Last week I officially became a Hybrid Rockstar.
I joined forces with 28,000 lycra-clad enthusiasts all taking part in adult PE that saw us run around in circles in Sydney Showground.
I think I lost a lung. But I had a blast.
If you haven’t guessed it yet, I hopped on the bandwagon and competed in my first HYROX, a fitness race that has taken the world by storm.
Sydney’s race saw record-breaking numbers of participants, proving that the HYROX hype is showing no signs of slowing down.
If you haven’t heard of HYROX, you’re about to. If you have, then chances are you have an opinion. People either love it or they're thoroughly over it. Personally, I loved it (did question that a little during it, but that’s beside the point).
But I want to talk about both sides, because the hate isn't entirely unfounded, and I think it's worth picking apart.
(And in case you were wondering, HYROX supposedly stands for Hybrid Rockstar, a name I now wear with pride! And a little embarrassment…)
What is HYROX?
HYROX is a fitness race with the same format at every event around the world.
Participants run eight 1k laps, each separated by a different station. You can choose to go solo, pair up with a partner in doubles, or tackle the race as a four in relay.
The HYROX Race Format
- 1 km Run > 1,000m SkiErg
- 1 km Run > 50m Sled Push
- 1 km Run > 50m Sled Pull
- 1 km Run > 80m Burpee Broad Jumps
- 1 km Run > 1,000m Rowing
- 1 km Run > 200m Farmers Carry
- 1 km Run > 100m Sandbag Lunges
- 1 km Run > 100 Wall Balls
What Taking Part in a Race is Actually Like
My race wasn’t until 6:40pm which meant a day of carbs and nerves.
As soon as we got to the venue, there was so much going on that we were immersed in the event, and the nerves reduced (slightly).
Sydney’s event was home to the first “HYROX House”, a huge activation zone with brands, merch, challenges and food. After a wander around, numerous bathroom breaks, and even more lollie worms, it was time to head to the warm zone and eventually, the start line.
There’s something special about a group of strangers all in the same place with the same goal; it unites you. We took part in the relay, so it was a little more complicated than the main event. We weren’t too sure how the transitions worked, so we saw a group of sweaty people who looked like they knew what they were doing and asked them for help. They enthusiastically helped, and we were on our way. The same thing happened to us a little later, when a group of bewildered ladies asked us where they needed to go. It’s one of the best parts of events like this: you chat, you make friends, you share in something that’s hard to explain unless you’ve taken part.
And then the race began.
In the relay, each teammate completes two stations. The upside is you only have to tackle two workouts. The downside is there's nowhere to hide, you have to attack both of them as hard as you can.
There's anticipation waiting for your teammate to come back so you can sub in, a strange loneliness running into the course alone, and then the surprise of spotting a familiar face in the crowd cheering you on. Suddenly, my two stations were done, and all that was left was to cheer my team over the finish line.
In total, I probably worked for two lots of about 10 minutes, but that was a hard 20 minutes! And I do mean hard. The kind of work where you surprise yourself with what you're still able to give when you're convinced the tank is empty.
One thing became obvious very quickly, though. HYROX is a running race. Yes, you have an equal number of stations vs runs, but the running is what makes or breaks you. If you’re after a competitive time, you’ve got to be running fast. I couldn’t believe how quickly some of the people ran past me!
Not a 10/10 runner? Don’t worry, neither am I, and I completed it just fine.
Why Has HYROX Dominated the Fitness Space?
Although I was keen to do a race beforehand, completing it has cemented in my mind why HYROX is seeing this surge in popularity.
The first is how accessible it is. If you zoomed out and took a look at who was on the race course, you’d see a vast array of people - the lean and toned that you’d expect, but also the first-timers who just wanted to see if they could finish it, the people in their seventies proving they’re still so capable.
I think that's the real beauty of the race, that anyone and everyone can participate. Low-skill movements mean the barrier to entry is accessible, and HYROX is responsible for so many people exercising, and that’s something to be proud of. I have a years-old hamstring injury, and wanting to take part was the thing that finally made me take the steps to get it sorted once and for all, so that I too could get involved.
It also brings out your competitive side. We didn’t go in with a time in mind; we just wanted to complete it. However, after a surprisingly good result, I want to go back and see if we can push ourselves even further. There's always something to chase, whether it's the person just ahead of you on the course or your own time from the last race. The target keeps you wanting more.
And just having something to work toward has kept my training on track, especially in the winter months when my 5am alarm goes off, and I REALLY want to snooze it.
So Why All the Hate?
Anything that grows this fast is going to collect people who resent it; that part isn't unique to HYROX. But I think what's happening here is a bit more specific, and a bit more interesting.
A lot of the criticism lands on the performative side of it - the photo at the finish line, the medal, the Instagram story. There's an assumption baked into that criticism that if you're posting it, then you must be doing it for the post. Maybe for some people that's true, I can't speak to anyone else's motivations. But if you've spent three months training for this, I think it’s okay to want to show that you completed it! Showing the result off doesn't strike me as a character flaw.
Nobody accuses a marathon runner of the same validation-seeking for posting their finisher photo. I think HYROX has landed in a strange pocket where trying visibly and being seen to try has become something people feel entitled to mock. That says more about where we're at culturally with effort and visibility than it does about the people lining up at the start line.
There can also be an element of almost “elitism”, the idea that sport belongs to 'real' athletes doing 'proper' sports, and HYROX doesn't count. But that isn’t where the industry is or should be going. If something gets someone who's never really exercised, or never believed they could achieve something like this, training for months, pushing through a race they weren't sure they could finish, surely it shouldn’t matter the reason why. More people moving, more people finding something that makes them want to keep going, and that's the whole point of what we do.
Some of the complaints are fair, though, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. Ticketing systems haven’t always been able to handle demand, courses that vary slightly between venues, and events selling out in minutes, making participating a challenge in itself. But it’s a growing business that has seen exponential growth. They’re working out their own logistics, which they’re allowed to do, but I do understand the frustrations and think people are entitled to that too.
And for the "it's become their whole personality" line. Sure, for some people it clearly has. But that's not a HYROX problem; that's a human one. Ask anyone who's spoken to a golfer recently.
The Bottom Line
Fitness trends are not new. We’ve seen the likes of Aerobics, bodybuilding, Zumba, Tough Mudder, CrossFit, running and even pickleball and padel rise to the peak of popularity. And no doubt there will be something new that pops up in the years to come.
But HYROX isn’t going anywhere any time soon. If you're tempted to start training and join a race, I can’t encourage you more. The race has done incredible things for people and inspired thousands to exercise, push themselves and see what they’re capable of.
At OneCoach, our bottom line is always that we want to help people to move often and well. At One Playground, one of our values is to Inspire Change. HYROX is an accessible vehicle that can provide that for a huge variety of people. The race is a plus to the industry, not a minus.
If it’s not for you, that’s okay. Go and find the thing that brings you joy. There’s enough to go around for everyone.
