HYROX warm-up before the race

I see two types of people at HYROX. Some don't warm up at all and the first kilometre feels like running in concrete. Others warm up so long and so hard they start tired. Both cost time. Here's the warm-up I give my clients and use myself.

When to start

Get to the venue at least an hour before your wave. Check-in, changing and the toilet queue take longer than you think. Start your warm-up 30–35 minutes before your start, so you have 10 minutes left to get to the start area.

The 20-minute warm-up

1. Easy jog, 5–6 minutes. Slow enough to talk. The goal is to warm up, not to train.
2. Mobility, 4–5 minutes. Hips, ankles, thoracic spine and shoulders. Circles, lunges with rotation, the world's greatest stretch, a few deep squats.
3. Activation, 4–5 minutes. 10 lunges, 10 jump squats, 5 burpees, a few push-ups. Wake up your legs and core for the sleds and lunges.
4. Strides, 3–4 minutes. 3–4 runs of 60–80 m, building to race pace and a touch faster. Jog back between them.
5. Head, 1–2 minutes. Go over your plan: pace for the first two kilometres, how you'll split the wall balls, where you won't stop.

What to skip

• Long static stretching. Save it for after the race.
• Heavy work. No all-out sled pushes and no test sets of wall balls. You'll need those legs in an hour.
• Anything new. Your warm-up should be the same one you do before a hard session.

How to stay warm

You often wait 5–10 minutes in the start area. Wear a hoodie or a T-shirt over your race kit and take it off right before the start. Keep moving: small jumps, arm circles, a few lunges. What to pack for the venue is in What to bring to HYROX.

Doubles and Relay

In Doubles, warm up together and do your strides side by side so you settle into a shared pace. In Relay, time your warm-up to finish just before your own leg, not before the team starts. If you're waiting half an hour, repeat a short jog and a couple of strides.

FAQ

The whole race day step by step is in Your first HYROX, step by step.

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