFit boxes are now asking whether they should try it, or whether it is a different sport entirely. The short answer: they overlap a lot, but they are built on different ideas. This guide explains how each works and who each suits.
What is Hyrox?
Hyrox is a standardised indoor fitness race. Every race uses the same format (hyrox.com): eight 1 km runs, each followed by one functional workout station, always in the same order:
- 1,000 m SkiErg
- 50 m sled push (2 x 25 m)
- 50 m sled pull (2 x 25 m)
- 80 m burpee broad jumps
- 1,000 m row
- 200 m farmers carry
- 100 m sandbag lunges
- Wall balls (100 reps)
Weights differ by division (Open, Pro, Doubles and Relay, for example). Because the course is the same everywhere, times can be compared between events and cities.
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is a training method rather than a single race. Its own definition is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. A week of CrossFit classes might include Olympic lifting, gymnastics such as pull-ups and handstands, running, rowing, kettlebells and short or long conditioning workouts. There is a competitive side too, including the annual online Open, but most people do CrossFit simply to get fit. Read more on our What Is CrossFit page.
The key differences
Predictable vs varied
Hyrox is the same race every time. You know exactly what you will face, which makes it easy to train specifically for it. CrossFit deliberately varies the workouts so you are prepared for the unknown.
Skill requirements
Hyrox stations are relatively low-skill: pushing, pulling, carrying, lunging, rowing and throwing a ball. CrossFit includes high-skill movements such as snatches, muscle-ups and handstand walks that can take years to learn. That makes Hyrox easier to enter as a competitor.
Running
Running makes up roughly half of a Hyrox race, so aerobic fitness and running economy matter enormously. CrossFit includes running but rarely in that volume.
Strength
CrossFit places more emphasis on maximal strength, with heavy squats, deadlifts and Olympic lifts. Hyrox needs strength endurance: moving moderate loads repeatedly while tired.
Duration
Most CrossFit workouts last between 5 and 25 minutes. A Hyrox race typically takes most people over an hour, so pacing and fuelling become important.
Does CrossFit training help with Hyrox?
Yes, a lot. Several Hyrox stations are standard CrossFit movements: wall balls, burpees, rowing and lunges. CrossFit athletes are usually comfortable with high heart rates, transitions and moving under fatigue. Where CrossFitters often struggle is the running volume and the sled. If you train in a CrossFit gym and want to race Hyrox, the usual adjustments are:
- Add two or three runs a week, including one longer, easy run.
- Practise running straight after a station, for example 1 km run then 50 wall balls.
- Do longer EMOMs or intervals to build the engine for a race that lasts over an hour (see EMOM workouts).
- Get comfortable on the rower and SkiErg at a sustainable pace (our rowing machine guide helps).
- Practise wall balls when already tired, because they come last.
Does Hyrox training help with CrossFit?
It builds a big aerobic engine and mental toughness, both of which help in longer CrossFit workouts. It will not teach the gymnastics and Olympic lifting skills that CrossFit uses, so if you move the other way, expect to spend time learning technique with lighter loads.
Which suits you?
Hyrox may suit you if you like running, enjoy clear goals, want a race to train for and prefer movements that are easy to learn.
CrossFit may suit you if you enjoy variety, want to learn new skills such as lifting and gymnastics, prefer shorter, intense sessions and like training in a group with coaching every day.
Plenty of people do both: CrossFit classes as their regular training, and one or two Hyrox races a year as a goal. The two complement each other well.
What a week of training for each looks like
A typical CrossFit week mixes three to five classes, each with a strength or skill block and a short, intense workout. One day might be heavy back squats followed by a seven-minute AMRAP; the next might be gymnastics practice and a longer row-and-burpee piece. Variety is the point.
A typical Hyrox-focused week looks more like an endurance plan: two or three runs (one easy and long, one with intervals), one or two "compromised running" sessions where runs are paired with stations, and one or two strength sessions built around sleds, lunges, carries and wall balls. The repetition is the point: you rehearse the race until the transitions feel familiar.
Neither approach is better for general health. The HSE advises adults to get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate activity a week (hse.ie), and both styles cover that easily.
Safety and getting started
Both are demanding. If you are new to exercise, build up gradually, learn the movements under supervision and follow general guidance on getting active from the HSE. If you have a heart condition or other health concerns, speak to your GP first.
Curious about CrossFit-style training? Start with CrossFit for beginners, or see what a CrossFit gym in Athlone offers through its beginner classes.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hyrox the same as CrossFit?
- No. Hyrox is a standardised fitness race with eight 1 km runs and eight fixed stations. CrossFit is a varied training method that includes lifting, gymnastics and conditioning.
- Is Hyrox harder than CrossFit?
- They are hard in different ways. Hyrox demands long-duration endurance and running; CrossFit demands more skill, strength and short, intense efforts.
- Can CrossFit training prepare you for Hyrox?
- Yes. Many Hyrox stations are standard CrossFit movements. Most CrossFitters need to add running volume and practise running straight after stations.
- How long does a Hyrox race take?
- Most people take more than an hour. Elite athletes finish considerably faster.